David Beaty, Sr.

David Beaty, Sr.

David Beaty, Sr. was born in 1783, in Pennsylvania. Probably in Nottingham, Chester County, Pennsylvania. He died during the 1850s, in Fentress County, Tennessee. He was a brother to John Beaty, Jr., born in 1760, and to George Beaty, born in 1785. These 3 brothers probably were sons of John Beaty, Sr., who was born in Ireland shout 1725, who came over to Pennsylvania about 1750 and married Margaret Montgomery. This couple were parents of the following children: James Beaty, born in 1752 or 1753; Andrew Beaty, born in 1758; Thomas Beaty; William Beaty; Phoebe Beaty; Alexander Beaty; Pleasant Beaty; and Martin Beaty. In his military records, James stated that he had a twin sister; that their older brother wrote their names and birth dates down from the family Bible. But that his brother listed one twin as born in 1752, and the other as born in 1753. And that he (James) didn't know which birth year was the correct one. James said that he was born in Nottingham, Chester County, Pennsylvania. But that he was residing in Rowan County, North Carolina, in the latter part of the year 1775, when he enlisted in the American Revolutionary War, in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.

Fentress County historian and author, Albert R. Hogue, stated that the 3 Beaty brothers John, Jr., David, Sr. and George were first cousins to the famous Davy Crockett. And that they came from North Carolina to Fentress County, Tennessee, during pioneer days, in the early 1800s. He also said that William Beaty, a brother to James, fought under the command of Andrew Jackson, in the famous Battle of New Orleans, which occurred a few days after the peace treaty had been signed, in the War of 1812. And that William Beaty was kin to Jackson. But if these Beatys were kin to Davy Crockett and Andrew Jackson, I don't know how they were kin.

However, it appears that John, Jr., David and George may have been full brothers to James, William and the others. For records show that a John Beaty, Sr. and his wife Margaret (Montgomery) Beaty were living in Washington County, Virginia, in 1803, when her father, Thomas Montgomery, died there, leaving his land and other property to his 3 daughters -- Margaret (Montgomery) Beaty, Abigail (Montgomery) Preston and Ann Montgomery, and to the children of Margaret and Abigail. Records also show that John Beaty, Sr. and Margaret were still living in 1823, when two of their sons -- James Beaty and John Beaty, Jr. -- sold their share of the land to their brother Alexander M. Beaty. However, no birth dates were listed. So, I am not certain if this was the same John Beaty, Sr. and Margaret (Montgomery) Beaty who had lived in Pennsylvania earlier.

But another of the Beaty brothers, Andrew, (my ancestor) had come down to what was called Washington County, Virginia, which included what is now Sullivan County, Tennessee. The state line between Virginia and Tennessee was in dispute at that time. And Andrew enlisted in military service there, in the spring of 1777, and served a 3month period. In the spring of 1779, he served another 8-month period. Then, in the autumn of 1780, he served another period and fought in the important Battle of Kings Mountain. After the war ended, his brother, James Beaty, remained in Rowan County, North Carolina, a number of years, then came up and lived in Sullivan County and Greene County, Tennessee, ten years or more. Then, in 1799 probably, James, Andrew, William, Alexander and Martin Beaty, and probably Thomas and Andrew Cooper, went to Cumberland County, Kentucky, and lived there about 20 years. And, apparently, John, Jr., David, Sr. and George Beaty went from either Rowan County, N.C. or the Washington County, Va. -- Sullivan County, Tenn. area to Fentress County, Tennessee, while the parents remained in Washington County, Virginia, the rest of their lives. For I think that John Beaty, Sr. and Margaret (Montgomery) Beaty were the parents of all these Beaty brothers, including David Beaty, Sr.

David Beaty, Sr. married Sarah Stephens, who was born in North Carolina, in 1790. They settled on the East Fork of Obey River, near Boatland. They lived there for several years, and died there. They had 15 children, whose names, probable order of birth, and approximate birth dates were as follows: George, who probably was born about 1808; Jenetta, born 1810; Mary, born 1812; Ann, born 1814; John, born 1815; Ida, born 1816 or 1817; Jerry, born 1818; David, Jr., born 1820; Catherine, born 1822; Rita, born 1824; Sarah, born 1826; Julia, born 1828; Nancy, born 1829; Cuzzy, born 1831; and Artemis, born 1833.

The marriages of David Beaty, Sr.'s sons and daughters were as follows: George married Agnes Boles; Jenetta married David Conatser; Mary married William Reagan; Ann married Sampson Solomon; John married Narcissa Hinds; Ida married Nathan Franklin; Jerry married Sarah Choate; David, Jr. married Jane Smith; Catherine married Jacob Cooper; Rita married William King, older brother to James and Robert King; Sarah was deaf and dumb, and probably never married; Julia married Asberry Wilson; Nancy married A.L. Shoops; Cuzzy married John C. Albertson; and Artemis married Mese Phillips.

Some of the grandchildren of David Beaty, Sr. were as follows. Jerry's children were: Shade Beaty, who married Mary Hogue; Putnam Beaty, who married Mary Jane Hall; Hiser Beaty, who married Rosetta Hogue; Henry Beaty; Ferzina Beaty married Reese Stephens, her second cousin, grandson of George Beaty; Cuzzy Jane Beaty, who married Walter Harrison Davis; they were Don Hyder's grandparents; Arbella Beaty, who married Tatum Tipton; Viann Beaty, who married Reece Stephens, who later married her sister, Ferzina Beaty; Kit Beaty never married. He drowned in Kentucky. And Jake Beaty, who married Polly Ann Garrett. David Beaty, Jr.'s children were: Catherine Beaty, who married Hiram Cyrus Beaty, her second cousin; Lodicey Beaty, who married Claiborne Beaty, her second cousin, grandson of George Beaty; Richard Beaty, who married Lydia Ann Stephens, his second cousin, granddaughter of George Beaty; Marion B. Beaty, who married Martha Emeline King, d/o his second cousin, Nancy Agnes (Beaty) King and Robert King; Clemons Beaty, who married Lottie Bowden, d/o Joshua Bowden; Julia Ann Beaty, who married James Stephens, her second cousin, grandson of George Beaty; and Ellen Beaty, who married Cull Threet. They are buried in Ferrell Cemetery, in Overton County, Tennessee. Catherine (Beaty) Cooper's children were: Jeremiah Cooper, born 1843; Thomas Cooper, born 1845; Sarah Cooper, born 1847; Cuzzy Cooper, born 1849 1851; William Cooper, born 1853; George Cooper, born 1856; Artemis Cooper, born 1858; Julia E. Cooper, born 1860; James Cooper, born 1862; John Cooper, born 1864; and Jacob Cooper, Jr., born 1866. Catherine (Beaty) Cooper named sons after 4 of her brothers, (George, John, Jeremiah and David) and she named daughters after 4 of her sisters, (Sarah, Julia, Cuzzy and Artemis). David Beaty, Sr. and his wife, Sarah (Stephens) Beaty, have many other descendants.

I don't know where David and Sarah are buried. Probably on the farm where they lived, or in a nearby cemetery.

by Roscoe Hollis Wright
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Posted with permission from Curtis Media Corporation
This page was last updated on 09/13/98.