NameJames BEATTIE, GGG Grandfather
Birthbef 1784, ?, Washington, Virginia
Deathaft 21 Sep 1821, Jefferson City (near), Boone, Missouri
Misc. Notes
James' father was a native of Scotland and emigrated to America before the Revolutionary War
Marriage Register #1, Washington Co, VA, LDS film #?, viewed by Joann Tortarolo and reported to Ray Beaty, January 5, 1997.
351 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.352 353
He married Esther Fulton, daughter of David Fulton and Elizabeth Yerkes, on 13 Jan 1803 in Washington County, Virginia.354, pg. 4
David Beattie wrote his will in 1814, leaving James a Negro girl Mary.355
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.356
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.357
Three days later James took his family and left for Missouri.358
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].359
James and his family actually settled in Boone County, Missouri, 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. The probate file includes a bill submitted by G. W. Wilcox for physician services; the first date of [this] bill was 29 Aug 1821; fthe ile also includes a bill from Thomas Todd for attendance on him [James Beattie] and family from 21 Sep until 20 Oct in the last sickness of the deceased.360
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 date of death for James's wife, Esther and his 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.360 Research
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.
357
Will
Boone County, Missouri Probate File #12
James Beattie will
dated 22 Sept 1821
transcribed from photocopy of original by D. Powell; also transcribed by Celia Snyder
FHL mf #909217 [paragraphs added for ease of reading]
In the name of God Amen –
As I James Baitie am in a low state of health and don't know that I shall ever be Restored to health I here make my last will and testament. It is my will and desire, that my daughter, Betsy Baitie shall have my Negro girl Jinny one feather bed my large bay mare and all the Books that has her name marked or wrote in them. I will to my daughter Melinda Baitie one feather Bed & her deseased [sic] mothers side saddle
Except those things above mentioned & all the spun yarn (and woollen [sic] cloth that I have) I want sold which will consist of Haisese [horses?] cattle sheep Hogs Farming Utensils Household and kitchen furniture and some carpenter tools. the proceeds or money which may arise from the sale I want collected and kept in Reserve until the land sale shall come on in Missouri and I then want it laid out for land and divided Between my three sons Ryburn, Armstrong and Thomas E. Baitie and in case one of these three sons or two of them should die I want his or their portion of said money or land to be appropriated to the use of the surveyving [sic] son or sons.
It is my desire that there Be seventy-five dollars each for my two daughters Margaret & Henrietta Baitie Reserved out of the sale of the above mentioned property and I also will that my daughter Melinda Baitie have fifty dollars Reserved for her out of the amount of said sale in addition to what I have willed her above.
I do hereby will and Bequeath that Samuel Baitie and Michael Woods be appointed to Execute this my last will and testament. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this twenty second day of Septer [sic] one thousand eight hundred and twenty one
James Beattie
Witness
John Steinmanz [?]
Samuel Hibbard
Family Stories
“Great-Grandmother’s (Margaret Jane Beattie) parents were James Beattie and Hester (Esther) Fulton. James was born around 1783 in Washington County, Virginia. Hester was sister to the Aunt Mary (Fulton) Middleton who raised the orphaned children. Hester was bor circa 1783 in Loudoun County, Virginia.”314
Probate
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."6 360
ProbateRcd
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].
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 1838.12,10360,361
Spouses
Birthca 1783, ?, Louden, Virginia
Deathca 1821, Jefferson City (near), Boone, Missouri
Marriage13 Jan 1803, ?, Washington, Virginia362,363
Marr Memoby Edward Crawford