Isaac Beaty

1803-March 16, 1854

Some records show Isaac Beaty born in Kentucky and some show him born in Tennessee. He was the son of James Beaty, (1752-died after 1835), and Mary Catherine Smith Beaty. James was born in Nottingham Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania of Dutch and Quaker descent. James married Mary Catherine Smith. Nothing more is known about her. This James was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Two other brothers, Andrew and William, served in this war. In the early 1800's, after his military service was over, James and four brothers, Andrew, Alexander, William, and Martin, migrated to South Kentucky near Monticello and Albany. James and William, after a few years, moved on to Murfreesboro, Tennessee where they spent the remainder of their lives. James died after 1835; William, (Captain), died January 11, 1836. Both are buried in Rutherford County, Tenn.

Susannah Gwynn was the daughter of John, (1762), and Jane Holbrook(?). Gwynn, (1760). John Gwynn had a tar camp in Fentress County in pioneer days. Son Jeremiah lived on the west side of East Fork of Obey River on May 28, 1830. John's daughter, Sarah, (1800), married George Owens; another daughter who reared her family in Fentress County was Pheriba, (1803), who married Samuel Scroggins. The other Gwynns left this county about 1855. There is a Gwynn Island in the Buffalo Cove area located on the East Fork River named for this John Gwynn family.

Isaac and Susannah were married in Rutherford County August 5, 1824. However, all their children were born and reared in Fentress County. Their children were: William R. Beaty, born 7-7-1825, died 3-12-1862 in Flat Rock, KY. while serving in the Civil War. He died of disease. This William married Mary (Pop) Sells and had seven children, some married, when he entered service, Jane, born 10-10-1826, died after 1880, married Jonathan Hays (1826), Mary E., born 11-15-1827, married John (Leggs) Smith, born 1830, Sarah (Sally) Elizabeth, born 11-10-1829, married John Hill, left Fentress County, and moved to Texas in 1890s, and reared family there, Nancy, born 5-23-1831, died 12-29-1909, married James Thomas Taylor. They, too, moved to Texas in 18908 and reared family of nine children there. Nancy is buried at Ector, Fannin County, Texas. John G., born 4-22-1833, died as a prisoner of Confederates on Bell's Island on 2-17-1862, married Zilphia Holbert. James M., born 1-31-183fi, died as a prisoner of South at Bell's Island, Richmond, VA 3-221863, never married, died while in Civil War of chronic diarrhea. Isaac, born l838 - was in Civil War, died in service, no other information, Lucy Catherine, born 12-24-1840, died 2-21-1922, married Joel Lindsey Reagan, (my grandparents). David C., born 1843, died of disease while serving in the Civil War on 2-171862, never married. Eliazer Alley, born 1847, died 4-12-1875 of typhoid, married Ellen Ledbetter. This was the only son of the six sons who did not die as a result of the Civil War. He was too young for service.

Susannah lost her husband in 1854 when he was fifty-one. She then gave up five sons to service -- and death -- in the Civil War. It is hard for us to realize the hardships this mother endured in a war-torn, rural Fentress County, yet she lived to the age of ninety years. There is one odd history note concerning the preaching of Susannah's and son, Ailey's, funeral. Rev. A.B. Wright records that he preached both funerals at the same service in September, 1892. Alley had died in April, 1875. That was not too unusual in those days. There were no embalming then in these rural areas, so the body was buried soon after death, and when the preachers came into the territory in good weather, when roads were passable, a memorial service was held for the deceased.

by Wilma R. Pinckley, Great Granddaughter of Isaac

See Also: Issac and Susannah (Gwin) Beaty

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