Bouvier Beale

Early life and education

Beale was born on February 13, 1922, in New York City, New York.

Unlike his sister and elder brother Phelan Beale Jr., Beale followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather by attending Yale Law School and establishing his own law firm in New York—Walker and Beale (later Walker, Beale, Wainwright and Wolf).

Personal life

Beale married Katharine Ridgely Jones, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Ridgely Jones of New York and Glen Cove, New York, at St. Johns Episcopal Church of Lattingtown in 1942. Beale's brother Phelan was his best man for the ceremony. Beale's ceremony was half over when his mother Big Edie arrived, dressed like an opera star.

Beale and Katharine had three sons:

• Bouvier Beale Jr.
• Nicholas Beale
• Christopher Prince Beale

Beale and his family resided in the historic 1906 Italian Renaissance-styled home Cedarcroft in Glen Cove on Long Island, and in 1971, built their summer home in Bridgehampton, New York. Beale spent his weekends and summers on Long Island at the Piping Rock Club, Jones Beach, and Bridgehampton.

Beale was raised a Catholic by his mother, but was an atheist and nihilist in his adulthood. It was Beale's belief that Karl Marx "had it right about religion."

Beale died on May 3, 1994, in Glen Cove. His funeral service was held at St. John's Episcopal Church of Lattingtown in Locust Valley on Long Island. His eulogy was given by his son Christopher Beale.

Grey Gardens

Despite a successful career in law, Beale was best known for playing an active role in trying to persuade his mother Big Edie and sister Little Edie to vacate and sell their Grey Gardens estate in East Hampton. He and his brother Phelan refused to pay for the home's utilities and upkeep in order to compel the women to leave the dilapidated mansion. After the Suffolk County Health Department raided the mansion on October 22, 1971, Sidney Beckwith of the health department contacted Beale to convey the report of his inspection. Beale responded, “Mr. Beckwith, you’ve described it very well, but it’s nothing new—Mother is the original hippie." After his first cousins Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Lee Radziwill came to the aid of Big Edie and Little Edie by having the mansion repaired and cleaned to meet health, sanitation, and building codes, Beale reluctantly paid the back property taxes on the estate.

References

References

1. ((Ancestry.com. Social Security Death Index [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2009. Original data: Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration)). "Social Security Death Index about Bouvier Beale". ancestry.com.
2. Grey Gardens Online. (2009). "Other Staunch Characters". Grey Gardens Online.
3. Corine Cohen. "Interview with Chris Beale". corinescorner.com.
4. Debbie Tuma }}{{dead link. (July 2017). "Who's Here: Eva Marie Beale — Author". Dan's Hamptons.
5. Dr. Horace Donegan. (5 Jan 2007). "Marriage of Bouvier Beale & Katharine Jones ~ 1942". Rootsweb.
6. Gail Sheehy. (January 10, 1972). "The Secret of Grey Gardens". New York Magazine.
7. GeneAll.net. "Bouvier Beale". GeneAll.net.
8. (April 18, 2009). "Nephews Chris, 'Bouve' like Grey Gardens saga". [[SFGate.com]].