Person:Hugh Beaty (1)

BEATY HISTORY - compiled by O.M.S., copied from "Chisham Family History"

  The Beatys were of Scotch-Irish descent.  They were staunch Protestants, Presbyterians when they first came to America.
  The first one to come to America came from Ireland. (Miss Carrie Beaty, daughter of William, says Belfast Ireland.)  His father died in Ireland and his mother married again.  All he could remember of his own father was that he wore silver buttons on his clothes.  When this boy was going to school in Ireland, he had a fight with the school master which in those days was considered a crime, so his mother secretly sent him off on a ship going to America.  He settled in one of the eastern states, there he married and sent four sons to the Revolutionary War.  All of them returned unharmed and Hugh Beaty was one of the boys.  (This information was given by Mrs. Molly Leaming, a Grand Daughter of John Beaty, who in turn said she had received same data from her aunt Mrs. Margaret Beaty Hewitt.)
  Hugh Beaty married Margaret Smith, a native of Pennsylvania County, PA.  Margarett Smith Beaty's father was John Smith.  He came from Ireland and fought in the Revolutionary War. (This information regarding John Smith was given by Miss Elizabeth Beaty, daughter of George Beaty, son of Hugh Beaty.)
  A church letter from Pastor John King of Upper West Conococheague Presbyterian Church, Antrim Twp., Franklin County, PA dated April 9, 1796 was in possession of Miss Elizabeth Beaty.  This paper was old and some names faint and smudged and is as follows:  "Hugh Beaty, The bearer of this paper and his wife Margaret have lived in this settlement several years and behaved in an orderly manner; have had the privilege of baptism for their child and are free from any imputations, which might prevent them from the enjoyment of church privileges known to me.
     John King (the last name was smudged)
     Upper West Conococheague.  April 9th 1796.
  The above child would be Jane Beaty who was born June 13, 1795, and who married John Gibson and whose child, George Gibson founded a store in Rising Sun, Ind. which just celebrated it's 80th birthday.
  In the spring of 1798, Hugh and Margaret Smith Beaty and daughter Jane moved to Fayette County, PA and here twins were born. An interesting side light is given by a Grand Daughter of John Beaty-  Mrs. Mary C. (Mollie) Leaming.  "When Hugh Beaty started with his wife and young family for a new country "Home", his wife rode on her horse, they stopped in a town where she gave birth to twin boys.  One of them died.  John Beaty, my Grand Father was the one that lived.  They were born May 1, 1798, Fayette County, PA.
  They lived in Fayette and Washington Counties PA until 1815 when Hugh Beaty and his family (eight living children) moved to Randolph Twp. Ohio County, Ind. and resided there until his death.  A picture of the old large two story house (log house) in a ruined state is preserved by the Beaty family.
  When Hugh Beaty came to Indiana in 1815, he brought with him Shakespeare and some religious books, also a large clock.  Hugh Beaty's farm was four miles west of Rising Sun, Indiana.  Hugh Beaty gave ground from his farm for a cemetary which was well kept as long as the family had the place, but now (1953) there is no fence and the stones were lying on the ground, some in piles and the growth was so thick, one could scarcely get through "so writes Elizabeth Beaty, daughter of George Beaty."
  The "Dry Branch road" from the Beaty farm to Rising Sun, Ind. had a cemetary on each side of it.  The old grave yard is full of relatives as is also the new grave yard.  This Dry Branch road is shorter than going around by the "pike" past the Court House. (Mrs. Mary C> "Mollie" Leaming data.)
  Miss Elizabeth Beaty, after the death of her Father, George Beaty, found these papers in her Grand Father's (Hugh Beaty) desk:  The church paper already referred to and a naturalization paper dated 1808 issued in the Fayette Co. Penn. and a millitary discharge dated Oct. 20, 1803, also a receipt showing Hugh Beaty had paid 43 shillings and five pence balance due the estate of Blackston.
  From Mrs. J. M. Johnston, genealogist, of Mercersburg, Penn.:  We find there was just one Hugh Beaty in the first census of Penn. United States 1790.  Northumberland County  given as being the only white male over sixteen, three males under sixteen, five white females including heads of families(his wife and four daughters).
  Another genealogist from Philadelphia, Penn, writes:  "Now as to Hugh Beaty, I noted that in the Pennsylvania archives, 5th Series, page 558 Continental Line Depreciation Pay, there is Hugh Beaty Private(Robinson"s Rangers) Alexander Beaty private, John Beaty, Captain.  Page 673 lists these names from Northumberland County, but no regiment of company.  I looked through the biographies of Franklin County, but no Beatys, also a book of Scotch Irish immigrants but without success."
  Henry Howard Eddy, State Records Officer, Harrisburg, Penn., says, "The land along Conococheague Creek in Antrim Twp. Franklin County, Pa. was known as the Conococheague Settlement".
  Hugh Beaty and his family moved from this settlement to Fayette Co. Pa. in 1796 according to the church dismissal letter.  The Military discharge of Hugh Beaty, which was found in his desk after the death of his son, George Beaty (George Beaty bought the old home place) reads as follows:  "Hugh Beaty by reason of the loss of his right eye and being disabled in his left ankle bone which prevents him from walking or standing with out pain is hereby discharged from the Military rank for the present.  Given under my hand this 20th day of October 1803.  Jas. Franciss (Surgn 108 Regt. Pi * Md. Penn & Md)"