Beal Wooden b. abt 1759
I have long wondered why there is no record of Beal Wooden prior to 1789 when his son William is born in Washington Co., Md. William Wooden was christened at St. Paul's Evangelical Luthern and Reformed Church in Washington Co., Md.
The only mention of a Beale Wooden is in 1794 in the will of Mary (Wooden) Hanson in Baltimore Co., Md.
The way in which this Beale Wooden is mentioned, it seems as though he is not an adult, or at least still a single man because it doesn't say 'and heirs'. Also, we have proof that Beal Wooden is not living in Baltimore Co. at that date, he is in Washington Co., Md., and it would not seem likely that he would be mentioned in a will when he wasn't living there.
I have searched for many years and have not found any reference to any Beales marrying any Woodens. Beale is deffinantely a surname, which would indicate that his mother's maiden name was Beale.
I find it very strange that Beal Wooden, if he is a child of John Wooden and Susanna, is not mentioned in his father's will. Beal would have been about 10 years old at that time, 1769.
There is a preponderance of the evidence that Beal Wooden is from the Anne Arundel and Baltimore Co., Md. Woodens. ie, the names of his children; Keziah and Solomon.
It seems that most all other Woodens in Anne Arundel and Baltimore Cos. are very well documented, except Beal Wooden. No one seems to know where he fits in. There has been some speculation but that's all.
Well, I have a bit more speculation.
Could Beal Wooden be illegitimate.
If he was, this would go along way in explaining why there is no birth record of him and why he is not mentioned in any wills
or other records as a child and young adult.
If he were illegitimate, Beal could have been the surname of his father.
In the book 'Baltimore County Families, 1659-1759' there is a reference, it says;
Wooden, Keziah, was ind. for bast. in Nov. 1760.
She may have been Beal's mother.
There is another reference that says;
Wooden, Mary, was ind. for bast. in Aug. 1746.
Any and all comments, corrections, evidence ect. very much welcomed.
Tim Freeman
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Re: Beal Wooden b. abt 1759
6/08/01