Biography
Circa 1781, Eden's first wife Hannah Hawkins divorces him (or perhaps he has abandoned her) and her sister Lydia Hawkins Wiley's husband John Wiley agrees to look after her support for one year until she can remarry.
"April 17, 1781--Gents. Edw. Keenan and John Wiley enter themselves security for Hannah Bails that the said Hannah nor her children shall become chargeable to this parish for the space of one year next ensuing."[1]
"November 18, 1783-- Present: Henderson, Mathews, Anderson, John Henderson, Johnston, Williams, Edon Bails vs Jas. Collins, Assault and Battery, dismissed." [2]
"August 18, 1784-- Eadon Bails vs Francis Tincher, same[dismissed,]"[3]
"August 20, 1784--William Jeffries vs Eden Bailes, same £18:8. Witnesses: John Wallis, Brice Miller, John Pettyjohn," [4]
"November 17, 1784-- James Collins vs Eden Bails, in case, verdict £2:5," [5]
"March 16, 1785-- Sheriff directed to sell the goods in his hands taken under execution of William Jeffers vs Eden Bailes claimed by his son, it appearing to the court that said conveyance was made to evade." [6]
Evidently this was to settle the judgment of August 20, 1784 against Eden. But this also indicates that Eden Bales had either a grown son in 1785 or one able to pass as grown. Note that three and a half months later, Eden Bales signs the marriage permission of James Bales to marry Rebecca Bracken, meaning that James Bales was under age 21 when he was married July 1, 1785 by Rev. John Alderson.
"March 18, 1785-- To Wm. Arbuckle prison fee for --- [extended list] ... Eden Bailes 3 days 40 [pounds of tobacco]," [7]
Evidently Eden had been arrested prior to the March 16, 1785 case against him, and held for three days. Tobacco was commonly used as currency.
"20 April 1785 James Collins enters 350 acres by Treasury Warrant for 50 acres, as assignee of H. Banks, No. 22584, dated Dec. 1773, beginning at a large white oak corner to his right of settlement, running SE to include an improvement made by Edon Bales for quantity." [8]
This suggests an explanation for the 17 November 1783 assault & battery case against James Collins by Eden Bales and others. Collins held legal title to the land and arrived to find Eden Bales and others occupying the land. There may have been physical altercations in driving them off the land.
Eden Bales does not appear on the Greenbrier County, [W]VA personal property tax lists for 1782/3, 1786/8, 1792, 1799. Many early settlers of Greenbrier County were squatters who made improvements and then were forced off the land when legal grantees arrived on the scene. Many early court cases concerned these encroachments.
20 March 1804 Garrard County, Kentucky. A written statement dated 20 Mar 1804 by Eden Bails appears with the marriage bond #303 of William Lambert and Elizabeth Lear , to wit, "This certifies that William Lear and his wife Elizabeth is satisfied that my daughter Elizabeth Lear and William Lambert shall be joined together in matrimony."[9]
Note: This note on the marriage bond is, at present, the sole evidence that Elizabeth Lear was previously married to Eden Bales. After Eden's separation/divorce/abandonment of Hannah, he had at least three more children: Eden Jr., William and Elizabeth. But by the time of Elizabeth's marriage, Eden was once again single and Elizabeth has the last name of Lear and is living with William and Elizabeth Lear. So one explanation is that the older Elizabeth Lear is the mother of Eden's daughter Elizabeth and has remarried William Lear and that he adopted her child Elizabeth. But another explanation is that Eden's second wife died and that, unable to raise an infant daughter, he offered her up for adoption. Currently there is no evidence to support either hypothesis.
"January, 1816: On motion of Alexander Bales, administration of estate of Eadon Bails deceased to granted him, and with others executed bond of $400 for the due and faithful administration of estate of decedent."[10]
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Bales-680
