John Beaty Comes to America - Part 2

On November 12, 1806 John purchases a parcel of land from James Orr and his wife Mary in Armstrong Township near what will become the town of Shelocta (a few miles west of present day Indiana, PA). For the sum of $200, he gets about 125 acres to establish his very own homestead. The land sits on a higher part of the area, and once cleared out for farming would have had a commanding view of the surrounding landscape – and probably useful for spotting Indians too! Indiana County tax records in 1807 indicate that John was a shoemaker besides being a farmer. 


1807 Deed recorded in Indiana County

 

Not much more is known of his early days in America. He shows up once, along with his two eldest sons, as witnesses to the will of Alexander McEntire in 1811. Most of his time was surely spent working his farm, supporting his large family, devoted to his religious faith which he went to great lengths to keep… and basically just surviving in this mostly unsettled western Pennsylvania wilderness. They truly were pioneers.

October 1818 brings the unfortunate death of John leaving a wife and several minor children to continue on without him. Wives and minor children in those days did not have the inheritance rights like today, but fortunately in August 1818 John filed a Will:

Letters testamentary granted to James Beaty and Robert Beaty who were duly sworn on the twenty first day of October, 1818 before John Taylor, Register

In the name of God, Amen.

I, John Beaty, of the township of Armstrong in the County of Indiana, being in perfect health, and sound in mind and memory and understanding ( thanks be to almighty God for the same ), being mindful of my mortality do make and ordain this, my last will and testament. First and principally, I recommend my soul to God, who gave it, in hopes of a joyful resurection, and my body to the earth, to be buried decently at the discretion of my executors.

And to such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me, I give and dispose of thereof as follows: It is my will, and I do order and direct that my well beloved wife, Sarah Beaty, be furnished with a sufficient maintenance of the plantation I now live on. Next, I give and bequeath to my son Robert the plantation I now live on to him and his heirs forever, he supporting and maintaining his mother agreeably according to the preceeding article.

And further I do allow to my son, William, the sum of fifty dollars to be paid to him by my son, Robert. And further, I do allow to my son, Alexander, the sum of fifty dollars to be paid to him by my son Robert. And I also do allow to my daughter, Rebeccah the sum of fifty dollars to be paid to her by my son Robert.

And I do give and bequeath to my son James the sum of one dollar, and to my son John the sum of one dollar, and to my son Joseph the sum of one dollar and to my daughter Sarah I give the sum of one dollar. I do further allow to my daughter Rebeccah one good feather bed and bed clothes.

And further I allow to my son Alexander the looms and tackling which may remain in my shop. I do further allow that all the residue of my personal estate be equally divided between my sons Robert, William, and Alexander.

And I do further allow that all the furniture of the kitchen be given to my wife, Sarah Beaty. I do nominate and appoint my sons James and Robert Beaty to be my executors of this my last will and testament. I publish and declare this and no other to be my last will and testament, in witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal the eighth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen

                         John Beaty

Signed and sealed in the pesence of John Patterson, Mathew Allison, Indiana  Pa.

 

Be it remembered that on the twenty first day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen personally appeared before me. John Taylor, register for the probate of wills, and granting letters of administration in and for the County of Indiana. John Patterson and Mathew Allison the subscrining witnesses to the foregoing instrument of writing, and being duly sworn , depose and say that they were personally present and did see John Beaty ,the testor, set his hand and subscribe his name to the foregoing instrument and had him acknowledge it as his last will and at the same time they believed him to be of sound and disposing mind and memory  and that the names thereto subscribed as witnesses , to wit John Patterson and Mathew Allison are of their own proper handwriting.

               John Patterson and Mathew Allison

Sworn and subscribed Twenty First October, 1818 before John Taylor, Register



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John and Sarah had the following children

• JAMES BEATY, b. 1788, Kingdom of Ireland; d. February 15, 1868, East Mahoning Township, Indiana County, PA.
• JOHN BEATY, b. 1789, Kingdom of Ireland; d. 1860, Arlington, Sibley County, Minnesota.
• JOSEPH BEATY, b. 1790, Kingdom of Ireland; d. Bet. 1850 – 1860, Armstrong Township, Indiana County, PA
• SARAH BEATY, b. 1793, Kingdom of Ireland; d. after 1818.
• ROBERT B. BEATTY, b. 1795, Ireland; d. February 27, 1867, Armstrong Township, Indiana County, PA.
• WILLIAM ALLEN BEATY, b. 1797, Ireland; d. February 13, 1848, Armstrong Township, Indiana County, PA.
• ALEXANDER BEATY, b. 1800, Dublin, Kingdom of Ireland; d. Bet. 1840 – 1850, Armstrong Township, Indiana County, PA.
• REBECCA BEATY, b. 1806, Ireland, at sea, or in PA ??; d. 1879, White Township, Indiana County, PA.