William N. Beattie. William N. Beattie is a son of the deceased pair mentioned in the sketch of Samuel Beattie, and was born in Boone county, April 20, 1821. He seems to have been the oldest of five children, and was reared and educated in his native county, receiving his education at Columbia College. He was married September 20, 1849, to Miss Katharine, daughter of Samuel and Letitia (Hayes) Murrell. They have five children --- three sons and two daughters. Mr. Beattie has always been a farmer, and is now residing on the old place settled by his father. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, of Columbia. He was quite young when his father died, though he was the oldest child; and the work of the family maintenance and improvement of the farm devolved largely upon him. Since he has become solely possessed of the old farm, he has greatly improved and built up the place, till it is now, at this writing, one of the finest farms in Boone county.524