Joseph G. Beale, Co. C, 9th Pennsylvania Reserves

Joseph Grant Beale, the son of Washington and Rosann Beale, was born March 26, 1839, in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. His father was being a successful farmer, Beale spent his youth on his family’s farm before attending the Caton Academy in Turtle Creek and the Iron City Commercial College in Pittsburgh.¹

He enlisted in the Iron City Guards as a private in April of 1861, and entered Camp Wilkins in Pittsburgh with the company on May 2, 1861. In June, the Iron City Guards moved from Camp Wilkins to Camp Wright, becoming Company C of the Ninth Pennsylvania Reserve when the regiment was organized on June 28, 1861.  In July, the Ninth would leave Pennsylvania for Washington where the regiment was mustered into federal service. That same month, Beale was promoted to corporal. While encamped in the Washington area, some three miles from Confederate pickets, Beale told fellow Company C member Adam Bright that he was, “Going out to shoot one or two and have some secession soup for breakfast.”²

Beale fought at the battle of Dranesville and in the Peninsula Campaign. At the battle of Charles City Crossroads, he was wounded in the leg, just above the ankle. He used a piece of dirty cloth to bind his wound. Disabled, he lay on the field for a week, with no food except for two pieces of hardtack and some fatback that he had in his haversack. After seven days, Beale was picked up by a Confederate ambulance and transported to Savage Station.

When Beale was examined by Confederate surgeons, they recommended amputation of his leg.  Beale told the surgeons that he would not permit them to amputate, to which they responded that they had no objections if he wished to die and left.  When Beale removed the makeshift bandage from his ankle, he found the wound alive with maggots. He removed the maggots to the best of his ability and reapplied the bandage. From Savage Station he was transported to Richmond, where he remained until exchanged. For the first time his injury was treated. A bullet and a piece of leather from his boot that had been embedded in the wound were removed.³

Beale was discharged due to his wound at Chesapeake Hospital on October 2, 1862.

After his discharge, Joseph returned to Pennsylvania, where he studied law under Samuel Purviance and Nathaniel Nelson of Pittsburgh. In 1864 he married Margaret Harrison. Together, they had seven children.⁴

The practice of law did not hold Beale’s interest, and in 1865 he left the legal field to enter the coal business. In 1868, he sold the coal business to purchase and began developing land in Leechburg. Beale began diversifying his business interests by moving into the steel industry.  In 1879, he built the West Pennsylvania Steel Works in Armstrong County.⁵ In 1898, he acquired the West Penn Steel Works. Beale was an innovator in the steel business, drilling the first natural gas well used for metallurgical purposes. Beale remained in the steel business until his plant was acquired by U.S. Steel.⁶

In 1874, Beale sought the Republican nomination for Congress in the 23rd Congressional District. This marked the beginning of an over 20-year effort by Beale to win a seat in Congress. Despite having the support of Armstrong County Republicans, Beale failed to secure the nomination and the party renominated the incumbent, Ebenezer McJunkin.⁷  When McJunkin resigned to become to become president judge of Pennsylvania’s 17th judicial district, the Republican Executive Committee of Armstrong County nominated Beale to fill McJunkin’s unexpired term. Beale was again unable to secure sufficient support outside of Armstrong, and the seat went to Butler County’s John M. Thompson.⁸

In 1876, Beale would be appointed vice-president of the board of stockholders of the Leechburg Banking Company.⁹

Beale would seek the Republican nomination for Congress again in 1890. However, he failed to secure the support of Republicans in Armstrong and wound up losing the nomination to Daniel B. Heiner. Beale did not take his loss well, and assaulted the editor of the Leechburg Reporter, F.W. Spang, who had opposed Beale’s candidacy.¹⁰ In 1898, Beale again attempted to secure the Republican nomination for the 21^st Congressional District, losing this time to Edward E. Robbins of Westmoreland County.¹¹ Ever persistent, Beale would try again in 1900, losing the nomination to Summers M. 

In 1905, tragedy would strike when Beale’s son, Harry, superintendent of the Valley and Beale coal works, was struck and killed by a locomotive.¹²

In 1906, Beale successfully secure the Republican nomination for Congress.  In an article endorsing Beale, the Punxsutawney Spirit, stated “Major Beale is one of the leading business men of Armstrong County. He was a gallant soldier of the Civil War. His is genial, approachable, and kind. Those who have need of his services as representative will find him sympathetic and helpful.”¹³ The district being solidly Republican, Beale easily won election to Congress in November.

In 1908, Beale sought reelection to a second term in Congress. However, his quest to return to Congress would not go unopposed; four other candidates entered the race and sought the Republican nomination for the 27^th Congressional district.

In February of 1908, the Leechburg Banking Company failed and closed its doors.  In Washington, Congressman Beale stated, “I have not received the full particulars on the failure of the Leechburg Banking company, of which I am president. The bank simply ran out of money.”¹⁴  On February 19th, Beale announced that all depositors would be paid in full, stating, “I am abundantly ale to see that this is done and it will be done. There has been no defalcation and the bank is solvent. Its suspension was brought about because we could not realize on our credits fast enough to supply the required cash.”¹⁵ On March 5th, the Safe Deposit and Title Trust company, receiver for the bank, announced that all depositors would be paid in full.¹⁶

Although the extent to which the failure of the Leechburg Banking Company influenced voters in the April Republican primary is unknown, it likely contributed to Beale finishing third in the contest, behind J.N. Langham and W.O. Smith.¹⁷

In 1910, Beale announced that he would run against the incumbent Congressman Langham and seek the Republican nomination for Congress. However, a few weeks later, Beale reconsidered his decision and decided not oppose Langham’s renomination.¹⁸

In addition to his business and political activities, Beale was active in veteran’s affairs.  He was a member and commander of J. A. Hunter Post No. 123 of the Grand Army of the Republic, a member of Camp No. 1 Union Veterans Legion of Pittsburgh, and President of the 9th Pennsylvania Reserve Association.¹⁹

In April of 1915, Western Pennsylvania newspapers reported that Beale had been ill- confined to his bed for more than a month- and that recovery was doubtful. He died at his Leechburg home on May 21, 1915 of Senile Dementia. His remains were interred in Evergreen Cemetery on May 24, 1915.²⁰

1. Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, Volume I, J. H. Beers & Co., Chicago 1914,”, page 449.
2. Truxall, Aida Craig, Respects to All, University of Pittsburgh Press, 1962 p3.
3. Taggart Memoirs, Robert Taggart Papers, Pennsylvania Museum and Historical Commission, Harrisburg, pages 37-38.
4. Certificate of Disability for Discharge, Joseph Beale, Record Group 94, National Archives and Record Administration.
5. Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, Volume I, J. H. Beers & Co., Chicago 1914,, page 449.
6. Five-Mill Steel Plant, Pittsburgh Gazette September 30, 1898.  The Death Roll, The Saltsburg Press, May 27, 1915, p1.
7. The Pittsburgh Commercial, December 12,1874. Page 4. Pennsylvania’s 23rd Congressional District, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania’s_23rd_congressional_district.
8. Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette, May 25, 1876, p4.
9. Notes of State Politics, The Pittsburgh Post, May 26, 1890, p4.
10. Our Neighbors, The Clarion Democrat, June 5, 1890, p8.
11. Armstrong Republicans Make Nominations, The Pittsburgh Post, May 5, 1890, page 1. Conference in Robbins’ District, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, July 27, 1898. Pennsylvania’s 21^st Congressional District, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania’s_21st_congressional_district
12. Harry Beale Killed, The Saltsburg Press, February 9, 1905, p2.
13. Major Beale for Congress, The Punxsutawney Spirit, September 21, 1906, page 4.
14. Beale’s Bank Fails, The Evening Record [Greenville], February 19, 1908, page 1.
15. Beale will Pay Them, The Pittsburgh Gazette Times, February 20, 1908, p5.
16. The Evening Record [Greenville], March 5, 1908.
17. Sidelights on the Recent Primaries, The Harrisburg Telegraph, April 14, 1908, p7.
18. The Brookville Republican, April 21, 1910, page 4.
19. Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, Volume I, J. H. Beers & Co., Chicago 1914,”, page 450. Bits of Chats, The Pittsburgh Post, December 20, 1903, p14.
20. Maj. Jos. Beale Very Sick, The Indiana Times, April 28, 1915, p1. Certificate of Death: Joseph Grant Beale. Filed May 24, 1915. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, File No. 47911.