William R. Beaty

William R. Beaty

July 7, 1825 - March 12, 1862

William R. Beaty was the oldest child of Isaac Beaty, born in 1803, Susannah Gwynn Beaty, born in 1802. He was born in the western part of Fentress County. He was married to Mary "Pop" Sells of Overton County. Born in 1829, she was the daughter of John Sells (1790-1870) and Sallie Winnsant (1799-1868). Both of Sallie's parents were born in Virginia and migrated to Overton County, Tennessee. The Sells line goes as follows: Henry Sells, Anthony Sells, Sr., Solomon, Andrew (1776), John (1790), and Mary.

William R. Beaty, and Mary "Pop's children were: 1. Sarah Elender, born April 22, 1849, died March 22, 1935, married Jackson Mace; 2. Susan (Ann), born September 30, 1850, died July 9, 1912, married Peter King; 3. Isaac (Toke), born September 16, 1852, died 1922, married first Margaret Jane Hinds and second Martha Lynch Ingram; 4. Mary Jane, born October 8, 1854, died April 13, 1947, married first, Wilson Hayes and second, A.J. (Bud) Lacy; 5. Rebecca E., born January 30, 1857, died January 4, 1934, married John Ringley; 6. John Allen, born May 1, 1859, died October 30, 1935, married Margaret Armilda Wood; 7. Samuel W.R., born Sept. 15, 1860, died October 31, 1944, married Mahala Jane Beaty.

U.S. Government records show that William R. enrolled in the Civil War on the Union side on 12-15-1861 at Somerset, Kentucky for a period of three years and that he died in a government hospital on 3-12-1862 of disease diarrhea. This hospital was at Flat Lick, Kentucky, not far from the present London, Kentucky. His enlistment was with Co. D. 2nd Tenn. Three of his brothers served in this same company. They were John G., James M., and David C. We are not sure what company the brother, Isaac, enlisted in.

William R.'s wife died on October 23, the same year that he did. The grandfather, John Sells, was named as guardian for the minor children. When Sells died, Joel Lindsey Reagan was appointed by the court to serve as guardian. Joel Lindsey married these minor children's Aunt Lucy Catherine Beaty Reagan. Joel served in this position until all the minor children reached their majority. It must have taken lots of courage and loyalty to volunteer for military services when there were seven children in the family. However, the two oldest daughters had married and were gone from William's home. That left five young orphans to be cared for by relatives.

by Wilma Pinckley, great niece of Wm. R.

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This page was last updated on 09/13/98.