Harry E Beatty weds Nora Adams - 1898

Harry E Beatty, son of William Burton Beatty & Melinda (Miller) Beatty, also the brother of my 2nd-great-grandfather Milton Beatty, married Nora Belle Adams on November 30, 1898 in Indiana, PA. They had five children: Reed, Walter, Harry, Aletha, and Meredith. Aletha will spend most of her life working for the Stewart Hardware store in Indiana... Alex Stewart being the father of famed actor Jimmy Stewart. More on that and the other siblings to come...

Indiana Progress

December 7, 1898

Harry & Nora at the 1939 Beatty reunion

Alice Beatty on Horseback - Circa 1918

 

 

Milton & Kate's daughter Alice riding horse back (front) with unknown friend on back probably on their property in Indian, PA.... this appears to be around 1918.

Milton D. Beatty letter - Oct 24, 1888

Here's the first in a series of letters Milton D Beatty wrote to Kate E. H. Hughes while they were "courting". Kate was a school teacher and was often away teaching in another county during the school year. These are a fascinating look into everyday life of our family 125+ years ago and a rare treat for family research!

Dearest Friend Kate,

I did not get your letter until yesterday evening, about 4 oc, and on discovering that I had used up the last of my writing paper in the last letter I wrote, I saddled up Bird, and rode up to town last night and procured some. Then I have been almost disappointed in writing tonight, and night is the only time I can have to write. I had a little errand up to your house, and after I came back from there I set in and picked about 2 bushels of apples. Then I came upstairs where I am yet trying to pen a few thoughts for you in answer to the loving message which I received. With all this I hope you will understand why you did not get an answer sooner.

 

Kate you cannot imagine how I was elevated to receive a letter from the hand of one so true and further to learn that you had arrived safe and et with marked success. I think you have a cause to be proud of your convenience in your work. I was afraid you would get a school out in the country and have perhaps a mile to walk from your place to school, but I am delighted that this is not the case. You stated in your letter to me that you had 32 scholars and your people informed me tonight that you have 38 now. When your no. swells to 50 I think there will be no danger of you getting lonesome in school, but your hardest time to put in will be from Friday evening until Monday morning. I am proud to know that you have churches in your little town and especially one as of your choice. More the next thing is they have a good preacher. When I was away from home there was nothing made me feel so much at home as to sit down in a church and listen to a good sermon.

Dear Kate, I would love to write something to you of cheering character but I am afraid my last efforts are in vain. Yet I trust you are not in need of any of that nature. It seems by your state of the weather that you have more rain up on the mountain than we have here. We have had several dry days since you left home. Last Sabbath day was dry (but cold). Monday

following was a very beautiful day, then today was dry the sun shown out all day which made the afternoon a pleasant one. And yet it is a very backward fall for getting the fall work done. We have been trying to get some corn husked. We have to work at a great disadvantage in this part of our work. We take the advantage of bad weather by sledding the corn into the barn on dry days, then we husk when it is raining. We have about 170 bush husked. It is hardly dry

 

 

enough to crib. I came out from preaching last Sabbath night a week ago with harry roof (I will not cabitalize) and in our conversation I inquired about his school. He told me they were the dumbest set out there he had anything to do with. He had then about 27 scholars, he asked them what state they lived in and he said there was only 3 that would tell. I think they are all very small. I saw Sam last night. I had a short chat with him. He inquired if I had heard from you. John hammers is clerking at Sim Cunninghams.

There is a band of gypsyss encamped opposite William Johnstens much to the displeasure of your people and Johnstens. I went up to the blacksmith shop this afternoon and their must have been 30 people there to see them among others was Emma Foster. Then when I came out there was 4 of the town ladys, one of them was a Miss Russel. It is now 25 minutes to 11 oc. They are all in bed. I am well and hope you are well also. Of your many correspondents you can write to none will appreciate your message more than I do. And by requesting an interest in your prayers as you are not forgotten in mine, I will close asking you to write again soon.

Good Night, Dear Kate

Yours Truly

Milton D Beatty
Indiana, PA

Oh!

I hope you will not omit your trip up the mountains, don’t be afraid of worrying me.
A few more questions if not improper.
Is your school a graded one
Are your scholars large or small
What far a class of people are they out there
This is all this time good night

William H Schrock 1940-2014

Last Sunday, great aunt Bertha Beatty Schrock's son William H. "Billy" Schrock passed away out in OR. Thoughts are with his family.

Maternal Line Charts Completed

All of the direct line charts for my maternal families on my Beatty ancestry are now up on the top navigation bar. Many of you will probably share these lines, especially the earlier ones, so poke around and see the grandparents you never knew you had! Though not as extensive, I do have detailed information and some early photographs for these lines too that I will post about. I've already started to post about the Kretzer's and the Hugh's families. Later I will also talk about the Miller's and Borland's, both which go back to at least the late 1700's in America. I'm thinking about doing a separate blog for my grandmother Hart's side and related families since I have a lot of information collected about them and so this blog doesn't get too diluted with so many different families to keep track of. Plus that's almost an entire separate set of relatives who will want to follow that side and not so much my paternal side. Here's a pic for today....

 

1928 Irvin H Beatty family photo taken in Pittsburg, PA

 

(L-R back) Alice Beatty, Frederick T "Teddy" Beatty, Irvin H Beatty, Bertha Mae (Kretzer) Beatty, Kate E. H. (Hughes) Beatty

 

(L-R front) Bertha Mae Beatty, David H Beatty, Irvin M Beatty

William Burton Beatty Homestead

Here's a great photo from probably the late teens or early 20's showing the old William B Beatty homestead. This probably was taken at one of the annual reunions. Daughter Annie Beatty Malcolm took over the property after her mother Melinda Miller Beatty could no longer live there.

Beatty Reunion - 1934

For many years it was an annual tradition for the Indiana, PA Beatty's to hold a reunion. It was held at the old William Burton Beatty homestead. Here's an article from 1934 listing the attendees that year. My great-grandparents Irvin & Bertha along with my grandfather Ted are among the group. I have pictures from other years that I'll post later. Some emails from Ralph Beatty Jr talking about the old homestead and the reunions there and what became of the homestead in later years. Also some stories from my great uncle David  H Beatty are recounted in his bio he wrote. Recently there still have been some reunions held (not at the homestead site though), the most recent I heard about was descendants of William B. Beatty's son Harry. Unfortunately I wasn't able to attend but hopefully I'll catch one in the future!

William Burton Beatty Family Portrait - 1892

BACK ROW L-R: William Itell Beatty, Molly (Layten) Beatty, Miller A. Beatty, Annie (Beatty) Malcolm, William M. Malcolm, Martha B. (McConnoughy) Beatty, David Arthur Beatty

MIDDLE ROW L-R: Harry Edward Beatty, Theodore B. Beatty, Jennie E. (Pierce) Beatty, William Burton Beatty, Malinda (Miller) Beatty, Vernon Rile Beatty (on lap),  Milton Daniel Beatty, Katherine E. (Hughes) Beatty, Wilmer Hughes Beatty, (on Kate's lap)

FRONT ROW L-R: Cora Beatty, Lottie Beatty, Floyd Beatty, Isabelle E. Beatty

Milton & Kate Receive News About Russell Beatty - 1919

Russell Monroe Beatty, son of Milton & Kate (Hughes) Beatty, served in WWI with the 1st Battalion, Medical Dept., 28th Engineers (France). One evening in 1919 while visiting Milton's brother Harry, they share an interesting letter they had just received and this news article documents the occasion.

Indiana Evening Gazette - February 17, 1919

 

Frederick & Lydia Kretzer Wedding Photo

Frederick Theodore Kretzer & Lydia Spamer

wedding photo - November 5, 1893

Fred and Lydia are my great-grandmother Bertha (Kretzer) Beatty's parents. Fred immigrated from Germany and Lydia's family was from the Pittsburgh area.

On the top of the blog page I have added a graphical tree for our Kretzer branch. Keep checking as I add additional family branches to the top menu so you can see how they all fit together and how we connect.

David Hughes Letter - January 16, 1865

David Hughes enlisted July 4, 1861 in Armstrong County to serve during the Civil War, and was assigned to Co. D, 62nd Regiment. Has was severely wounded in the Battle of Malvern Hill... was left on the battlefield, captured by the enemy and was exchanged back to the Union forces. While recovering in a Philadelphia hospital he was discharged January 27, 1863 due to disability. On September 9, 1864 he re-enlisted in Company F, of 6th U. S. Artillery. After serving a second time he was discharged June 13, 1865.

David sent this very emotional letter home to his wife Margaret while at Fort Marcy, Virginia dated January 16, 1865 about 6 months before he was discharged. What happens to them 30 years later makes this letter even more interesting.... stay tuned

Dear Margaret

With a willing mind I seat myself again to write you a few lines to inform you that I am well. I got the letters you wrote on New Years about twelve days ago.  I have been waiting very anxiously for the last five days to hear from you but to my great disappointment I have not had that pleasure. I have been in the habit for a short time back of writing twice a week to you and I at least expected one a week from you but have been disappointed in that I have been in the service five months yesterday and has just received five letters from you when I look back over the time and think how often I have looked for a letter from you and the many times I have been disappointed. It makes me feel very bad that I get to hear so seldom from one that I so dearly love. We are looking every day to get orders to go to Savannah and if I don’t get a letter from you before we start it will be another month before I get to hear from you. Though we may not leave at all but if we don’t we will be disappointed for the report came from Headquarters. I am sorry and may be wrong in reminding you about not writing oftener to me but if you have a reason for not you will please to let me know what it is my dear wife. While I am writing this my very heart is burning to be with you and I will say again if you love me and desires to make me happy  write often. If I have done anything tell me all about it. You can’t offend me by that. If you can’t get pen and stamps let me know that and I will try and supply. All the pleasure I have is writing and receiving letters from you. I hope this may find you well and happy and if you ……  of any thing all you have to do is to go to the bank and draw money. We have not got payed yet and I am beginning to think we won’t get it now for the …. Knows when. Good bye from your husband.

                                                                                                D. Hughes

Milton & Kate Hughes Beatty Family Portrait - 1895

 

Milton & Kate (Hughes) Beatty. Oldest son Wilmer is standing to the right.

Milton is holding their 2nd child Russell Beatty. This photo was taken around the spring of 1895.

Happy Anniversary - Milton & Kate Beatty

Milton D. Beatty & Kate E. H. Hughes were married near Indiana, PA on New Year's Day 1891.

 

They "courted" for several years before marrying. Kate was a school teacher and her jobs were often several counties away, so she was often living away from home during the school year. In the days before email, they conducted a regular exchange of letter writing and I am lucky to have copies of a large collection of these letters from 1888-1890. They are fascinating to read and a neat glimpse into life during that time... and a window into "dating" during Victorian times. I will randomly post these letters as we go along.

 

Marriage certificate for Milton & Kate as recorded at the Indiana County courthouse.