PA-OLD-CHESTER-L Archives

From:
Subject: Horace Alexander Beale
Date: Sat, 9 Mar 2002 16:34:11 EST

Cyndie,

Another biography for the Chester County, Pennsylvania rootsweb ftp files...

And somewhat pertinent to the list's recent discussion of local iron works!

--John Morris

Source: "Historical Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal
Memoirs of Chester and Delaware Counties, Pennsylvania", Vol. 1, edited by
Gilbert Cope and Henry Graham Ashmead, published by The Lewis Publishing
Company, 1904, pp. 488-489.

"Horace A. Beale, deceased, was a man of sanguine and determined temperament,
and being possessed of a vast amount of energy, quick perception of
opportunities and judicious management, was enabled to conquer every obstacle
and achieve substantial success in the business world. He was born in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 25, 1827, and is a descendant of Thomas
and Catherine Beale of Caln, Wiltshire, England. William Beale, son of
Thomas and Catherine Beale, was born August 14, 1709, and about the year 1730
came to this country and settled in West Whiteland township, Chester county,
Pennsylvania, where he became the owner of a large tract of land. He was
twice married; his first wife was Mary Jenkin, daughter of David Jenkin, and
the issue of this union was eight children. William died December 27, 1800,
at the advanced age of ninety-one years.

John Beale, son of William and Mary (Jenkin) Beale, was born December 12,
1740, was reared and educated in his native township, and later in life
enlisted in the Continental army as a private. He served under the command
of General Lafayette, and during one of the engagements near the head of Elk
Valley, on January 25, 1777, he was killed, and his remains were interred in
that locality. John Beale and his wife, Tamar (Burgoyne) Beale were the
parents of two children: Mary and Joseph Beale.

Joseph Beale, father of Horace A. Beale, was born in Juniata county,
Pennsylvania, in 1768, and was reared near Downingtown, by his grandfather,
with whom he resided after the death of his father. Upon the completion of
his studies he engaged in the furniture manufacturing business, and for many
years was a member of the firm of Beale & Jemison, of Philadelphia, in which
city he made his home for the greater part of his life. In politics he was a
Democrat, and in religion he adhered to the tenets f the Presbyterian faith,
holding membership in the First Presbyterian church of Philadelphia. He was
united in marriage to Margaret McDowell, daughter of Captain James McDowell,
of Upper Oxford township. Their children were: James M., Joseph, Horace, who
died in early life; Horace A., Elizabeth, and Harriet Beale. The father of
these children died at his farm in Downingtown, in the year 1841, aged
seventy-six years, and the mother died in the year 1834, aged fifty-three
years.

Horace A. Beale, son of Joseph and Margaret (McDowell) Beale, was born in
Philadelphia, January 25, 1827. He acquired a liberal education in the old
Philadelphia Academy and the University of Pennsylvania, graduating from the
latter institution after a three years course. His first employment was with
the Phoenix Iron Company; in 1846 he accepted a position with the Laurel Iron
Works; then was employed at the viaduct in Coatesville; later bought at the
Deer Creek Works in Maryland; then leased the Thorndale Iron Works, and the
Hibornia Iron Works, and in 1873, he established the iron works at
Parkesburg, under the name of Horace A. Beale. Subsequently the firm became
Horace A. Beale & Co. by the admission of William H. Gibbons of Coatesville
to partnership. In 1882 the Parkesburg Iron Company was organized, and
incorporated with a capital of $125,000, the officers being: Horace A. Beale,
president; William H. Gibbons, vice-president; Amos Michener, secretary;
Samuel R. Parke, treasurer; and A. J. Williams, general manager. These
persons remained in their respective places until the fall of 1897, when
Horace A. Beale died, and Mr. Gibbons became president; Horace A. Beale, Jr.,
vice-president; William C. Michener, secretary; George Thomas, treasurer; A.
J. Williams, general manager; and E. H. Brodhead, assistant general manager.
On January 1, 1900, the president and treasurer retired from the business and
the new officers elected were: Horace A. Beale, Jr., president; A. J.
Williams, vice-president; William C. Michener, secretary; E. H. Brodhead,
treasurer and general manager; H. B. Wiese, superintendent; and John R.
Humpton, assistant manager. The product of these mills consists of boiler
tube-iron skelp, the annual output being twenty thousand tons. The plant has
been greatly improved, buildings erected on a larger scale, and the capacity
for business has been increased thirty-three and one-third per cent, since
1900. The buildings consist of three mill buildings, one forge building,
three charcoal houses, two scrap houses, a machine shop, two trimming houses,
and other necessary houses. The mill consists of four two-high plate lines
driven by a horizontal slide-valve engine, two three-high muck-bar roll-train
driven by a vertical slide-valve engine, twelve heating furnaces, twenty-two
forge fires, three puddling furnaces with double-acting upright hammer, and
two horizontal hammers. There are employed at these works five hundred men,
and the location of the works in this town increased the growth of the
community in a remarkable manner.

During the Civil war Mr. Beale took an active part in defending the states of
Maryland and Pennsylvania from the invasions of General Lee, raising and
commanding an independent infantry company in the years 1862 and 1863. In
his political affiliations he was an adherent of the principles of the
Republican party, was a prominent member of Williamson Lodge, No. 309, Free
and Accepted Masons, of Downingtown, and a member of the Protestant Episcopal
church.

In 1855, Mr. Beale married Caroline Dougal, daughter of James Dougal, of
Northumberland County, and her death occurred in 1859. Ten years later he
was united in marriage to Ellen M. Mendenhall, daughter of the Rev. Edwin H.
Mendenhall, and one son was born to them, Horace A., Jr.

Mr. Beale, who was esteemed in the community for his many acts of charity and
kindliness toward the poor and afflicted, died November 3, 1897, survived by
his widow and son. Mrs. Beale resides in a handsome and commodious house in
Parkesburg, Pennsylvania. She has traveled extensively throughout Europe,
and has also spent considerable time in Cuba, Mexico, and Alaska. She has
devoted a large amount of time and attention to various forms of charitable
and philanthropic work in Chester county, and at the present time (1903) is
serving as vice-regent of the Daughters of the Revolution.

Horace A. Beale, Jr., son of Horace A. and Ellen M. (Mendenhall) Beale, was
born February 10, 1870. His education was acquired in the schools of
Parkesburg, the Uryhouse school at Fox Chase, Philadelphia, the Hill school
at Pottstown, and Haverford College, where he completed his course. For a
short period of time he was engaged in the capacity of assistant chemist with
the Penant Steel company at Steelton, near Harrisburg. He then became
actively connected with the plant at Parkesburg, was employed in the various
departments where he became familiar with all the details of the industry,
and is now filling the office of president. In politics, he is a strong
Republican, is an active man of affairs, and was appointed a delegate to the
national convention held at Philadelphia in 1900. He is a great lover an
admirer of horses, and is probably the owner of more automobiles than any man
in the county, taking keen pleasure in traveling through the country in this
mode of conveyance. He has toured not only his own state, but also the
majority of the New England states. His fine spacious residence is locate
don the hill near his old home.

Mr. Beale married Mary Hartshorn Dunning, a daughter of Erastmus Clark (of
the United States navy) and Harriet Shallcross (Morris) Dunning, the latter
named being a daughter of Samuel and Sarah Hastings (Brian) Morris. The
issue of this marriage was one son, Horace Alexander III, who was born June
9, 1901.

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