Ancestor Birthday - April 17th - John Beals 1717-1796

It was just 300 years ago today that John Beals, my 6th great-grandfather, was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania to John and Sarah (Bowater) Beals. His birth was recorded at the New Garden Monthly Meeting there as his parents, as well as his grandparents, were Quakers. Because 1717 was before the calendar change in 1752 and Quakers used numbers for months his birth is recorded as the 2nd month. Since March was the 1st month then, naturally the 2nd month is April.

As John had numerous descendants there are many writings out there about him. Because his father was named John as well as his grandfather, it is important to be careful about which John is being referred to. It does help that his grandmother was Mary and his mother was Sarah and he married Margaret Hunt. It is probable that John married Margaret at the Hopewell Monthly Meeting in Frederick County, Virginia about 1738. It is regrettable that the minutes there were lost due to a fire, so we can't be sure of the date.

We do know that the New Garden Monthly Meeting in Rowan County (now Guilford County) North Carolina recorded that John was received by certificate there 27 May 1758 from the Hopewell Meeting in Virginia which was dated 14 Apr 1758. Between 1760 and 1769 their 5 children were married there, including my 5th great-grandmother Hannah Beals who married William Hoggatt.

Some writers state that John and Margaret lived with their daughter Hannah in the southern part of Guilford County, near Polecat Creek. I wonder if they came to help her after her husband died in 1771 and she had small children. This was in the area for Center Monthly Meeting. The records from that meeting show that John died on his birthday, 17 Apr 1796, in his 80th year, and he was buried at New Garden. I guess that on your 79th birthday, you are beginning your 80th year. His wife Margaret also died in 1796 and was buried at New Garden.

If John and Margaret were living with Hannah, they would have known their grandchildren quite well, which would include my 4th great-grandfather Stephen Hoggatt. They would have been alive when Stephen was married in 1786 and were still living when my 3rd great-grandfather, their great-grandson, Isaac Hoggatt was born in 1791. Isaac would have been 5 years old when they died, so I hope they had a chance to play with him and the other children in the family.