Edythe (Grice) Wells said that they came from southern Ireland! Marriage record lists him as Mathew Harrison Beans, while all subsequent sources list him as Harrison!
Birth date of 17 May 1820 came from Eulala Woodward's files.
In 1850 he was listed as a laborer (28) born in Virginia with his wife (27) and daus Melinda (3) and Cloe Ann (1). Next door is the family of Thomas Hines (28) VA, his wife Sarah A. (24) VA, two daughters, and Nancy Koonce (54) VA. I have assumed this is Mary Ann's sister and mother.
In 1858 he bought 1.5 acres of land which had formerly been auctioned off for back taxes, and paid $41.50 for it.
In 1860 he is listed as M. Beann (40) with his wife, 4 sons and 3 daus.
In 1870 he is listed as a farm laborer, age 47 b. in VA with his wife and 5 children. He had $1,000 of land and $325 personal property. He is listed just below the family of Woodford Gallaway and their granddaughter Ida Ellen Moats.
In November 1870 Harrison Beans won a judgement against Wm Moore in the Court of Common Pleas for $304.65. On 25 Nov 1870 the court ordered the Sheriff to appraise and auction off the land of Wm Moore to pay the judgement. Harrison purchased the land for $367 on 28 Jan 1871 and the deed was executed on 14 Feb 1871. He and his wife subsequently sold the land a week later on 21 Feb 1871 to Samuel Baker for $700.
Eulala Woodward listed his death as 4 Aug 1845, which conflicts with the census records. It must have been 1875 - need to verify.