Daniel Beals
Few men of Wayne county are as widely favorably known as Daniel Beals, of Paint township, where he was born on the 7th of February, 1833. He is one of the strong and influential citizens whose lives have become an essential part of the history of this section of the state and for years his name has been synonymous for all that constitutes honorable and upright manhood. Tireless energy, keen perception and honesty of purpose, combined with every-day common sense, were among his chief characteristics, and while advancing individual success he also largely promoted the moral and material welfare of his community.
The subject's parents were Jacob and Besanba (Bowers) Beals, and the former was the son of Abraham Beals, who came to Ohio in 1812 and entered large tracts land in this part of Wayne county, of which he gave each of his children a quarter section. He was a native of Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, and he rode all the way to his new western home on horse-back. He was one of the very first settlers here. At that time there was an Indian reservation at Canal Dover, from which point there was a foot trail to New Sandusky, to which place the early settlers had to go to secure salt,. Abraham Beals and his wife both lived to the age of eighty-six years.
Jacob Beals was born in Pennsylvania and was married in that state, though all his children were born after his removal to Ohio. These children were Philip, Sarah, Rebecca, Solomon, Sabie, Elizabeth, Rachael and Daniel, all of whom are now dead excepting the subject. The mother of these children died at the age of seventy-six years. She was born in Pennsylvania and two brothers and a sister came to Ohio. When she and her husband came to Ohio and took up land, not a stick of it had been disturbed by white hands, and to create a farm out of this dense wilderness was a task of herculean proportions. But the sturdy pioneer had reckoned the cost and courageously went to work cutting and burning the timber, building a log house and cultivating the land. In due time what had formerly been the primeval forest began to present a changed appearance, and soon fields of ripening grain characterized what had been almost impenetrable forests. First operations were primitive in the extreme and as the nearest grist mill was at Massillon, the pioneers grated the corn from which they made their first bread or pone. Jacob Beals was considered a very successful man for his day and was active in many lines of endeavor. In the work of the Methodist church he took a very leading and prominent part, in this respect following in the wake of his father, who had been instrumental in building the first church in this part of the state, it being located in Stark county. Jacob Beals was a justice of the peace in his community for eighteen years and also at different times held all the other township offices, being also a notary public. He was a man of unusual strength of character and possessed in a large degree that quality commonly called "horse sense," his counsel and advice being often sought by those in need of counsel. In politics he was originally a Whig, but on the formation of the Republican party he allied himself with it and remained an ardent supporter of that party ever after. No man was more prominent or better known throughout this section of the state than was Jacob Beals, and his memory remains sacred to those who knew him.
The subject of this sketch secured his early education in the primitive log school house of the early days, the school being in the beginning supported by subscription. Later the free schools were inaugurated and the subject aided in the building of the first free school house in this section and was himself made a member of the first school board, though then but a youth. He remained at home with his parents until he was twenty-eight years of age, and then, acquiring the ownership of the farm, his parents remained with him, he taking the most painstaking and careful regard for their comfort. About twenty-eight years ago Mr. Beals relinquished active farm work and moved to Orrville, for the purpose of giving his children better opportunities for education, and remained there eighteen years. While residing in that city he engaged in the buggy business, in which he was eminently successful, having made the record of selling two hundred and eighty-three buggies in twelve months. He also engaged in handling livestock, buying and shipping large numbers annually to the eastern markets. About 1899 Mr. Beals and his family returned to the old home in Paint township, where he is now living practically a retired life, in the enjoyment of a rest which he has richly earned. He has been a very successful man and, despite much trouble and many material losses, he is considered today one of the most enterprising and successful men in his part of the county. He has ever evinced a spirit of progress and has always given an enthusiastic support to every object or movement having for its ultimate end the advancement of the best interests of the community. A man of sterling qualities of character, he has ever enjoyed the friendship of the best people in the community, and he now enjoys the unbounded confidence and respect of all.
Mr. Beals has been twice married, the first time to Mary Scott, a daughter of Robert Scott, and to them were born four children, namely; Ottie became the wife of Isaac Blackstone of Orrville, and they have four children; John married Adele Taggart and resides near Orrville; Emma is the wife of Solon Byall, of Orrville, and they have two children; William of Orrville, married a Miss Gardner and they have one child, Mrs. Mary (Scott) Beals died October 20, 1885, and was buried in Crow (Crown) Hill cemetery in Orrville. She was a good woman and her friends mourned her loss. On October 20, 1889, Mr. Beals married Elizabeth Bookwalter, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Bookwalter. She died October 7, 1909, and was buried at Mount Eaton. She was a lady of splendid personal qualities and was well liked by all who knew her. Her parents were natives of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and came to Ohio in about 1831.
In politics Mr. Beals has always been actively interested in the success of the Democratic party, but has never been a seeker after office. Regardless of this fact, he has been selected by his fellow citizens to serve in a number of township offices and is now the incumbent of the office of township trustee, in which he is rendering the most satisfactory service. Religiously, he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, belonging to the church of that denomination at Orrville. Mrs. Beals is a member of the Universalist church at Akron, Ohio.
From The History of Wayne County, Ohio, B. E. Bowen & Co., Indianapolis, 1910