There are many published stories about JOHN BEATTY of Wexford County, Ireland. He was born in 1774 and emigrated to the United States when he was 22 years of age. In 1796 in Philadelphia, he married MARY COOKE, a girl he had met on shipboard. They then made their home in New London, CT. To this union were born four sons and six daughters. In 1810 he came to the Firelands with Almon Ruggles. He subsequently purchased about 30,000 acres from Milan to Sandusky Bay, and settled in 1815 in Perkins Township. He was known for his Irish temper; also, for his stand against slavery, for which cause he founded a splinter Methodist church. When he served as postmaster, he could not bring himself to collect postage from patrons who were short of money. An early home is located on Bogart Road just east of State Route 250. Later he lived in Sandusky and served as mayor.

His daughter, SUSAN BEATTY was born in New London, CT in 1812. In 1838 she married Rev. Osborn Monnett a Methodist circuit rider. Seven children were born to this couple, but only four survived to adulthood. The family moved to Norwalk in 1869 where her husband died in 1887. Their son William Monnett married Helen Burton. William’s daughter Mildred Monnett married Sheldon Laning, the son of Jay F. and Caroline (Sheldon) Laning.

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