Esther Fulton

d. between 5 September 1821 and 22 September 1821
FatherDavid Fulton
MotherElizabeth Yerkes
Marriage13 Jan 1803 Esther Fulton married James Beattie, son of David Beattie and Mary Beattie, on 13 Jan 1803 in Washington County, Virginia.1 
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 $333.33.2 
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 $1,500.3 
Migration1 Oct 1820  On October 1st, 1820 James and Esther left Virginia for Missouri.4  
  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.5 
  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.6 
Deathbetween 5 Sep 1821 and 22 Sep 1821 Esther probably died between 5 Sep 1821 and 22 Sep 1821.7,8 

Research Comment:

Esther probably died shortly before her husband wrote his will on Sept 22, 1821. He did not name her in the will which was proved in court on November 22, 1821. A receipt filed in his probate record included charges for a coffin for James Beattie and one for his wife, suggesting she also died in the fall of 1821. She was alive as late as Sept. 5, 1821, as a bill in the probate file for services rendered to members of the family "in last illness" includes this entry for Sept. 5, 1821, "visit of wife... [$]2.00."9

Related Links and Images:

Esther and James 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

James Beattie b. say 1780, d. bef 22 Nov 1821
Children
  • Elizabeth Y. Beattie (6 Mar 1805 - 11 Oct 1859)
  • Mary Beattie (before Oct 1818 - between 1818 and 1821)
  • Mathew Ryburn Beattie (25 Oct 1808 - 27 Apr 1847)
  • Armstrong Beattie (25 Dec 1811 - 26 Jul 1878)
  • Melinda Beattie ( - after 1880)
  • Thomas E. Beattie (1813 - 1821)
  • Margaret Jane Edmundson Beattie10 (13 Dec 1814 - 24 Oct 1896)
  • Henrietta F. Beattie ( - before 1875)
Last Edited25 Jun 2011

Citations

  1. [S4] D.E. Brown, Marriages of Washington Co., VA 1781-1853, p. 4. James Beatie and Esther Fulton, 13 Jan 1803; minister Edward Crawford.
  2. [S1707] Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 3: 83, 379.
  3. [S2206] Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 7: 254.
  4. [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.
  5. [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.
  6. [S1631] Carolyn Bartels, Boone Co., Missouri Estate Files, file 12: Estate of James Beattie.
  7. [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. Esther is not mentioned in the will.
  8. [S864] A bill from G.B. Wilcox [physician?] in the file for services rendered the family includes "visit of wife" dated 5 Sept. 1821, Boone Co., Missouri probate file no. 12, James Beattie deceased.
  9. [S864] Boone Co., Missouri probate file no. 12, James Beattie deceased.
  10. [S924] Celia Snyder, "James Beattie and Hester Fulton," e-mail to Diana Powell, 18 Jul, 2004. Source cited as: Early History and Pioneers of Champaign County, Milton W. Mathews and Lewis A. McClean, Champaign County Herald, 1886.