The papers in this collection are drawn from materials donated to Conner Prairie by the Beales family. They include letters, land records, travel diaries, and miscellaneous materials. Covering the years 1800 to 1881, the materials offer valuable insights into pioneer life, business and real estate matters, and Quaker religious life in Ohio, Indiana and Missouri. Correspondence covers the years 1800 to 1881 and is rich in description of family matters, religious life, and the trials and triumphs of settlement and pioneer life. The letters are arranged chronologically. The collection includes various business and land records maintained by the Beales family. It includes land patents issued by the United States to John Beales, deeds and drawings depicting the Beales' family holdings and the surrounding area, and the treasurer's report of a Quaker church. The items are arranged chronologically. The collection also contains an eclectic blend of books, tracts, and papers accrued by the family. They include school books, religious tracts and newspapers, minutes of meetings, and copybooks and travel diaries. They are arranged by type of materials.