"You have the Beall nose." my mother tells me. It is the most distinguishable thing on my face. It juts as if I was Bob Hope's illegitimate child, but I'm not. I often think though, what makes me...me. It started simply enough, I wondered about my last name. My interest in history brought about the fact that people's last names began by stating where they were from. "John of California", or something to that effect. Then, some were named for their occupation, "John Smith" Still though, there were some named after their father, "John, son of John. So it was that I thought about my last name then...Beall? What's that supposed to mean? What occupation could my family had done? (This was during my ignorance). I was hopeful that by finding out the meaning of my last name that I would learn more about myself and who or what I was supposed to be. I had been searching a long time trying different jobs, but never seemed to be truly happy with any of them. Another thing that bothered me was the way I learned. Neither my parents nor myself knew that I had a form of ADD. Nothing terribly serious mind you, but bad enough to where I do have a problem concentrating. On top of all of this, I am also Obsessive Compulsive (OC). I am a hard worker, which can also be described as a work-aholic. Finding out how things work and their origins are a passion of mine, hence my writing this. I enjoy learning about history, I have always seemed drawn to God. "Where did all this come from?" I asked myself. Did I learn it? Maybe I saw it on the television or maybe it's just a freak accident. The more I came to know my family, the better I learned about myself. Traits they inherited were passed down to me, and I to my children. My mother and father each had their own traits, when combined, formed a "new" generation. A combination of their personalities which melded and was passed on to my brother and myself. What trait becomes dominant is interesting, and a little technical, here. 

     Environment. That's about the best one word answer I can provide for how a trait becomes dominant. My brother is three years older than me and so is like a type of guinea pig for my parents. Neither having any children before, they learn what works and what doesn't with their first born. The second child becomes easier because they are more prepared for what to expect, although there are some new processes to be learned by each child. This is one reason why siblings can inherit similar traits but seem very different. The fact that one is actually treated differently, not at the fault of the parents, and certainly not consciously. So it is though with all children. This is not a bad thing though. It's what makes us each unique. Many, like me, succumb to the call of the media and our peers to be something or someone we were never meant to be. I never seemed to fit in, but it's because I always tried to be "cool". I grew my hair long because that's the way all my friends did it. I listened to music, if you could call it that. I began to get involved in things that just wasn't my style, but I was searching. Like we all do. What I came to find out was a far cry to where I was, and a lot closer to parents I barely knew growing up. I learned a lot about myself and what I want out of my life. To make it have a meaning, a purpose. I should have known before I had children. So they wouldn't have such a hard time finding their way. I changed and changed again, but I was still searching. How could I teach my children what it was to truly be happy if I wasn't sure myself. Fast cars? Money? A life full of adrenaline? All those are well and good, but in order to reach those we will sacrifice the more important things in life...our family. We may say we're doing for them, but it's because our goals hadn't been clear. This can be because our parents' weren't either, and so on. Again, no fault of their own. It's almost an American way to make money and provide a better life for our family. That's been echoing through our ancestors from way back, but to reach those goals, they also had to give up other things. 

     I began researching my father's side (Beall) some time ago. I did it because so little was known. I asked my father who directed me to my grandfather. He knew a little, but not too much. A copy of pages from a book was given to me about my great (x3) grandfather. After that though, not much was known. So I continued to search. I found about all that I can on the Beall side. I have hit the proverbial "brick wall" so-to-speak. But another thing I thought of though. Was it by chance I am here? Of all the states my kin could've moved to, why here? Why did they stay? More importantly though, I found out the life I wish to live in order to truly be happy. In my search I also began picking myself apart, not literally mind you. I would assign certain physical and mental traits to the parent I saw exhibiting the same. Unfortunately though, my OC makes this picking apart more complex than I imagined. I inherited my father's nose, but he inherited it from his mother, along with many other physical traits. This means that I have a Miller nose, my grandmother's maiden name. I inherited my mother�s father�s hair growth, but my father�s texture. I have my father�s height but my mother�s skin color (she inherited it from her mother). And on and on. As I searched all these traits, I came to understand myself a little better. Understand, I don�t mean to say this will work for everyone, but I know it worked for me and may be a way of looking at a person�s life like they never had. 

     This site is dedicated to me, as selfish as that may sound, and what makes up me. I found it interesting how I came to be, since I was created from two different sides of human personality. At the same time, I thought my family history was an interesting one. Although I won�t go into too many particulars as they are already written down in book form and I have been currently compiling my own family history to publish. What�s in this site is a glimpse of the almost impossible fact that I am here and who I found I am. How my life came full circle. I had to go down some dark paths until I willingly went on the right one. Hopefully this will help others to learn what I was too stubborn to. I have imagined what my life would have been like if I had listened to those who had gone before me. To learn from their mistakes and not make the same. But then to add to my knowledge and grow. To teach my children what I had learned from others as well as my own. Then they would add to their knowledge. I have included pictures where appropriate. Feel free to leave comments. Hope you enjoy it.