Francis Guy Beal, Sr. was born on September 28, 1894 in Newton {Newton Highlands}1, Massachusetts. He was the son of Ellen Eliza (Bird) and Abijah Thayer Beal.
Francis was educated at Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts. Francis majored in agriculture. He was a landscaper who raised flowers.
Francis signed up for the draft registration during World War I, not claiming any draft exemption. He was not drafted though. On his draft registration form, he states that he was living on 49 Eddy St. in Newton. He was working for a gardening company in Waltham, Massachusetts at the time. World War I draft registration for Jarvis Thayer Beal, 2nd (Francis' older brother) shows that he was also living at 49 Eddy St. in Newton at the same time with Francis.
Francis married Doris Marguerite Smith on September 1, 1923 in Newton, {Auburndale}1, Massachusetts. They were married at the Church of the Messiah. Doris was the daughter of Evangeline Murray (Burns) and Charles Henry Smith who were from Nova Scotia, Canada. The Burns line has a long tradition of sea Captains from Nova Scotia, Canada. Doris was born on May 27, 1897 in Winthrop, Massachusetts.
As a young child, Doris' and her brother Francis' pictures appeared in "Youth Companion" magazine on December 10, 1904. They were shown in a snow scene advertising for "Scott's Emulsion", which was supposed to be food and medicine for liquid energy. Doris would also have her picture published again in "Youth Companion" magazine in 1905 advertising "Rubifoam" toothpowder.
Doris completed some nursing training, but never finished this training. When Doris was in her 30's, she had a wooden coat hanger poke her in the left eye, causing the loss of that eye. She had a glass eye put in it's place. Doris was an American Red Cross volunteer during World War II at the Newton Wellesley Hospital in Newton. The volunteers were known as "gray ladies" because they wore gray uniforms. Doris' American Red Cross pin number was A4836-R.
They had the following children: (All born in Newton, Massachusetts except for Patricia who was born in Boston, Massachusetts):
i Barbara Constance, b July 17, 1924
ii Francis Guy Jr., b September 28, 1925: d April 1, 1988 in Garden Grove, California
iii Patricia Maud, b August 31, 1929
iv Dana Richard, b February 13, 1931: d October 9, 1993 in Newton, Massachusetts
v Gordon Lewis, b September 20, 1934: d April 19, 1981 in Boston, Massachusetts
They lived in Bridgeport, Connecticut while Francis worked there in the 1920s. About 1928, the family moved back to Newton, Massachusetts. Francis also worked for the Perry Seed Company in Boston.
They lived on Pickerstaff Street in Boston. They lived at the following places in Newton: Raymond Street, 22 Oakland Street, 50 Greenough Street {West Newton}1, 30 Highland Avenue {Newtonville}1.
Francis died on August 5, 1941 in Natick, Massachusetts from coronary thrombosis due to coronary sclerosis. Doris died on February 16, 1982 in Lowell, Massachusetts from acute myocardial infarction. Francis is buried with his parents in the Newton Cemetery. See chapter for Abijah Thayer Beal's description of the headstone. Doris is buried in the Newton Cemetery, in a double grave with her friend, Maude E. Kiddle.
The upright headstone reads (front):
BEAL
KIDDLE
THE ETERNAL GOD IS OUR REFUGE
(back)
DORIS M. BEAL
1897 - 1982
MAUD E. KIDDLE
1891 - 1956
_____________________________________________________________________ 1 The City of Newton, Massachusetts is comprised of 13 villages. The names of the villages when noted will be shown in { }
