James Beattie1

b. say 1780, d. before 22 November 1821
FatherDavid Beattie1 b. abt 1744, d. 25 Apr 1814
MotherMary Beattie2 d. 8 Jan 1820
Birth-Saysay 1780 James Beattie was born say 1780 in Virginia. 
  He grew up on his father's lands in the eastern end of present day Washington County, Virginia. 
Occupation  David sent James to learn the trade of blacksmith in the shop of John Sawyers at Col. Dysart's [also in Washington County]. James then worked as a blacksmith at his father's place.3,4 
Marriage13 Jan 1803 He married Esther Fulton, daughter of David Fulton and Elizabeth Yerkes, on 13 Jan 1803 in Washington County, Virginia.5 
Land-Buy1 Aug 1803  Later that summer James bought 121 acres of his father's land for $300. It was located at the eastern edge of the 473 acre tract David Sr. received from his father John Beattie in 1786. In Feb. 1805 he acquired 50 additional acres to the north from William and Lucy Stewart for $333.33.6 
Legatee30 Jul 1805  David Beattie wrote his will in 1814, leaving James a Negro girl Mary.1 
Exec-Legatee17 Oct 1818  His mother wrote her will a few years later, leaving him her cupboard and a share in her remaining property. She also named James as her executor.2 
Land-Sell24 Sep 1820  By the late summer of 1820 James was making plans to leave Virginia. On Sept. 24th he and Esther sold their Washington County tract to Edward Hutton for $1,500.7 
29 Sep 1820  On September 29th, 1820 James executed a paper in Washington Co. Virginia stating that he was about to remove to Howard Co., Missouri and naming his good friend Thomas Edmondson [Edmiston] as his attorney to attend to lawsuits and other business in which he was involved.8 
Migration1 Oct 1820  Three days later James took his family and left for Missouri.9  
Court RecordOct 1820 About this same time James filed a lawsuit in Wythe County, Virginia, against his brother David and sister Mary (Beattie) Clark. On the surface the suit had to do with the question of whether a slave named Delilah had belonged to the estate of their father, David Beattie Sr., or their mother, Mary Beattie. James also claimed that the siblings had each received a slave from their father after he wrote his will and prior to his death. James wanted these slaves returned to their father's estate. The judge ruled against James [see link below for more information].10 
  James and his family settled in that part of Howard County which became Boone County Missouri in Nov. 1820, however they did not fare well in their new home. By the end of their first summer the local doctor was visiting their home on a regular basis.11 
  Although the facts are not known for sure one can deduce that at least 5 members of the family were seriously ill and that 4 did not survive. Bills contained in James's probate file indicate that the local coffin maker was called on to make 4 coffins. The exact dates of death for James, Esther, and their 2 children who died is not known, but another bill in the estate file included 5 yards of cambric purchased on Sept. 1st, 7 yards of cambric purchased on Sept. 7th and 5 yards of muslin purchased on the 24th. Cambric was commonly used for shrouds. A physician's bill indicated that "Betsy" was among the family members who was sick; assuming this was daughter Elizabeth, she survived.12 
Will22 Sep 1821 James wrote his will on 22 Sep 1821 in Boone County. In it he named his daughters Betsy, Melinda, Margaret, and Henrietta Beatie. He also named his 3 sons Ryburn, Armstrong and Thomas E. Beatie. He refered to his wife (or more accurately his daughter's mother) as deceased, and he did not mention his daughter Mary who was also likely deceased. Samuel Beatie [a first cousin who had settled in the area in 1818] and Michael Woods were appointed executors. James stipulated that certain items were to be sold and the proceeds held until Missouri land opened for sale at which time the money was to be used to buy parcels for the three boys.13,8 
Deathbefore 22 Nov 1821 James died before 22 Nov 1821, on which date his will was recorded.13 
Probate Recd  James's probate file contains many original documents, including two that contain samples of his handwriting. The first is the 1820 document he executed just before he left Virginia designating Thomas Edmiston to serve as his "agent" in Virginia. The second signature is on his original will, written shortly before he died. The body of the will is not in James's hand, but the signature is his, and his weakened state is evident. Also of interest is the fact that he signed both documents "James Beattie", whereas the individual who wrote the will used Baitie and the individual who wrote the Edmiston designation used "Beaty."8 
Probate Recd  The probate file also includes bills submitted to the estate for various costs incurred for the support of James's children following his death. This included shoes for Elizabeth, Ryburn, Melinda, Peggy and Henrietta, as well as a hat (75 cents) for Thomas. The same bill included a charge of $30 for "hauling Henrietta, Malinda & Peggy to Adam Middletons in Shelby County, Kentucky" [Adam was married to their mother's sister Mary (Fulton) Middleton]. 
Probate Recd22 Feb 1832  The settlement of James's estate took 17 years. By February 1832 Samuel Beattie, the original executor, was deceased and Mathew R. Beatie, now old enough to settle his father's estate, was appointed administrator. He submitted his list of accounts for final settlement in 1838.14,12 

Research Comment:

The probate file created after James's death contains several items of interest. One is a bill from a John Reed for 4 coffins; 3 were charged at $7.00 and were listed as having been made for James Beattie, his wife and his daughter. Another entry was for $3.00 and states "to making one small one for his __". The letters appear to be dter which may have been intended as an abbreviation for daughter, since the person who wrote the bill was running out of space [see scanned image below]. The bill appears to be dated September 1_ th [possibly13th or 15th], 1821 which itself is curious as James was still alive as late as Sept. 22 on which date he wrote his will. However, the record does confirm that James's wife died about the same time that he did, along with a daughter and possibly a second, younger daughter. Since the daughters named in James's will can all be accounted for after his death, one can assume that the deceased daughter(s) died before he did. One can speculate that the older daughter who died may have been Mary, who was named as James's daughter in the will of his mother (written in Oct. 1818) but who is not mentioned in James's will and does not appear in any of the other probate records created as a part of his estate.8

Related Links and Images:

For details of the Beaty vs Clark lawsuit see the Chancery page
James Beattie's signature from his will (Sept. 1821)
James's will from his probate file
Bill for coffins - James Beattie, wife, daughter and ___ ?
James and Esther migrated from Virginia to Missouri, settling in what became Boone County about the time of their arrival. See the Missouri Map map (also accessible via the Misc. Locations link in the menu bar at the top of any page).

Family

Esther Fulton d. bet 5 Sep 1821 - 22 Sep 1821
Children
  • Elizabeth Y. Beattie8,15 (6 Mar 1805 - 11 Oct 1859)
  • Mary Beattie16 (before Oct 1818 - between 1818 and 1821)
  • Mathew Ryburn Beattie8 (25 Oct 1808 - 27 Apr 1847)
  • Armstrong Beattie8 (25 Dec 1811 - 26 Jul 1878)
  • Melinda Beattie17,8 ( - after 1880)
  • Thomas E. Beattie8 (1813 - 1821)
  • Margaret Jane Edmundson Beattie8,18 (13 Dec 1814 - 24 Oct 1896)
  • Henrietta F. Beattie19,8 ( - before 1875)
Last Edited26 Jan 2013

Citations

  1. [S131] David Beaty will (recorded 1814), Washington Co., Virginia, Will Book 4: 56-57. David's will, dated 30 Jul 1805, lists beloved wife Mary, sons James, William, David, Armstrong and John, and daughter Polly. It was recorded 17 May 1814 on oath John Stewart and Mathew Ryburn.
  2. [S131] Mary Beatie will (17 Oct. 1818), Washington Co., Virginia, Will Book 4: 317-318. Lists daughter Mary Clark and sons William, James, David and Armstrong. Also niece Mary Beatie, daughter of James Beatie and niece Mary Beatie, daughter of David Beatie.
  3. [S1039] Deposition of John Stewart in case of Beaty et al vs Clark et al; Wythe Co., Virginia Superior Ct. of Chancery no. 1821-04-SC.
  4. [S1039] Deposition of Edward Hutton in case of Beaty et al vs Clark et al; Wythe Co., Virginia Superior Ct. of Chancery no. 1821-04-SC.
  5. [S4] D.E. Brown, Marriages of Washington Co., VA 1781-1853, p. 4. James Beatie and Esther Fulton, 13 Jan 1803; minister Edward Crawford.
  6. [S1707] Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 3: 83, 379.
  7. [S2206] Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 7: 254.
  8. [S864] Boone Co., Missouri probate file no. 12, James Beattie deceased.
  9. [S1039] Answer of John Clark & wife and David Beatie in case of Beaty et al vs Clark et al; Wythe Co., Virginia Superior Ct. of Chancery no. 1821-04-SC.
  10. [S1039] Bill or Complaint in case of Beaty et al vs Clark et al; Wythe Co., Virginia Superior Ct. of Chancery no. 1821-04-SC.
  11. [S1631] Carolyn Bartels, Boone Co., Missouri Estate Files, file 12: Estate of James Beattie. File includes bill submitted by G.W. Wilcox for physician services; first date of [this] bill was 29 Aug 1821; file also includes a bill from Thomas Todd for attendance on him [James Beattie] and family from 21 Sept until the 20th of Oct. in the last sickness of the deceased family.
  12. [S1631] Carolyn Bartels, Boone Co., Missouri Estate Files, file 12: Estate of James Beattie.
  13. [S862] James Beattie will (recorded 1821), Boone Co., Missouri Will Book A: 16. The will was written 22 Sept. 1821 and recorded 22 Nov. 1821. Samuel Beatie and Michael Woods were named executors, but Michael refused to execute the will. Samuel posted bond in the amount of $2,000 with Michael Woods and __ Harris his security.
  14. [S862] James Beattie estate (1823), Boone Co., Missouri Will Book A: 216. Mathew R. Beatie appointed adminisrator of the estate following the death of Samuel Beatie.
  15. [S66] Bob and Donna Ford, "Beatie deeds with no metes & mounds," e-mail to Diana Powell, 20 Feb. 2001. abstract citing deed dated 8 Mar 1845 from David F. MIddleton & Elizabeth Middleton his wife, late Elizabeth Beatie, heir of James Beatie, deceased to Wm Byars.
  16. [S1039] Deposition of Margaret Edmiston in case of Beaty et al vs Clark et al; Wythe Co., Virginia Superior Ct. of Chancery no. 1821-04-SC. Margaret stated that "Mary Beaty wished to give Polly Beaty the daughter of James Beaty the plaintiff...". James Beaty is proved as the son of Mary Beaty and David Beaty elsewhere in the suit. For additional information see the Chancery page or see the Research Comment at the bottom of Mary (Beattie) Beattie's page.
  17. [S66] Bob and Donna Ford, "Beatie deeds with no metes & mounds," e-mail to Diana Powell, 20 Feb. 2001. abstract citing deed dated 8 Mar 1845 from Melinda Weakly the widow of A. Weakly deceased, formerly Melinda Beatie of Shelby Co. KY... heir of James Beatie, deceased... to Wm Byars.
  18. [S66] Bob and Donna Ford, "Beatie deeds with no metes & mounds," e-mail to Diana Powell, 20 Feb. 2001. abstract citing deed dated 8 Mar 1845 from Jacob Smith & Margaret, his wife, late Margaret Beatie (both of Campaign Co. IL) said female being the heir of James Beattie dec'd... to Wm Byars.
  19. [S66] Bob and Donna Ford, "Beatie deeds with no metes & mounds," e-mail to Diana Powell, 20 Feb. 2001. abstract citing deed dated 16 Apr 1846 from James B. Gains & Henrietta F., his wife, of Edmondson Co. KY to Wm Byars....it being the land that descended to the said Henrietta from her father James Beattie, decd.