Elisha Beal - Time Line (by Donald H. Rielly)
1814-1818 Elisha is born. This range of dates is derived from his age, as reported in the US Census from 1840 through 1888 and from information given when he enlisted in the Senior Reserves during the Civil War.
3 June 1840 - Elisha is married to Lydia Barber, daughter of Zadock and Tempie Stinson Barber. Zadock was the son of Moses and Elizabeth Barber. Elisha's bondsman was Asa Beal.
1840- Elisha and Lydia are found in the United States Census for Chatham County. They are the only two in the household. Elisha was in the 20 to 30 age group (b. 1810 -1820) and Lydia was in the 15 to 20 group ( b. 1820-1825).
1850 - Elisha and Lydia are enumerated in the U.S. Census in Upper Regiment Township, Chatham County . They are listed as follows:
Beal, Elisha 34 m boot/shoemaker
Lydia 36 f
Rebecca 9 f
John 7 m
Atlas G 4 m
Martha E 2 f
Mary A 7mo f
1860 - Elisha and Lydia are enumerated in the US Census in the Western Division, Chatham County. The census page on whiche they are named bears the notation "Gulf P.O." They are listed as follows:
Beal, Elisha 44 m cooper
Lydia 42 f
Rebecca 19 f
John 17 m
Martha 12 f
Mary 10 f
Catherine 7 f
Ann 1 f
Atlas, age 15 was listed with his uncle, Lydia's brother, John T Barber.
1863- Elisha and Lydia's son Atlas enlists in Co. H, 20th Regiment, North Carolina State troops. This information is from a widow's application for a pension. Atlas's widow, Susan A Beal age 49 when she filed the application on June 29 1901, said "my husband died 7 years ago last March (note: this puts his death in March 1894. He would have been 48 years old then.) My husband's middle finger was shot off of right hand. For 10 years of my husband's life he was not able to do much work." Susan was living in the area served by the Blake Post Office in Sampson County when she filed for the pension.
July 26 1864- Elisha enlists in Captain J.M. Pilkinton's Company, Reserve Force, Senior Class. This organization later became Co. E. 6th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves. Elisha enlisted at Pittsboro and gave his birth date as December 17 1818. His height was 5 feet 71/2 inches; complexion fair; eyes, grey; occupation, shoemaker. Born in Chatham County, North Carolina.
1870 - Elisha and Lydia were enumerated in Oakland Township, Grove P.O., Chatham County. They were in the same dwelling with three members of the Burke family (Brown, age21; Martha, age 21 and Oran D age 1) and with Emily Barber, age 17. Emily may be Lydia's sister, Emmaline. The Beals are listed as follows:
Beal, Elisha 55 m farmer
Lydia 54 f
Martha 21 f
Mary Ann 19 f
Catherine 17 f
Elisha 10 m
John 27 m cooper
Atlas 24 m cooper
At this time Rebecca was the head of household that included the Aaran Mills family. Aaran was the mother of Josiah, who Rebecca was to marry in 1874. Rebecca and her daughter Jane are listed as follows:
Beal, Rebecca 30 f
Jane 6 f
1873- Mary Ann dies. A gravestone in the community cemetery of present day Cumnock (then Egypt) North Carolina bears the inscription "In memory of Mary Ann Beal April 18 1850- October 16, 1873."
1880- Elisha and Lydia and family are listed as follows in the US Census in Oakland Township, Chatham County, NC
Beal Elisha 66 m carpenter
Lydia 64 f keeping house
John F 37 m carpenter
Elisha E 18 m farmer/laborer
David B 7 m grandson
Robert L 6 m grandson
Stone,Sarah C. 23 f daughter keeping house
Mary A 6 f granddaughter
Elisha F 3 m grandson
Doctor 1 m grandson
It seems Robert L and David B are the sons of John F.
September 4, 1881- Elisha Beal marries Sarah Hilliard. This marriage is recorded in the Chatham County Marriage Index. Elisha was 22 and Sarah was 21. The word "Gulf" accompanies the notation. It probaby indicates the site of marriage. Thursday November 15 1883- The Chatham County Record: Hand Cut Off. On last Friday, Mr. John Beal, formerly of this county, met with a very painful accident at a sawmill in Cumberland County. His foot slipped on a piece of bark, causing him to fall, and one hand caught on the saw, which cut his fingers clean off.
May 17 1886- Elisha Beal applied for a marriage license for Joseph Hilliard age 61 of Chatham County and Sallie Willett age 28, daughter of Charles Willett of Chatham County. This Elisha may have been Elisha E Beal, the son of Elisha H and Lydia. Note: he married a Hilliard.
Thursday September 17 1891- The Chatham Record: E.E. Beal is included in a list of Oakland Township Insolvents. The Insolvents are those people who owe back taxes. This may be Elisha H. Beal's son. See the 1870 Census.
Thursday January 30, 1896 - The Chatham County Record: Elisha Beal is arrested and charged with murder in the deaths of two men. He is alleged to have tampered with a boiler at Matthew Gilmore's cotton gin, near Egypt. It was said that he did this as an act of revenge for having been removed from his job as fireman on the boiler. He was later convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 10 years in the North Carolina State Penetentiary. The Supreme Court upheld the conviction and sentence in November 1896. See my document Elisha Beal- Defendant for newspaper accounts.
Don Rielly - DHRIELLY@aol.com