Gen 1: Mary Jane Beal - Hypothesized Parentage

What are the origins of Johann Nicholas Biehl?

 

We continued our Biehl research project with the end goal of identifying the German origins of Johann Nicholas Biehl. I continued research on the first generation, which is Mary Jane Beal. You can find that post here.

 

Hypothesized Parentage of Mary Jane Beal

 

As research is accomplished on an objective, it is helpful to keep a summary of the progress towards answering that objective, especially when it is not straight forward. To that end, the following provides the evidence that supports the hypothesis that Peter and Elizabeth (Painter) Beal are the parents of Mary Jane Beal.

 

Parentage: Summary Comments

·      A 14 January 1850 court record set forth the new route for the West Fork road extension.  This source details that Peter Beal and James Henry live near each other.[1]

·      The James & Mary Henry household was enumerated adjacent to Peter & Elizabeth Beal in 1850. Madison Painter was enumerated 8 households away.[2] This was the only Peter Beal household in1850 in Arkansas.[3]

·      Madison “Panter” witnessed the 1854 deed of James & Mary Jane Henry to William Covington.[4]

·      On 2 December 1861, a quitclaim deed was executed by the siblings of John Painter, deceased, conveying their interest in John’s property to William Painter. Peter and Elizabeth Beal and Madison Painter were part of that transaction. Madison Painter was Elizabeth (Painter) Beal’s brother and Mary Jane Beal’s uncle.[5]

·      The James & Mary Henry household was enumerated adjacent to Albert Beal in 1860, who was 27 years old and born in Tennessee.[6] Peter Beal’s household in 1850 contained 18-year-old Albert Beal, born in Tennessee.[7]

 

As we continue to research and find evidence of Mary Jane’s parentage, we will continue to analyze and correlate the information and develop the case.

 

Next up: Continuing the research on Mary Jane Henry and her husband, James.

 

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[1] Washington County, Arkansas, Court Records, 1835–1878, vol. C, 1848–1856, pp. 86–7, entry for West Fork Road, 14 January   1850; image 71 of 644, DGS no. 7,899,278, item 1, FamilySearch Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

[2] 1850 U.S. census, Washington County, Arkansas, population schedule, West Fork Township, p. 752 (penned), dwelling 30, family 30, James Henry; digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 30 October 2025).

[3] 1850 U.S. census, Arkansas, population schedule, search for Peter Beal; database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 22 February 2026). The only result was this household, 1850 U.S. census, Washington County, Arkansas, population schedule, p. 376 (stamped), p. 751 (penned), dwelling 29, family 29, Peter Beal; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 January 2016).

[4] Washington County, Arkansas, Deeds, Liber I: 521, deed, James Henry et ux to William Covington, 15 January 1855; digital images, FamilySearch(https://www.familysearch.org : accessed 2025), image 289 of 635, DGS no. 8,197,821, item 1; FamilySearch Library, Salt Lake City.

[5] Washington County, Arkansas, Deeds, Liber R: 159–60, quitclaim deed, Sidney Painter et al to William Painter, 24 January 1868; images 319-20 of 540, DGS no. 8,582,402, item 2, FamilySearch Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

[6] 1860 U.S. census, Benton County, Arkansas, population schedule, Beatie township, Maysville post office, p. 78 (penned), dwelling 491, family 489, James Henry; digital image, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 October 2025).

[7] 1850 U.S. census, Washington County, Arkansas, population schedule, p. 376 (stamped), p. 751 (penned), dwelling 29, family 29, Peter Beal; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 January 2016); citing NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 286.