(Note: In an effort to help others doing Beaty research, I am posting my notes. Since these are my research notes, as I learn more, these pages could change to reflect updated information. To the best of my knowledge, this is an accurate assessment of my lineage, however errors can happen, so feel free to double check my assertions.)
This is the lineage of my maternal grandfather, Robert Henry Beaty. In 1933, he married Malinda Victoria Smith. (view marriage license (pdf). They had 10 children. One child died at birth (view death certificate) and another child, Darwin (view death certificate), died in 1964.
- To view all the documents associated with Rob and Malinda, click here.
- To view Malinda’s family tree, click here.
Marriage License
Although marriage licenses are primary documents, that does not mean everything on them is accurate as I learn with my maternal grandparents. They list their age as 21, however, the document is dated Oct. 23, 1933, which means my grandfather was, in fact, 18, and my grandmother was 17. She would turn 18 in about two months. Rob and Malinda’s birth year of 1915 can also be verified by my mother’s birth certificate since her parents ages are listed on it.
Since my grandparents were honest people, my presumption is a law required a parent’s signature for children under the age of 21. Neither of their parents were present when the document was signed in Albany, Kentucky. Instead, the witnesses were Robert Davidson and Allen Beaty.
Rob Beaty’s Father and Mother
- James Hilery (Dan) Beaty. Born May 26, 1878 in Overton County, TN. Died January 23, 1962 in Fentress County, TN. (view death certificate) He is buried in the A.J. Storie Cemetery. He married Telitha Jane Smith on May 3, 1900.
- Telitha Jane Smith. Born October, 24, 1878 in Overton County, TN. Died March 24, 1965 in Fentress County, TN and is buried in A.J. Storie Cemetery.
This research focuses on Dan Beaty’s lineage and does not include any information about Telitha Smith’s parents or grandparents.
Rob Beaty’s Grandparents
- James Knox Polk Beaty. Born December, 1846 in Overton County, TN. Died June 11, 1920 in Fentress County, TN. Married Elizabeth Garrett on August 4, 1869.
- Elizabeth Garrett. Born May 5, 1849 in Iowa. Died December 1929 in Forbus, TN.
Rob Beaty’s Great Grand-Parents
- Alexander Beaty. Born in 1784. Died in 1866.
- Mary (Polly) Hull. Born About 1812 in North Carolina. Died 1881.
Rob Beaty’s Great-Great Grand-Parents
- Andrew Beaty. Born 1758 Nottingham, Chester, PA. Died July 17, 1836 in Fentress County, TN.
- Elizabeth Cooper. Born 1760 Virginia.
Rob Beaty’s Great-Great-Great Grand-Parents
- John Beaty Sr. Born about 1725 in Ulster, Ireland. Died about 1805 in Washington, Virginia.
- XXX. xxx.
Rob Beaty’s Great-Great Grand-Parents (Hulls)
- Moses Hull
- Elizabeth Crockett
Rob Beaty’s Great Grand-Parents (Garretts)
- Spotswood Garrett. Born 1813 in Virginia.
- Sarah Magdalene XX. Born 1824.
Country of Origin
Click image for full sized map.
The Beatys are Scotch-Irish Americans, which, in a nutshell means, they lived in Northern Ireland in the early 1600s. Between 1710 and 1775, 200,000 Scotch-Irish from Ulster immigrated to North America. The Beatys were in that wave of immigrants. They first settled in Pennsylvania before heading to the backcountry, now known as the Appalachian region. In the new country, just like in Ireland, the surname was spelled several ways. The most common spellings were Baty, Beaty, Beatty and Beattie. Based on the spelling of my line — which as late as the 1960s included both the Beaty and Beattie spellings — the family most likely originated from the Ireland counties of Antrim, Armagh, Down or Tyrone.
Charlie R. Claywell 