Rachel (Beals) Thornburgh (abt. 1763 - abt. 1808)

Born about 9 Mar 1763 in Guilford, North Carolina

Ancestors

Wife of William Thornburgh — married 24 Jan 1789 in Westfield MM

Descendants

Died about 8 Sep 1808 at about age 45 in Green County, Tennessee [uncertain]

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Biography

Rachel was born to parents Thomas and Sarah Beals. She was born on 9 March 1763 in Guilford, North Carolina.^[1]

Rachel & John Beals (Twins) Daugher & Son of the Same[Thos Beals & Sarah his Wife] were born ye 9 of ye 3 month 1763 -

Children and marriage

Much of what we know about Rachel comes from the Quaker monthly meeting minutes. From 1787 to 1789 she appears several times in the records. Her daughter, Tabitha was born sometime in 1786 or 1787. The father of Tabitha is not known to us and has never been identified. Sanners writes:

Before her marriage to Willam Thornburgh, she had a daughter, Tabitha in 1787. The father of Tabitha is unknown to us:

"Issue of ————— and Rachel Beals

/ 3. Tabitha Beals m. Wm George, d. Elmwood, Peoria co., Illinois."^[2]

We see on the Westfield Monthly Meeting minutes an entry for her mother Rachel on 17 February 1787:

1787, 2, 17. Rachel dis

This translates to "Rachel disowned," or shunned from the Quaker community. Considering that she is an unmarried woman and is having (or had) a baby the same year, the reason for the shunning is obvious.

The record continues:

1788, 11, 22. Rachel con her outgoings.

This translates to "Rachel condemned for her outgoings." In Quaker talk, that means that Rachel was publicly ostracized for her behavior.

And then another record appears:

1789, 2, 21. Rachel rmt William Thornborough

Rachel is reported married to William Thornborough.

From "The Beals Family:"

RACHEL BEALS was born March 9, 1763 in Guilford, Rowan County, North Carolina. A twin with John. Her marriage to William Thornburgh was reported at the New Garden MM on February 21, 1789. William was born August 12, 1764 and was a son of Joseph Thornburgh and Wilmet Beeson. He died at age thirty-six on May 18, 1801 and was buried at the Lost Creek FBG in Jefferson County, Tennessee. Rachel seems to have died earlier, possibly in childbirth. After their deaths, their son Abel Thornberry, born November 16, 1789, moved with other Beals to Highland County, Ohio.^[3]

According to Quaker records, Miami Monthly Meeting in Warren County, Ohio, received a certificate for "John Beals & children, Nathan, Thomas, Ann & Daniel, also his aged mother, Sarah Beals, her grandaughter Tabitha Beals, and grandson Abel Thornbrough. This certificate was received 11/8/1804 from Mount Pleasant Monthly Meeting in Virginia, dated 11/26/1803.^[2]

Before her marriage to Willam Thornburgh, she had a daughter, Tabitha in 1787. The father of Tabitha is unknown: "Issue of ————— and Rachel Beals / 3. Tabitha Beals m. Wm George, d. Elmwood, Peoria co., Illinois"^[2]

It appears as though Rachel had a daughter (Tabitha Beals, b. about 1787) out of wedlock and then was married to William two years later. She had her second child, Abel Thornberry in 1789.

Her daughter Tabitha went to her parents Thomas and Sarah Beals.

Sources

1. ↑ New Garden Monthly Meeting: Guilford College; Greensboro, North Carolina; Minutes, 1700-1900; Collection: North Carolina Yearly Meeting Minutes. Accessed 14 July SJ Baty at https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2189&h=8996866.
   Local file: https://www.wikitree.com/photo/jpg/Beals-446.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} "Descendants of Abel Thornberry & Rhoda Johnson Perry Twp. Fayette co., Ohio," compiled by Jerry Sanner, 29 February 2016.
3. ↑ Putnam, Bill. "http://www.billputman.com/Beals.pdf." The Beals Family.