Biographical sketch extracted from:

Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1887. pp. 945-946.

JACOB BEIL, an early settler of Wells County, engaged in farming and stock-raising on section 11, Rock Creek Township, was born in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, February 10, 1820, his parents, John and Sarah (Earnest) BEIL, being natives of the State of Pennsylvania, and of German descent. When our subject was eight years old his parents removed to Trumbull County, Ohio, settling in a dense wilderness, where Jacob was reared on a frontier farm, his education being such as could be obtained in the log cabin subscription schools of that early day. His youth was spent in assisting his father clear and improve his frontier farm, he remaining under the home roof until reaching his majority. September 23, 1840, he was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Harshman, a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Harshman, who were natives of Pennsylvania, and of German ancestry. To Mr. and Mrs. Beil were born six children— Philip A., residing in Trumbull County, Ohio; Amanda, wife of Andrew Hafflich, of Union Township, Wells County; Parintha, widow of Joseph Hafflich, late of Rock Creek Township; John E., of Bluffton; Henry A., at home with his parents, and Elizabeth, who died in early childhood. After his marriage Mr. Beil settled on a farm in Trumbull County, Ohio, where he followed agricultural pursuits until he came to Wells County, Indiana, in the year 1864. He then purchased a farm on section 9, Rock Creek Township, where he lived for nine years, when he bought and removed to his present farm on section 10 of the same township, where he has 100 acres of well improved land, which he has acquired by his own exertions, and is classed among the self-made men of his township. In his political views Mr. Beil is a Democrat. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.