Thomas Fountain Beattie1,2,3

b. circa 1825
FatherJohn Beattie1,4 b. 3 Dec 1786, d. 1 Mar 1861
MotherSarah Edmiston1 b. 30 Jul 1790, d. 23 Dec 1868
BirthCircacirca 1825 Thomas Fountain Beattie was born in Kentucky, probably in Pulaski County, circa 1825.1 
Name Other  Thomas appears in some records as Thomas, Thomas F., T.F. or Fountain. 
Anecdote  When gold was discovered in California Fountain (as he appears in early records) joined several other Pulaski County men and traveled to the gold fields of California. They traveled by boat to St. Louis, then by wagon to Independence, Missouri where they restocked their supplies and headed west.5 
Cens-185030 Sep 1850  Fountain's stay in California must have been brief as he was enumerated back in Pulaski County with his parents in 1850.1 
  Fountain did not marry. He was well known in the community where he routinely visited local school yards with his dog, playing his fiddle and recounting stories of his travels.5 
  Thomas and his brother William both lived at home. In 1860 their father John, at age 74, still farmed the land his father had gifted him almost 50 years earlier.

John died in 1861 at which time Thomas's mother Sarah was assigned her dower share of John's land and slaves. John's inventory listed 16 slaves including Denis, Jacob, Walter, Mary and a girl Emeline. In 1863 John's Pulaski County land was divided among his heirs. Thomas and his siblings each received a long, narrow strip of about 23 acres fronting on Pitman Creek. Sarah died in 1868 at which time her dower share of the land reverted to her children. The slaves had already been freed.

The 1870 and 1880 census entries suggest that Thomas and William remained on the family land after their mother's death. The 1870 census suggests that several former slaves took the Beatie name, established their own households and remained to work on the farm. In 1870 Thomas and William's household included two black housekeepers: 45 year old Mary Beaty and 19 year old Emeline Beaty. The neighboring 3 households were headed by 3 of the former slaves: 40 year old Jacob Beaty, 29 year old Walter Beaty and 35 year old Dennis Beaty.1,2,6,7,4 
Last Edited11 Apr 2012

Citations

  1. [S2441] John Beaty household, 1850 U.S. cens, Pulaski Co., Kentucky, pop. sched., Division 3, p. 157 (typed), dwelling 197, family 197, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jun 2010. Household includes: John Beaty, 63, farmer, owns land worth $2,500, b. VA; Sarah, 60, b. VA; William, 33, coal trader; Campbel, 28, coal trader; Fountain, 25; Emiline, 19; Florance, 14; all others b. KY.
  2. [S2461] John Beatie household, 1860 U.S. cens, Pulaski Co., Kentucky, pop. sched., District No 1 (Somerset Post Office, p. 277 (added script), dwelling 849, family 828, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jul 2010. Household included: John Beatie, 74, farmer, owns land worth $7,000 and personal property worth $13,000, b. VA; Sarah, 70, b. VA; William, 40; Thomas F., 34, farmer; Emaline, 24; Florence, 22; all b. KY.
  3. [S2445] Pulaski Co., Kentucky Deed Book 20: 139. The deed records the results of a survey conducted 30 Dec. 1862 to divide the land of John Beatie dec'd into 7 parts, after laying off the dower land. Each part was assigned to an heir. The resulting deed was recorded 17 Dec. 1863. Fountain was recorded as "TF" Beatie.
  4. [S2445] Pulaski Co., Kentucky Deed Book 20: 139. The deed records the results of a survey conducted 30 Dec. 1862 to divide the land of John Beatie dec'd into 7 parts, after laying off the dower land. Each part was assigned to an heir. The resulting deed was recorded 17 Dec. 1863.
  5. [S2454] Alma Owens Tibbals, A History of Pulaski County, Kentucky, p. 190.
  6. [S2462] Wm E. Beaty household, 1870 U.S. cens, Pulaski Co., Kentucky, pop. sched., Somerset, p. 36 (original script), dwelling 241, family 241, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jul 2010. Household included: Wm E. Beaty, 53, farmer, owns land worth $1,200 and pers prop of $700; Thomas F., 45, farmer, owns land worth $1,200 and pers prop of $700; Mary, 45, black, keeping house; Emeline, 19, black; all b. KY.
  7. [S2474] W.E. Beattie household, 1880 U.S. cens, Pulaski Co., Kentucky, pop. sched., Somerset Precinct 1, ED 87, page 17A (p. 124 stamped), dwelling 140, family 141, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jul 2010. Household includes, W.E. Beattie, 65, farmer, b. KY/VA/VA; Thomas, 54, bros, farmer, b. KY/VA/VA; Wm B. Hudson, 40, servant, black; Kettie Hudson, 36, wife, black; Tilda Hudson, 18, servant, black.