His father and grandfather were officers in the United States Navy, and both of them received medals of honor from congress. His education was begun in Georgetown College, where he remained until he was appointed a cadet at the United States Naval Academy, and was graduated in 1842. During the war with Mexico he distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry, and was presented with a sword by his brother officers, in recognition of his services as a bearer of dispatches through the enemy's lines. For the same act he was officially complimented by Com. Stockton. At the conclusion of the war with Mexico he resigned his commission and was appointed superintendent of Indian affairs for California and New Mexico. At the request of Maj.-General Wool, he was commissioned Brigadier-General and deputed to terminate an Indian war in California. During the decade preceding the civil war he conducted many important explorations in the far west, and in 1861 was appointed surveyor-general of California by President Lincoln, but offered his services in a military capacity as soon as the war of secession began. In 1876 he was appointed U.S. minister to Austria by President Grant. In 1877 he resigned, and he has since then personally superintended his large sheep and cattle ranch in southern California. In 1885, U.S. Grant died. They had been such good friends Beale was devastated. He lost interest in day to day business. He was also getting physically weaker. Meanwhile, his oil investments had done well and made him very rich. After six weeks of jaundice, he finally died on April 22, 1893. Mary died on April 6, 1902. He left instructions that his remains be cremated. After a well attended service at their Washington house, he was buried at the family plot in Chester, Pennsylvania. In 1900, Truxtun gave Bakersfield, California, a library building as a memorial to Beale. He also gave the city an adjoining clock tower and an outdoor Greek theater. Truxtun sold the Tejon ranch in 1911 for $3 million. An earthquake destroyed the library in 1955. The new library had one wing named for Beale. There is also an Air Force Base in Marysville, California named for him. Decatur House, his home in Washington D.C., where he lavishly entertained the movers and shakers of society, was deeded by the family to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1956. The agency maintains an office in the building.
His father and grandfather were officers in the United States Navy, and both of them received medals of honor from congress. His education was begun in Georgetown College, where he remained until he was appointed a cadet at the United States Naval Academy, and was graduated in 1842. During the war with Mexico he distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry, and was presented with a sword by his brother officers, in recognition of his services as a bearer of dispatches through the enemy's lines. For the same act he was officially complimented by Com. Stockton. At the conclusion of the war with Mexico he resigned his commission and was appointed superintendent of Indian affairs for California and New Mexico. At the request of Maj.-General Wool, he was commissioned Brigadier-General and deputed to terminate an Indian war in California. During the decade preceding the civil war he conducted many important explorations in the far west, and in 1861 was appointed surveyor-general of California by President Lincoln, but offered his services in a military capacity as soon as the war of secession began. In 1876 he was appointed U.S. minister to Austria by President Grant. In 1877 he resigned, and he has since then personally superintended his large sheep and cattle ranch in southern California. In 1885, U.S. Grant died. They had been such good friends Beale was devastated. He lost interest in day to day business. He was also getting physically weaker. Meanwhile, his oil investments had done well and made him very rich. After six weeks of jaundice, he finally died on April 22, 1893. Mary died on April 6, 1902. He left instructions that his remains be cremated. After a well attended service at their Washington house, he was buried at the family plot in Chester, Pennsylvania. In 1900, Truxtun gave Bakersfield, California, a library building as a memorial to Beale. He also gave the city an adjoining clock tower and an outdoor Greek theater. Truxtun sold the Tejon ranch in 1911 for $3 million. An earthquake destroyed the library in 1955. The new library had one wing named for Beale. There is also an Air Force Base in Marysville, California named for him. Decatur House, his home in Washington D.C., where he lavishly entertained the movers and shakers of society, was deeded by the family to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1956. The agency maintains an office in the building.
Inscription
AN EXPLORER OF THE WEST,
A FOUNDER OF CALIFORNIA,
A HERO OF THE MEXICAN WAR.
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