Beal, Thomas.Account Book, 1809-1810.
Thomas Prince Beal (1785-1852), son of David Beal and Lydia Prince, was a lawyer in the coastal town of Kingston, Massachusetts. He married Betsy Sampson, and the couple had seven children. His account book, although short, reflects his professional life from 1809 through 1810. Arranged by customer and listing debts and credits, the volume shows Beal’s activity with insurance on ships. Entries include “To premium for insuring 400 dollars on the Minerva” and “Insured one thousand Dollars on the Sch. Jefferson from Kingston…” Beal also collected mortgages on homes and land. It wasn’t all business, however. Beal was also sure to make a note of books he lent out to Dr. Bartlett – Johnson’s Lives of the Poets and Savage’s Poems.
