Bible Record of John & Sarah Ann Beals – in possession of Joseph E. Beals, Jonesboro. Copied May 11, 1938 by Mrs. L. W. McCown.
John Beals & Sarah A. Kelsay were married Jan. 23, 1844.
Joseph E. Beals was born 35 (sic) day of October, 1844. {?}.
Williams K. Beals was born 26th day of Feb. 1847.
Maryann Beals was born 26th day of Feb. 1847.
John H. Beals was born 19th day Dec. 1850.
Susannah Maleun Beals born 15th April 1853.
James H.D. Beals born Oct. 2, 1856.
Martha Elizabeth Beals born May 22, 1861.
Isaac S. Beals born June 23, 1869.
Deaths:
Martha Beals departed this life, 27th day, July, 1833, aged 48 yrs., 9 mos., 8 days.
Joseph Beals departed this life 23 day April, 1868 aged 88 yrs., 5 mos.
{Note: Joseph Beals was father of John Beals, Martha, his first}.
Maryann Beals, dau., John and Sarah A. Beals, dept. 12 March 1850.
Susannah M. Beals dep. Nov. 28, 1880 – aged 57 yrs, 4 mos. & 26 days.
John Beals dep. Aug 28, 1889, aged 71 yrs. & 29 days.
Sarah Ann Beals dep. Oct. 6, 1890, aged 61 yrs., 3 mos. & 8 days.
Maple Grove Friend’s Church – Data given by Joseph E. Beals on March 16, 1938 to Mrs. L. W. McCown.
The records of the Maple Grove Friend’s Church were taken to Knoxville by _________ several years ago. The house was originally a log house with no chimney, just a square platform in the center which was covered with mud and used as a hearth. The fire was built upon it, the smoke going out the roof. When the Christen (sic) Baptist used the church, they decided to join together and built the present building (standing in 1938). The Trustees of this building erected __ 1894 were Eli Marshall, Wm. Smith, John Smith & Joseph E. Beals (The 2nd & 3rd members were of the Christians)
Isaac Hammer used to come every Wednesday and stay 1 hour in worship there, and he always spent the night with Joseph Beals, the grandfather of Joseph E. Beals, b. 1844. This older Joseph Beals was 88 yrs ., when he died. The following families were members of old Maple Grove Church; Beals, Bashors, Diehl, Miller, Gott, Dove. The Smith family were Christians. Joseph Marshall, son of Eli Marshall, lives in Greene Co., near New Hope Friends Church. Today (1938) there is the Fairview Methodist Church adjoining the Friends’ Church, with a large cemetery also, and surrounded by the village of Fairview, Washington County, just 4 miles NW of Jonesboro.
The Abstract of the Deed to Maple Grove Building. In possession of Mr. Joseph E. Beals, Jonesboro, TN.
Eli Marshall, of Greene Co., TN, acting as Agent for the Society of Friends and Wm. H. M. Smith, of Washington County, entered into a contract for the building of a meeting house on a lot belonging to the Friends, lying in Washington Co., and adjoining lands of Wm. H. M. Smith and Henry Jones. The Friends are to have the preference of use of the building, and the Christian Baptists the next . . . the house to be open to all Evangelical Denominations when not occupied by the afore said denominations and this contract does not presume that either of the aforesaid denominations shall occupy the house by appointments – more than one Sabbath each month. Said house is to be opened at all burials for funeral services.
Further agree said house shall be held by a Board of Trustees as we hereby appoint – Wm. H.M. Smith, Eli Marshall, Joseph E. Beals & John M. Smith as said Board – and when vacancy occurs the others shall fill the vacancy and this Board and their successors shall be governed by this Contract and shall hold this Indenture, after it has been Registered at Jonesboro, TN.
Said house to be used for Divine Worship and Sabbath School but no exhibitions of Dramatic plays or anything of like character to be tolerated in it.
Every preacher to present the Doctrines of the Bible as he understands it, but he must not say anything derogatory to any one, neither must be assail the doctrines of any other denomination that may differ from him.
Key to said house to be kept at Wm. H. M. Smith’s house, unless otherwise ordered.
Signed ______Eli Marshall . . . and Wm. H. M. Smith.
Attest — James W. Smith and J. Gresham.
Reg. – March 26, 1894 by Jacob Leab, Clerk, Washington County, TN.
Today (1938) Joseph E. Beals (died 1941, aged 96 yrs) is the only living member of this Board of Trustees. He has this Deed and also the books left of the Church library. These books are old copies of Quaker Lives and several have “New Hope Meeting House” written in them.
The Beals Family – by Joseph E. Beals.
The first Beals to come to Washington County was one Isaac Beals who came from York Co., PA. He had son, David Beals, who was a Trustee of Maple Grove when Isaac Hammer came and was serving with him. He had a son, Joseph Beals, who married 1st Martha Beals, a 1st cousin. They had children. Married 2ndly Mary Beals, also first cousin – no children. Both are buried in Maple Grove cemetery. Son – John Beals married Sarah Ann Kelsay (not Kelsey) daughter of John Kelsay, Sarah Ann had two brothers – John & Wm., – who were in Rebel Army and Grant starved them to death in prison. Son – Joseph E. Beals, b. Oct. 25, 1844, married 1 Sept. 6, 1866 to Martha Ellen Allison Maxwell Mathes, who died 1894, married Feb. 1895 to Martha L. Devault born May 25, 1853 – died 1933 having 10 children. Mr. Joseph E. Beals is a shoemaker, and works each day with his son, who has a shoe shop on Main St. in Jonesboro, TN. From the files of the late Mary H. McCown.