Person:John Beaty (18)

JOHN BEATY, farmer and stock-dealer, was born in Greene County, Ind., January 18, 1830, and is the fourth child of James and Margarette (Hardin) Beaty, both natives of Kentucky, and among the first settlers in Greene County. They moved here in 1821, where our subject lived on a farm with his father until he was twenty-one years old, when he married Louisa Morrow, who was born Feruary 5, 1833. Their marriage occurred January 2, 1851, and was productive of six children-Marshall, Luther, Nettie (deceased), Ella, Noah and Edith. While on the farm, he engaged extensively in agricultural pursuits and stock-raising, and in this way made a comfortable start in life. He remained on the farm until 1859, when he moved to Owensburg, and engaged in the dry goods business, in which he continued until 1861, when at the call for three years' troops to serve in the war; he raised a company (Company H, Thirty-first Indiana Volunteer Infantry), of which he was elected Captain, and proceeded to Terre Haute, where he went into camp for a short time. Then going to the front, our subject was engaged in the first fight at Fort Donelson, succeeded by the battle of Pittsburg Landing and Corinth. At the last place he was wounded, after which he resigned his position, resignation taking place in November, 1862, first enduring the hardships of a march across Tennessee and Kentucky. After returning from the war, he again engaged in farming, and also in the dry goods business in Owensburg. In this he continued about three years; then moved to his farm, where he remained seven years; then again came to town and engaged in the hardware business. Mr. Beaty is well surrounded with the comforts of life, and besides a neat residence on the main street of the town, he owns other valuable property. He owns 1,000 acres of good land, and has been identified with the growth of the town since reaching manhood. He is a member of the Republican party, has served his township as Trustee, and he and wife are connected with the Christian Church.

THE BLOOMFIELD NEWS, VOL. XXVIII., NO. 35, Page 1, Column 2, Bloomfield, Greene County, Indiana, Friday, July 22, 1904, "OBITUARY-Beaty."
The BEATY family is one of the oldest families in Greene and Lawrence counties. The grandfather of Capt. BEATY was Andrew BEATY, born in Ireland in 1747; married and lived in Scotland until shortly before the American Revolution when he and his wife and two or three children removed to America. He was a soldier in that war and was at Yorktown at the surrender of Cornwallis. After the war was over he emigrated to Kentucky where he resided until about the time Indiana was admitted into the union as a state, when he removed with his family to this new state. He died in 1819; his wife (Nancy) died in 1838. Their son, James, (father of the subject of this Sketch) having grown up and married Margaret HARDING in Kentucky also settled on a tract of land east of Indian creek, in Lawrence county, where he added to it from time to time until he had several hundred acres-here John (the subject of this sketch) was born January 18, 1830; died July 18, 1904; aged 71 years 5 months and 26 days. His early life was the life of all the pioneer families of Indiana-a struggle to subdue the forests, to help feed and clothe the family, to get the best education possible under adverse circumstances-John improved his opportunities and became a school teacher himself when not engaged in farm work.
He united with the Christian Church at White Oak, and was always a faithful member, prompt in attendance at all the services of the church both there and after its removal to Owensburg. He was married to Louisa MORROW January 2, 1851,to whom were born six children-Marshal, Luther, Isle, Ella, Nora, and Edith.
At his country's call in 1861 he raised a company of his neighbors and was elected captain and on Sunday the 25th day of August, 1861, they left Owensburg for the front, leaving wife and children, home and friends to share with his comrades the fortunes and misfortunes, the hardships and privations of a soldier's life.
He was in command of COMPANY H, 31ST REGIMENT INDIANA VOLUNTEERS at Ft. Donelson and also at Shiloh, where he received two wounds, on account of which he resigned November 16, 1862 He, with his company and regiment, was in the thickest of the fight at Shiloh at that part of the field called the "Hornets Nest," and he, as one of the captains, was mentioned in Gen. CRAFT's official report for noble conduct.
After Capt. BEATY's return from the army he engaged in mercantile pursuits for awhile, but owning a good farm he never lost his love for farming and most of his life since the war was devoted to farming and stock raising. He was quiet, yet forceful, man, a success in all his undertakings, a kind husband and indulgent father, a good citizen and a useful and efficient member of his church-being for many years a deacon in the church, but during the last fifteen or twenty years its senior elder.
Such men are all too scarce. He will be missed in his community. These veterans are swiftly passing-only a few more remain. Amongst a large concourse of his neighbors who attended the funeral only one of his army comrades was able to be present. The services were conducted by Elder Quincy SHORT, of Springville. Interment at the Owensburg cemetery July 15, 1904.