William Beale, Sr. was born in the year 1664. It is not positively known at this time who his parents were. See the final chapter titled "Who is the Real Father of William Beale, Sr.". Speculations suggest that he may have been born in the West Indies, or in Maine or Massachusetts. It appears that his parents were probably of English descent.
The Town of York went through many name changes in the 1600's. The Indians called it Agamenticus, which meant "on the other side of the river", which refers to the name of a mountain. The English settlers changed the names to Bristol, Gorgeana, and finally to York. York was incorporated as a town in 1652. This area was scattered with Indian tribes all around, keeping the settlers in constant fear and jeopardy for their lives.
Records show William Beale's last name also spelled as "Bale", "Beal", "Baile", "Bails", "Bailes", "Beels", and "Bealle." He lived for a short period in Kittery, Maine. William settled in York, Maine in the late 1600's. Records show that he and his sister, Abishag, were brought up by John Hole of Kittery, Maine. William lived with John Hole for 18-1/2 years. In 1695, William also lived with Henry Dering. William's name starts to appear in the York Deeds and other records around 1693. Here are a few examples of some of these events:
1. Fined 5 shillings for selling strong drink by retail without license on July 2, 1706.
2. Granted licenses to keep houses of public entertainment on October 4, 1706 and January 6, 1707/1708.
3. Name appears on the surety of bonds on April 17,1706, April 5, 1715, and October 7, 1718.
4. Filed a petition for authority to operate a ferry at the place of Thomas Trafton (his late father inlaw). The petition was granted on April 6, 1708 for 7 years.
5. Grant deed on November 8, 1717, gave his sister, Abishag and her husband, Francis Carman 3 acres of land.
6. Grant deed on November 8, 1717, gave his son, William Jr. 10 acres of land.
7. Grant deed on October 11, 1718, gave his son, Obadiah 10 acres of land.
8. Grant deeds on March 31, 1721, April 3, 1724, October 24, 1724, September 28, 1727.
9. Made a deposition on May 14, 1728, stating that he lived with John Hole for 18-1/2 years.
10. Witness to deed on January 26, 1731/1732.
William married Jane Trafton on April 1, 1690 in York, Maine. Jane was the daughter of Elizabeth (Moore) and Thomas Trafton. Thomas Trafton was a Selectman in York and the first innkeeper in the area of the York River. Thomas also started the Trafton Ferry. Jane was born in 1670 in Maine. They had the following children (all born in York, Maine, unknown about Zaccheus' birthplace):
i Zaccheus, b after 1690
ii Richard, b before 1695
iii Obadiah, b June 11, 1695
iv William Jr., b April 1 1698
v Joanna, b after 1698
vi Mary, b March 5, 1704/05
vii Samuel, b July 1, 1707
viii Simeon, b June 3, 1711
ix Comfort, b August 31, 1715
x Benjamin, b February 6, 1719/20
On a wintry morning in January, 1692, the town of York was attacked by two to three hundred Indians. The Indians burned down the houses and killed or captured 300 of its inhabitants. Also burned were the town records, which may have provided more information about William and his parents. The captured settlers were then taken to Canada. This became known as the "York Massacre" and was also called "Candlemas Day". It is unknown where William was when the York Massacre occurred. The York River provided a barrier from Indian attacks for the settlers that lived south of the river. Maybe William was still living at Kittery or on Trafton land which was south of the York River. Shortly afterwards, William received 40 acres of land by his father inlaw Thomas Trafton on September 13, 1693.
In 1693 a statute was passed to regulate the militia of Massachusetts (Maine became a state in 1820), which directed all male settlers between the ages of sixteen and sixty years old to be enrolled and do military service for four days in a year. This would include William as well. In 1698, William was seriously injured while on scout duty. On June 26, 1707 while at York, William injured his arm in an accident as indicated in the testimony of Joseph Smith and Daniel Goff. On August 13, 1707, William sent a petition to the General Court, seeking relief as he suffered wounds while in the service. The House of Representatives resolved directed that he be paid; the resolution was dated November 4, 1707 and was concurred by the Council on November 13, 1707. On November 4, 1707, William received compensation of twenty pounds for wounds suffered while in the service.
In 1708 William was granted permission to build a garrison. Garrisons were used as small forts to base militia and a place of refuge for women and children who would flee to these houses when a French and Indian attack was coming. These two story houses were massive and strong. Even William's family was not exempt from Indian attacks. William's daughter, Joanna, was killed by Indians in May 27, 1712 at Cider Hill, she was about 10 years old. Cider Hill is located North of the York River, just a short distance from the Trafton ferry site. Other families lines that come into the Beale family line also had some of their family members killed or captured by Indians.
William was a ferryman in 1708 at the Trafton Ferry where Rice's bridge now spans the stream. Thomas Trafton, William's father inlaw, started the ferry service across the York River in 1692. On April 11, 1715, the Town of York granted William a tract of land (40 acres) on the southwest side of York River running back to the Kittery line. This land was adjacent to Arthur Beale's (unknown if they were related) land on the south side of the York River. In 1732, William owned 5 shares of land. On March 31, 1724 he obtained additional land southerly of the York River. The land was formerly Thomas Trafton's land next to Edward Beale (unknown if they were related).
Book author Walter Lindley Mower "Sesquicentennial History of the Town of Greene Androscoggin County Maine 1775-1900 with some matter extending to a later date" states "a characteristic of the Beal men in physique was a solid build, thick set, muscular; and industrious workers". The Beal descendants (my list of direct descendants of William Beale, Sr.) were ferrymen, construction workers, and farmers.
William's name ceases being recorded in the records suggesting that he died probably after 1760. This would put William at being close to 100 years old, quite a old age to which to live in those days. Jane's name ceases being recorded in the records suggesting that she died probably after 1757. This would put her about 87 years old at least. There are no known burial markers in the County of York, Maine found at this time for them.
