John Beattie

b. 3 December 1786, d. 1 March 1861
FatherWilliam Beattie1,2,3 b. bet 1760 - 1762, d. 4 Apr 1860
MotherMary Allison1,2 b. 1763, d. 16 Apr 1830
Birth3 Dec 1786 John Beattie was born on 3 Dec 1786 in Virginia.4 
Marriage5 Sep 1811 He married Sarah Edmiston, daughter of Col. William Edmiston and Elizabeth Kennedy, on 5 Sep 1811 in Washington County, Virginia.5 
Migration John and Sarah left Virginia and settled in Pulaski County, Kentucky, where they raised at least 8 children. John's brother James settled in Pulaski County about the same time. 
Land-Gift27 Oct 1814  In the fall of 1814 John's father deeded John 353 acres of land on Pitman Creek in Pulaski County, adjoining a similiar tract he gifted to James. And in 1822 William deeded the two men an additional 116 acres which they were to hold jointly.6,7 
Cens-Sum  John and Sarah were probably living on this land when they were recorded on the 1850 and 1860 census enumerations. On the eve of the Civil War John's land was valued at $7,000. He owned personal property worth $13,000, reflecting the fact that 18 slaves worked the land.8,9,10 
  The household in 1850 included 5 of the couple's children: sons William and Campbell (33 and 28) were employed as coal traders; son Fountain had recently returned from a trip to the California gold fields while the two youngest children, Emiline and Florence, were 19 and 14, respectively.

Missing was the couple's eldest daughter Eliza who had married in 1838 but died a few years later leaving an infant son. Daughter Mary had married in 1841. And son Robert lived in the town of Somerset where he had established himself as a merchant. 
Legatee14 Oct 1834  John's father wrote his will in Virginia in 1834. He left John $200 to be paid from the sale of land in Rockcastle County (Kentucky). However the older man lived to 100 and John outlived his father by less than a year.3 
Death1 Mar 1861 John died on 1 Mar 1861 at age 74.4 
Burial He was buried at Pisgah Church Cemetery in Pulaski County, Kentucky.4 
Probate Recd10 Sep 1861  John's estate was appraised and sold following his death. Court records show that specific items were set aside for the widow, including a horse, a loom, various household items, and a family Bible valued at $1.11 
19 Jan 1863  In 1863 John's land in Pulaski County on Pitman Creek was surveyed and divided among his heirs (161 acres after laying off Sarah's dower). The deed, recorded on 19 Jan. 1863, noted that the tract was John's home tract as conveyed to him by his father, William Beatie. The 7 heirs were named as: Andrew J. James and Mary A. James (of Franklin Co., KY), R.F. Beatie, F.V. Beatie, Daniel W. Wait, Wm E. Beatie, T.F. Beatie and Emaline Beatie (all of Pulaski Co.).12 

Research Comment:

Research into John Beattie's years in Kentucky is complicated by the presence of other men named John Beaty/Beatie/Beattie who lived in Pulaski county during the same time frame. One of these men was somewhat older than John and died in 1845; the other two were younger.

It should also be noted that John's 1820 census enumeration included 2 males under 10, only one of whom can be tentatively identified based on the ages of John's known sons (William, born abt 1817) . Likewise, John's 1830 household includes 1 male age 15-20 who is not otherwise accounted for.13,14

Family

Sarah Edmiston b. 30 Jul 1790, d. 23 Dec 1868
Children
Last Edited16 Sep 2013

Citations

  1. [S5] Elizabeth Kelly Allison, Early Southwest Virginia Families, p. 102-6.
  2. [S140] "Ryburn History," compiled by P. Shugart, p. 34. Peggie cites an interview conducted in 1948 with Margaret Breckenridge Ryburn, a great granddaughter of John Beattie and Ellen Gilmore.
  3. [S851] William Beattie will (recorded 1860), Washington Co., Virginia Will Book 15: 33. William's will was written on 14 Oct. 1834 with a codicil added on 14 Jul 1849. It was not recorded in court until 28 May 1860. The will was originally witnessed by Samuel Dunn, James Porterfield and Beattie Ryburn. However, by the time the will was recorded only Samuel Dunn was living. James C. Porterfield and Arthur D. Hutton testified that they were well acquainted with the handwriting of these two witnesses. Madison Beattie took the oath of executor with a bond of $2,000.
  4. [S1777] Find A Grave Website (http://www.findagrave.com/index.html : viewed Jul 2010). John Beatie entry, Pisgah Cemetery, Pulaski County, KY (entry includes photo of stone: "John Beatie born Dec. 3, 1786 died March 1, 1861").
  5. [S4] D.E. Brown, Marriages of Washington Co., VA 1781-1853, p. 5.
  6. [S2457] Pulaski Co., Kentucky Deed Book 2: 422. The deed was dated 27 Oct. 1814; the purchase price was 1 cent.
  7. [S2458] Pulaski Co., Kentucky Deed Book 5: 136. The deed was dated 6 Nov. 1822; the purchase price was 1 cent.
  8. [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, b. VA; Emiline, 19; Florance, 14; all others b. KY.
  9. [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.
  10. [S2468] John Beatie, owner, 1860 U.S. census, Pulaski Co., Kentucky, slave schedule, p. 12, line 31, viewed online at Ancestry.com.
  11. [S2456] John Beatie appraisement and sale (1861), Pulaski Co., Kentucky Will Book 6: 27.
  12. [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.
  13. [S2476] John Beatty household, 1820 U.S. cens., Pulaski Co., Kentucky, p. 4, line 19, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jul 2010. Household includes: 2 males 0-10; 1 male 26-45; 2 females 0-10; 1 female 26-45.
  14. [S2477] John Beaty household, 1830 U.S. cens., Pulaski Co., Kentucky, p. 52, line 12, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jul 2010. Household includes: 1 male under 10; 1 male 5-10; 1 male 10-15; 1 male 15-20; 2 males 30-40; 1 male 40-50; 1 female under 5; 1 female 10-15; 1 female 15-20; 1 female 40-50.
  15. [S2443] Letter from Ruth Wait Tuttle (written on Somerset Chapter DAR stationery), dated 20 June 1937 at Burnside, Kentucky, Beattie Correspondence, The Redmond S. and Mary Cole Collection, Family History Library. Mrs. Ruth Tuttle was a granddaughter of Cyrenius Wait and his second wife, Martha Jane Newell. Mr. Wait's first wife was Eliza Beattie, daughter of John Beattie and Sarah Edmiston. Mrs. Tuttle was a descendant through her mother of John Beaty and Polly Forgey [a second Beaty/Beatie family]. She stated: "John Beattie that you ask about married an Edmonson had a big family, Eliza, Frank, William, Emmy, Florence, Fountain."
  16. [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. Eliza Beattie married Cyrenius Wait in Oct. 1838 but was deceased before 1850. Daniel W. Wait received a 1/7th share of John Beatie's land; a later entry in the same deed refers to him as Webster Wait. Daniel was recorded in the household of Cyrenius Wait in 1850.
  17. [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.