Reasin Beall (December 3, 1769February 20, 1843) was an American

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...

. He was an Ohio Congressman and a Militia General during the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States, United States of America and its Indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom ...

. Beall was born in 1769 in Frederick County in the Province of Maryland (in the portion of which would be later separated as Montgomery County in 1776), and his family moved to Washington County, Pennsylvania during his youth. He married Rebecca Johnson ca. 1792. In about 1801, he and his family moved to

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

, settling initially at

Steubenville Steubenville is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Ohio, United States. Located along the Ohio River 33 miles west of Pittsburgh, it had a population of 18,161 at the 2020 census. The city's name is derived from Fort Steuben, a ...

. He later moved from Jefferson County to New Lisbon, in Columbiana County, Ohio.

Military career

In 1790, Beall joined the military and participated in the Northwest Indian War in the

Ohio Valley The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...

. He was on General

Anthony Wayne Anthony Wayne (January 1, 1745 – December 15, 1796) was an American soldier, officer, statesman, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his mil ...

's staff where he became acquainted with then Captain

William Henry Harrison William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773April 4, 1841) was an American military officer and politician who served as the ninth president of the United States. Harrison died just 31 days after his inauguration in 1841, and had the shortest pres ...

. In Columbiana County, Ohio, he became a

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

of the

Militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

. During the War of 1812, he served as

Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

2d Brigade Ohio Militia. He led several

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. B ...

s from Eastern Ohio into the area of present

Richland County, Ohio Richland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 124,936. Its county seat is Mansfield. The county was created in 1808 and later organized in 1813. It is named for the fertile soil found ...

. He established one of his headquarters (Camp Christmas) at Wooster,

Wayne County, Ohio Wayne County is a county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 116,894. Its county seat is Wooster. The county is named for General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. Wayne County comprises the Wooster, OH Micropolitan St ...

Political career

Beall began his political career as Clerk of the

Columbiana County Columbiana County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 101,877. The county seat is Lisbon, Ohio, Lisbon and its largest city is Salem, Ohio, ...

Court. After the War of 1812, he returned to New Lisbon and served in the

Thirteenth United States Congress The 13th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1813 ...

from April 20, 1813 to June 7, 1814, filling the vacancy of Rep. John S. Edwards, who had been elected but died before taking his seat.

Later years

The office of register of the

Federal Land Office The General Land Office (GLO) was an independent agency of the United States government responsible for public domain lands in the United States. It was created in 1812 to take over functions previously conducted by the United States Department o ...

in Wooster became vacant in 1814, and Beall was appointed by the President and took up residence there. He held that position until resigning in 1824. He remained in Wooster until his death. He resigned from politics, with the exception of being named a

Presidential elector The United States Electoral College is the group of presidential electors required by the Constitution to form every four years for the sole purpose of appointing the president and vice president. Each state and the District of Columbia app ...

in 1840. He was a Whig

in 1840 for

Harrison Harrison may refer to: People * Harrison (name) * Harrison family of Virginia, United States Places In Australia: * Harrison, Australian Capital Territory, suburb in the Canberra district of Gungahlin In Canada: * Inukjuak, Quebec, or " ...

Tyler Tyler may refer to: People and fictional characters * Tyler (name), an English name; with lists of people with the surname or given name * Tyler, the Creator (born 1991), American rap artist and producer * John Tyler, 10th president of the United ...

. Taylor 1899 : 193 Reasin Beall died age 73 in Wooster, Ohio.

Legacy

Beall's house still stands and is part of the

College of Wooster The College of Wooster is a private liberal arts college in Wooster, Ohio. Founded in 1866 by the Presbyterian Church as the University of Wooster, it has been officially non-sectarian since 1969 when ownership ties with the Presbyterian Church ...

, which once used it as a dormitory.

References

External links

General Reasin Beall homestead
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Beall, Reasin 1769 births 1843 deaths College of Wooster People from Lisbon, Ohio People from Wooster, Ohio 1840 United States presidential electors Ohio Whigs 19th-century American politicians American militiamen in the War of 1812 American people of the Northwest Indian War American militia generals Democratic-Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio People from Montgomery County, Maryland People from Washington County, Pennsylvania Military personnel from Pennsylvania