Alfred Beal was born a slave to mother Mary Reddick, one of the founders of Bealsville, and white plantation overseer Frank Beal of Bartow. He became one of the most prosperous farmers in the community.

During a series of failed crops and hard freezes, many in the community lost their farms to foreclosure. Once things recovered, Alfred bought them back from the bank and helped the original families buy them back.

For this, in 1923, they renamed the community of Howell’s Creek to Bealsville in his honor.