Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/259

BEALL, John Young, spy, was born in Virginia, Jan. 1, 1835. He was educated at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, and at the breaking out of the civil war was the owner of a large plantation and over one hundred slaves, and was said to be heir-apparent to Lord Egelby, an English nobleman. He entered the Confederate service as captain of Company G, 2d Virginia regiment, which was attached to T.J. Jackson's brigade, and was afterwards transferred to the Confederate navy, becoming acting master, March 31, 1863. On the morning of Sept. 19, 1864, he, with three other men, boarded the steamboat Philo Parsons on Lake Erie, ostensibly to take a pleasure trip. In the afternoon, when the boat had nearly reached Kelly's Island, about six miles from the Ohio shore, the men covered the officers in charge of the boat with revolvers, and imprisoning them in the cabins, took possession. They threw freight overboard, examined the ship's papers, robbed the clerk, and ran the boat to Middle Bass Island, where the passengers were put ashore. Soon after this a freight and passenger steamboat, the Island Queen, came alongside of the boat, and was promptly seized and sunk. As soon as the news reached the outside world, officers were sent to arrest Beall and his party. He escaped capture for a time by taking up his residence on the American side of the Suspension Bridge, and by disguising his personal appearance. He made observations on the defences of the frontiers, and was the instigator of a foray in St. Albans, Vt., which was accompanied with incendiarism and murder. He had many sympathizers in the south, with whom he was in communication. He was finally arrested on Dec. 16, 1864, at Suspension Bridge, N.Y. The charges against him were violation of the law of war by seizing the Philo Parsons and the Island Queen, for "undertaking to carry on irregular and unlawful warfare as a guerrilla, without lawful authority and for unlawful purposes," and for acting as a spy. Of these he was found guilty and was sentenced to be hanged. An effort to save Beall was made by President Davis, who issued a proclamation assuming responsibility for the act, and declaring that the seizure of the vessels had been effected by his authority. But this could not help one who had ventured into the enemy's country and made war while wearing no badge of service. He was hanged on Governor's Island, N.Y., Feb. 24, 1865.

BEALL, Samuel Wooton, pioneer, was born at Montgomery, Md., Sept. 26, 1807; son of Major Beall of Maryland. After his graduation from Union college, in 1827, he began the study of law, at the same time acting as receiver for the sale of public lands in the northwest. He resided for nearly seven years in Wisconsin. At the end of this time he removed to Cooperstown, N.Y., where, with his talented wife, Elizabeth Fenimore, daughter of J. Fenimore Cooper, he entertained at "Woodside," Cooper, Irving, Webb and others of the notable authors of the day. But tiring of civilized life, he again went to Wisconsin, where he spent his time in farming, and where he later became very prominent in politics. He served twice as a delegate to the state constitutional convention, and from 1850 to 1852 as lieutenant-governor of Wisconsin. Meanwhile, He became Indian agent in 1852, led a party to Pike's Peak in 1859, aided in founding Denver, Col., where he resided until 1861, joining the 18th Wisconsin regiment as lieutenant-colonel in that year. He was wounded at Vicksburg and served in the invalid corps until 1865. He died at Helena, Mont., Sept. 26, 1868.

BEAN, Nehemiah S., inventor, was born at Gilmanton, N.H., in 1818. He worked during his youth as a machinist, and in 1847 became connected with the Amoskeag company machine shop, in whose employ he remained until 1854, when he removed to Lawrence to take charge of the locomotive works of the Essex manufacturing company. In 1857-'58 he constructed the first steam fire-engine, and in 1859 he invented and built the "Amoskeag," the first of a class of steam fire-engines which were afterwards used in all parts of the world; for twenty years he superintended their manufacture in the Amoskeag works, about six hundred being made under his direction. He died at Manchester, N.H., July 20, 1896.

BEAN, Tarleton Hoffman, zoologist, was born at Bainbridge, Lancaster county, Pa., Oct 8, 1846; son of George and (Mary) Bean; and grandson of Barton Bean of Maryland. He was graduated from the state normal school, Millersville, Pa., in 1866, and from Columbian university, D.C., in 1876. He was actively connected with the United States fish commission from 1874, and was principal of Smyrna seminary, Del., 1870-'71, and of the high school of Wilkesbarre, Pa., 1872-'74. He was editor of the Proceedings and Bulletins of the United States national museum at Washington, D.C., 1878-'86; curator of the department of fishes at the United States national museum, 1880-'95; visited Alaska in 1880 to investigate the shore fisheries and again in 1889 to study and report on the salmon fishery; was editor of the Report and Bulletin of the United States fish commission at Washington, 1889-'92; assistant in charge of the division of fish culture of the United States fish commission, 1892-'95; and representative of the United States fish commission at the World's Columbian exposition in 1893, and at the Atlanta exposition in 1895. He was made director of the New York aquarium in