Evening star., 1934-03-21
COL. BEALL'SL|FE
SPEAKERS TOPIC
Early Marylander's Career
Described Before His
torical Society.

One of Maryland's first settlers,
Col. Ninlan Beall, liberal and an
Indian fighter. whose tolerance and
courage helped to found the State,
was described to the Columbia His
torical Society last night at its 275th
meeting by Caleb c. Magruder. The
meeting. held in the Mayfiower Hotel,
was attended by more than 100 mem
bers and others interested in Colonial
history.
Another speaker at the session last
night was Enoch A. Chase. who re-
lated many interesting details of the
life of George Washington. Allen c.
Clark presided at the meeting
Mr. Magruder. who delivered the
principal address on the occasion of
the dedication of a memorial boulder
to Col Beall at St. Johns Church in
Georgetown during 1910, told how
Col Beall, a native of Scotland. and
loyal to the banner of Leslie. was
routed by Cromwell and Monk at the
battle of Dunbar in 1850 and trans
ported to Barbados.
Served in Bondage.
Between 1855 and 1858 Col. Beall
was brought to Maryland. He settled
in Calvert County and for five years
served in honorable bondage as vic
tim of the fortunes of war.
AS early as 1876, Mr. Fagruder
said. discomfort in Virginia led to
activities against the Crown under the
leadership of Nathaniel Bacon. the
first American rebel, and Col. Beall
was commissioned a lieutenant on
Lord Baltimore's yacht or vessel of
war" to cruise in waters adjacent to
Virginia
After the early revolt was put down
Col Beall's military abilities were di-
rected against the Indians. who were
committing isolated murders in Ma1y-
land. In 1878 Col. Beall was ordered
to range about the PatuXent River
to defend the neighboring plantations,
but to offer no violence unless pro-
Voked.
The diligence and thOroughness Of
Col. Beall in performing this duty
led to his promotion from lieutenant
to captain. and then to major and
colonel. The Maryland Assembly was
so grateful for Col Beall's services in
putting down all incursions and dis
turbances of neighboring Indians
that it presented him with three slaves.
John. Sarah and Elizabeth, and rs
pound sterling"
In describing his personal charac-
terlstics. Magruder said of Col Beall
that he had been pictured with a
complexion characteristic of his ma
tionality and an unusually heavy
growth Of long. red hair. OF herculean
build. considerably over feet tall.
powerful. and of phenomenal physical
endurance. he kept up spirited ac-
tivity after the age of more than
so years.
Spent Last Days on Land.
Col Beall passed his last days on
his Bacon Hall plantation, adjoining
Mount Calvert, the first capital OF
Prince Georges County, about three
miles southwest of Upper Marlborough
He is believed 10 be buried in God S
halt acre" which he gave to the Pres
bylerlan congregation in Upper Mari
borough. at the present site Of the
Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church.
Col Bealls liberality. Magruder
said. was characterized by his act
in asking Quaker Thomas Wilson to
visit in his home and hold a meeting.
In writing of the incident afterward.
Wilson expressed his appreciation of
the extreme kindness showed him BY
IAN elder among Presbvterians.
Col. Beall was patentee of the Rock
of Dunbarton. dedicated at st. Johns
Church and dated November is, 1908
II was in possession of his son. Col
George Beall. and became part of the
site of Georgetown when the original
survey and plat were completed on
February q, 1852.
Inscription Tells Story.
The rock now bears the inscription
Col. Minian Beall Born Scotland
1925 Died Maryland l7l7. Patentee
of Rock of Dunbarton. Member Of
the House of Burgess. Commander
in chief of Provincial Forces of Mary
land
In grateful recognition of his serv-
ices upon all incursions of neighbor-
ing Indians the Maryland Assembly
of 1899 passed an act Of gratuity
Erected by the Society of Colonial
Wars in the District of Columbia
1910"