Old William himself said that he was born in Baltimore, Maryland. However, one of his grandsons told a genealogist about 1900 that William was born in Ireland and came here as a young man.
We know that he was here by 1804, at the age of 12, when he became indentured.
We know that there was only one "family" with any form of the name "Bean" in Monroe County around that time. Land Grants had been given to William McBean for Stoney Creek, Virginia (a formidable place, today it is a rock strewn narrow valley, and the hillsides on both sides run almost vertical. The only thing it could be profitable for was trapping or timber.) In 1804 the taxes were not paid, and in 1805 the property was up for public auction. In 1805, there was no mention of William McBean, but on the tax rolls there was a Sarah Bean, widow, owning nothing but her clothing and a spinning wheel. We are assuming that these two individuals are related, and expect that they are husband and wife, as well as parents to William Bean, as there is a written letter stating the inspection of William Bean's Bible shows his parents as William and Sarah.
The search goes on for proof positive!
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