IRELAND-

10)- Ireland- TWO THEORIES LINK GB TO IRELAND; CORK THEORY, BRIDGET THEORY:
CORK THEORY- In early 1700’s, three Beales married into the Joseph Pike family:
Thomas Beale (1687-1761) married Mary Pike in 1710. They lived in Cork & had a son George born 1727. He was not my ancestor.
Joshua Beale (1689-1755) married Elizabeth Pike in 1715. They lived in Cork- son George?
Benjamin Beale married Rachel Pike in 1723. They lived in Cork- son George?
Benjamin Pike was a brother to the three sisters who married Beales. A Benj Pike lived in Fredericksted, St Croix 1759-1766, overlapping the time that George Beale was on St Croix 1762-1769. Was this Benj Pike from Cork? Was he the brother in law of Joshua, Thomas, & Benjamin Beale? Was he George Beale’s uncle?
Joseph Pike (1657-1729) was the father of the three daughters that married Beales, and of Benj Pike. Joseph was a wealthy Quaker merchant of Cork-he owned 10,000 acres in Chester Co, PA (called Pikeland Township). This property is reasonably near to the New Garden Twp, Chester Co. property bought in 1768 by George Beale.Joseph leaves the property to his wife, who deeds it to her son Richard Pike. Richard bequests the land to two London merchants, who sell it off in 1756. Two of the Irish Quaker buyers are from New Garden Twp, Chester Co, close neighbors to George Beale’s property.
Nicholas Tuite (St Croix planter) had Cork connections. In his 1772 London will, Tuite mentions kinsman Mary Cahill & husband Thomas Cahill of Cork. Mary’s brother was Robert Tuite who in his 1760 will in Phila, he mentions sister Mary & cousin Nicholas. NT’s godson Nicholas Tuite Selbye marries ca 1775 Teresa Coppinger from Cork. Both Coppingers & Selbyes appear in St Croix records in the 1770’s. Justin McCarthy from Cork married Nicholas Tuite’s daughter. Justin’s son, Charles McCarthy, inherits Tuite’s plantation SION FARM on St. Croix.Joseph Pike ( father of three daus. who married Beales) mentions a Justin McCarthy in his Cork related correspondence.
Joshua Beale (1658-1710) was the father of Thomas & Joshua Beale who married two out of the three Pike ladies ( I don’t know who was the father of Benj Beale, who married the other Pike). JB lived in Mountmellick & married Mary Hammond. In 1756 George Beale marries Mary Murdoch, dau of William Murdoch & Mary Hammond. Was the Mary Hammond, mother of George Beale’s wife, any relation to the Mary Hammond, wife of Joshua Beale?

WHY CORK THEORY MIGHT WORK-- Beales / Pikes intermarry in Cork. Benj Pike, possibly George Beale’s uncle, was on St Croix the same time as GB. Pike’s owned land Chester Co, near to were GB buys property. Nicholas Tuite had Cork links.

BRIDGET THEORY-IRELAND--This scenario -skinny at best - rests on the supposition that Bridget Bradshaw, wife of John Bradshaw, was Bridget Beale. We note that George Beale & son John worked on John Bradshaw & son Thomas Bradshaw’s plantation SION HILL off & on for over thirty years (1765-1797). Details:
1746- Bridgetta Bradshaw godmother @ London Catholic baptism Nicho Tuite’s son.
1750, 20 Jan- BRIDGET BEALE listed as being @ London Catholic wedding of Gabriel La Roche & Ann Grace of parish St George's Hanover Square. Later data suggests that some Catholic Graces were from Ireland. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT BRIDGET USED HER MAIDEN NAME BEALE, RATHER THAN BRADSHAW?
1750, 13 March- John & BRIDGET Bradshaw baptize a child in London Catholic church ceremony. This is seven weeks after the previous ceremony.
1754- Bradshaws baptize another child in London RC ceremony, son & dau of Rebecca Tuite (see next) were Godparents.
1756- BRIDGET Bradshaw witness to will of Rebecca Howard Tuite Carter, husband John Bradshaw is an exor. Rebecca lived in St George's Hanover Square.(Curiously, Rebecca’s son Richard Tuite had bought Sion Hill plantation in St Croix in 1751 / 1752. John Bradshaw bought the plantation in 1756. At this time, JB was said to be from London).

WHY BRIDGET THEORY MIGHT WORK-- If Bridget Beale is Bridget Bradshaw, then we can understand why George & son John worked for the Bradshaws off & on for 32 years. Would it be possible to check the BRIDGET signatures on the Rebecca Tuite 1756 will against the Catholic wedding @ the Portuguese Embassy Chapel on 20 Jan 1750 (if a signature even exists) ?? How likely is it that Bridget would use her maiden name by mistake?

Evan's summary of Ireland-- possible, not my favorite.