Francis Beattie1

d. 1791
Father(?) Beattie2
Land18 Apr 1784 On April 18th, 1784 Francis bought 209 acres of land on a branch of the Holston River in Washington County, Virginia, from his brother John Beattie.3,4 
  According to notes left by a descendant of Francis lived near where Emory and Henry College now stands (1959). Francis had 7 children: Rosannah, Sarah, Francis, David, Mary, Margaret, Jane who married Bristard [sic].5 
Will17 Sep 1789  Francis wrote his will on September 17th 1789. He left his plantation and the bulk of his personal estate to his daughter Rosannah Stewart and her husband John Stewart. They were charged with caring for Rosanna's sister Sarah Beatie and brother Francis Beatie. The will also left Francis's son David and daughter Mary Beatie a cow each. Jane Bustard and Margaret Hansford, also daughters, each received twenty pounds to be paid in horses and cattle.6 
Death1791 Francis died in late 1790 or early 1791. 
Will-RecdFeb 1791  His will was recorded in Washington Co. court at the Feb. term in 1791. Francis had named his "friends" Mathew Ryburn and James Kincannon as his executors.6 

Research Comment:

A Francis Beaty purchased and sold multiple tracts of land in Beverley Manor and Borden's Grant in Augusta County, Virginia in the 1740s and 1750s. In August 1747 he sold 158 acres in Beverley Manor (wife Martha released dower); in August 1751 bought 265 acres from Benjamin Borden on the border of Beverley Manor; in March 1753 bought 160 acres on the Beverley Manor line; in Aug. 1753 bought 336 acres from John Kerr; bought and sold a lot in the town of Staunton.

By November 1768 Francis Beaty had moved to Mecklinburg Co., North Carolina at which time he sold the 265 acres he had purchased in Virginia in 1751. And in 1772 Francis Beaty of Rowan County, North Carolina, public register, sold the land he had purchased from John Kerr in Virginia.

On October 10th, 1769, Francis Beaty, of Mecklenburg Co., NC, recorded his power of attorney to "his brother-in-law" John Tate to sell Francis's lands in Augusta County. The document was witnessed by Robert Gay and John and James Beaty.7
The Augusta County deeds referenced above have been assumed to represent the same Francis Beattie who died in Washington County, Virginia in 1791 and to suggest that Martha Tate was his wife and the mother of his children. This may be correct. If so Francis apparently did not remain in North Carolina. Further research needs to be done to verify that a Francis Beaty did not live in Mecklenburg or Rowan Counties, North Carolina at the same time a Francis Beattie lived in Washington County, Virginia.

Francis Beattie of the 1747 Augusta County land sale was clearly married (wife Martha released dower) at that time. One would expect the couple's children to have been born in the 1750s and possibly 1760s. The birth of 4 of the children of Francis of Washington County can be inferred as having occured in the 1760s or earlier as those children (Mary, Jane, Margaret and Rosanna) were married in 1789 when Francis wrote his will. Daughter Mary was born abt 1750. Francis's 1789 will charges daughter Rosannah and her husband with caring for her sister Sarah and brother Francis. Were they young children (suggesting Martha may not have been their mother?) or were they in some other way unable to care for themselves?

And who was the James Beaty who witnessed the power of attorney executed by Francis (then of North Carolina) in 1769? This branch of the Beattie family requires further research.

Related Links and Images:

The attached image was cropped from the Bill of Complaint (30 Aug. 1802) filed by Mathew Ryburn and James Dysart as executors of John Beattie, dec'd against Edward Crawford. The suit involved a boundary dispute on land John Beattie's executors sold Crawford. The bill contains two statements proving John Beattie and Francis Beattie (both of Washington Co., Virginia) were brothers
Francis's will

Family
Children
Last Edited14 Nov 2013

Citations

  1. [S140] "Ryburn History," compiled by P. Shugart, p. 36. Peggie cites an interview conducted in 1948 with Margaret Breckenridge Ryburn, a great granddaughter of John Beattie and Ellen Gilmore.
  2. [S3289] "Bill of Complaint dated 30 Aug. 1802 at Washington Co., Virginia", James Dysart & Mathew Ryburn exec John Beattie, dec'd. vs Edward Crawford, Augusta Co., Virginia Ended Chancery Causes 1805-129, index with digital images, Library of Virginia Online, <<http://www.lva.virginia.gov>>. Two statements in the Bill of Complaint establish the relationship between John Beattie and Francis Beattie: "...your orator's testator & the said Francis Beatty (they being brothers)..." and later "...a conveyance was executed by said John Beatty to his brother Francis..."
  3. [S1046] Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 1: 7. Original deed is torn and the date is unclear but appears to be 18 Apr 1784; recorded 18 May 1784 between John Beattie and Francis Beattie.
  4. [S3289] "Bill of Complaint dated 30 Aug. 1802 at Washington Co., Virginia", James Dysart & Mathew Ryburn exec John Beattie, dec'd. vs Edward Crawford, Augusta Co., Virginia Ended Chancery Causes 1805-129, index with digital images, Library of Virginia Online, <<http://www.lva.virginia.gov>>. Complaint includes statement: "...during his life he [John Beattie] sold to Francis Beatty 200 acres of the larger survey..." Note: case file includes copy of deed dated 15 March 1791 whereby Francis Beattie's executors sold John Stuart the same tract, however that deed described it as 209 acres.
  5. [S140] "Ryburn History," compiled by P. Shugart, p. 36. Peggy was a third great granddaughter of John Beattie.
  6. [S957] Francis Beatie will (recorded 1791), Washington Co., Virginia Will Bk 1: 163. Names daughter Rosannah Stewart and her husband John Stewart; also daughter Sarah, son Francis, son David, daughter Mary Beatie, daughters Jane Bustard [?] and Margaret Hansford.
  7. [S330] Lyman Chalkley, Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia Extracted From the Original Court Records of Augusta County 1745-1800, 3. See the index for Francis Beaty, Beatie, Beattie, etc. entries.
  8. [S1039] Deposition of Robert Stewart in case of Beaty et al vs Clark et al; Wythe Co., Virginia Superior Ct. of Chancery no. 1821-04-SC. Robert stated that his mother was Mary Beaty's [wife of David Beattie] sister. [Robert Stewart is proven as the son of John Stewart by the will of his father (Washington Co., VA Will Bk 5:259). Rosanna, wife of John Stewart, is proven as the daughter of Francis Beattie by the will of Francis, cited above. Therefore Mary Beattie, wife of David Beattie, is established as Mary Beattie, daughter of Francis Beattie]
  9. [S16] Robert Stewart is proven as the son of John Stewart by the will of his father (Washington Co., VA Will Bk 5:259. Rosanna, wife of John Stewart, is proven as the daughter of Francis Beattie by the will of Francis, cited above.