Jane Beaty1

d. before May 1842
FatherJohn Beaty2 d. bef 1840
MotherMargaret Montgomery2 d. bef 27 Sep 1831
Name Other  Jane's full given name according to her son's 1843 guardianship record was Nancy Jane. However, she consistently appears as Jane in all other records located by this author.3 
Marriage13 Jun 1833 Jane married John Land on 13 Jun 1833.4 
Court Record8 Dec 1834  Whatever happiness Jane found in her marriage did not last long and in Dec. 1834 she petitioned the Virginia General Assembly to dissolve her marriage. Her petition, supported by the signatures of 27 other individuals, stated that on Sept. 5, 1833 John Land secretly left the county and had not been heard from since. She stated that he had treated her with cruelty and on the night before he disappeared had beat her and threatened to kill her. The petition also stated that Land had told others that he had a wife and child in North Carolina. Jane stated that she had no hope Land would return and if he did she could not live with him without fear of losing her life. She also stated she had a small real and personal estate which she derived from her father and mother which she desired to protect.

The legislature rejected her petition. 
Deathbefore May 1842 Jane died before May 1842.5 
Probate RecdMay 1842  On May 23 May 1842 James Beaty was named administer of Jane's estate.6 

Research Comment:

The Chancery case filed by Jane's son Nelson after her death clarifies that she was the daughter of John Beaty and Margaret Montgomery. The same record establishes Nelson Beaty as her only child. Census and other records place Nelson's birth around 1827. Jane's divorce record provides 1833 as the year of her marriage to John Land. Hence it would appear Jane was either unmarried when she gave birth to Nelson or married to an unidentified Beaty who died prior to 1833.

Confusion over Nelson Beaty's parentage has arisen due to a subtle misreading of the 1881 license application for Nelson's marriage to Eliza Reed. The entry for groom's parents says "Jane Beatie". However when the license was abstracted for the book Washington Co. VA Marriage Licenses 1881-1890 the name was misread and published as James.7,8

Related Links and Images:

Click on the PDF icon to read a summary of the Chancery case that arose over the distribution of Thomas Montgomery's land. The case was brought by Jane's son Nelson Beaty against Jane's brother James Beaty and other heirs of Margaret (Montgomery) Beaty

Family
Child
  • Nelson J. M. Beattie8,5,3 (circa 1827 - )
Last Edited3 Jan 2013

Citations

  1. [S2527] "Bill of Complaint", Nelson Beaty by his guardian and best friend vs James Beaty, C. Jones, etc., Washington Co., Virginia Ended Chancery Causes 1850-05, reel 90, Library of Virginia, 800 E. Broad St., Richmond, Virginia. The bill of complaint was undated but the summons that followed was dated 4 March 1843. She was consistently referred to as Jane throughout the case.
  2. [S2527] "James Beaty Answer dated 6 May 1844", Nelson Beaty by his guardian and best friend vs James Beaty, C. Jones, etc., Washington Co., Virginia Ended Chancery Causes 1850-05, reel 90, Library of Virginia, 800 E. Broad St., Richmond, Virginia. James stated that "his mother Margaret Beaty, daughter of Thomas Montgomery, had 6 children, to wit: John Beaty, Alexander Beaty, Jane Beaty (later Jane Land), Robert Beaty, and ___ Beaty (the last 2 died before their mother)." [James was implied as an additional child]
  3. [S28] Gerald H. Clark, Guardian Bonds Washington Co., VA, p. 35. Nelson J.M. Beaty, orphan of Nancy Jane Land (dated 26 Nov. 1842).
  4. [S3005] Research of James Hagy, Washington Co., Virginia; Mr. Hagy cites the petition of Jane M. Land dated Dec. 8, 1834 to the Virginia General Assembly (Library of Virginia, Reel 198, Box 251, folder 5) asking that Jane's marriage to John Land be dissolved. The petion was rejected. An index to the Legislative Petitions Dababase is available at
    http://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/guides/petitions/…
  5. [S2527] "Bill of Complaint", Nelson Beaty by his guardian and best friend vs James Beaty, C. Jones, etc., Washington Co., Virginia Ended Chancery Causes 1850-05, reel 90, Library of Virginia, 800 E. Broad St., Richmond, Virginia. The bill of complaint was undated but the summons that followed was dated 4 March 1843. The complaint included the following statement: "the said Jane Land also died on the __ day of ___ 1842, leaving your orator her only child and heir."
  6. [S2378] Jack Hockett, Washington Co., Virginia Minute Book 5, 1841-1842, abstracting Minute Bk 5: 254.
  7. [S123] William R. Wheeler, Washington Co., VA Marriage Licenses 1881-1890, pp. 7, 89: Nelson J.M. Beatie, 54, wid, b. & resid WCV, blacksmith, s/o James marr Eliza Reed, 33, sgl, b. & resid WCV, d/o Andrew Reed; 25 Oct. 1881. NOTE: The original marriage license clearly lists the groom's parent as Jane Beatie, not James. It appears the clerk began to write Jam, then corrected it to Jane. There was no "s" on the end of the word. The form does not specify father or mother; the entry is titled: "Names of Husband's Parents". Nelson's entry only included the one name.
  8. [S2832] Nelson J.M. Beatie-Eliza Reed Marriage License (Washington Co., VA), digital image, Historical Society of Washington County, license dated 24 Oct., 1881; marriage date: 25 Oct. 1881. Nelson J.M. Beatie, 54, widowed, blacksmith, parents: Jane Beatie. Eliza Reed, 33, sgl, parents: Andrew & [blank] Reed.