James Beattie (1831 - 1901)

Born 27 Feb 1831 in Brigham, Cumberland, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Mary (Harrington) Rowe — married 1877 in Victoria, Australia

Descendants

Died 30 Nov 1901 at age 70 in Nagambie, Victoria, Australia

Eureka Rebellion

Biography

James Beattie was born in Cumberland, England.

James Beattie came free to the Colony of New South Wales (1788-1900)

James Beattie was involved in events associated with the Eureka Rebellion at Ballarat.

Need to research family; ancestors, descendants , etc.

James Beattie was born 1831 at Cumberland, England^[1]. He immigrated to Australia c1849-1854.

When James Beattie was born in 1831 in Cumberland, England, his father, James, was 49 and his mother, Elizabeth, was 43. He married Mary Harrington in 1877. He died in 1901 in Nagambie, on the steps of the pub, Victoria, Australia, at the age of 70. Burried in the Nagambie cemetery. Was married to Mary Harrington in 1877 on May 5th at the home of Beecher Swift, the Presbyterian Minister in Murchinson. Arrived on the Gipsy Bride in Feb 1854 from Liverpool. Nationality listed as Irish but was English. Lived at Graysouthern, Cumberland, Eng in 1851.

Was burried in an unmarked grave at Nagambie. Headstone put there in 2005. Owned land at Euroa and lived in the Murchison / Nagambie area. 12 April 1892, Euroa Advertsiser reports a mishap relating to James when a horse bolted on 31 March 1892. Married late in life and had 7 sons of which 6 survived. After death, wife Mary remarried (Baker) and moved to the Stawel area.

Eureka Stockade

After the military assault on the Eureka compound James Beattie was 1 of 13 arrested and charged with High Treason. He was defended by Mr. Ireland, Mr Dawson & attorney Mr Grant. In court his demeanour was described as 'very unlike one's idea of a rebel'. Found not guilty.

Prosecution witnesses claimed he was seen at the Bakery Hill meeting 30th November also seen 'Drilling' at the stockade on 2nd December (The primary importance of 'drilling' is to prepare troops for combat by rapidly carrying out orders) and he was in the Eureka Stockade on 03 December 1854, allegedly carrying a large horse pistol. As the military assault proceeded, he was seen to run for his life, climbing over the stockade to escape. He was stopped by the mounted men of the 40th Regiment and troopers, who it was suggested were intending to shoot him dead. He had his back to the outer stockade wall, either fell or dropped on his knees and cried for mercy, saying he "was beaten and would give in". His cries for mercy were heard by Sergeant Patrick Reilley (40th Regiment) who took him into custody (effectively saving his life).

Was involved in the Eureka Stockade rebellion and one of the Eureka 13 tried for treason and then aquited. The judge that presided over their case also hung Ned Kelly. At the time of marriage was a bachelor farmer, 34 yr old from Dargalong. Went straight to the goldfields after arriving in Australia. Was arrested at Eureka by trooper Henry Goodenough near the London Hotel. Defended at trial by Richard Davis Ireland, Charlse Dawson and James M Grant.

After Eureka

Shortly after the events of the Eureka Stockade, James Beattie is assumed to have taken up farming around Nagambie in central Victoria. Later he married Mary Harrington ^[2]. and together they had 7 children.

Children of Thomas Beattie & Mary Harrington

• Timothy James Beattie 1879 at Murchison, Vic 10860/1879
• James Beattie 1882 at Murchison, Vic 17901/1882
• William Beattie 1885 at Murchison, Vic 19973/1885
• George Henry Beattie 1888 at Murchison, Vic 13931/1888
• John Beattie 1890 at Murchison, Vic 25774/1890
• John James Beattie 1896 at Murchison, Vic 5592/1896
• Edward Beattie 1900 at Euroa, Vic 3007/1900

He passed away in 1901 at Nagambie, Victoria^[3], where he is interred at Nagambie Cemetery^[4]. Aged 78(sic.) years (Est. DOB 1823)

Epitaph; "James Beattie, b 27.2.1831 Brigham, Cumberland, England d 20.11.1901 Nagambie, Victoria, husband of Mary (nee Harrington), father of Timothy, James, William, George, John, John James & Edward, and a Eureka Stockade veteran of 1854, Erected in 2005 by descendants of George Beattie in memory of their forefather, James Beattie, and to honour his significant contribution to Australian democracy, justice and equality".

Shortly after the events of the Eureka Stockade, systemic changes were made in Victoria to allow for election of those holding public service positions, rather than by appointment of Colony Governors. The Mining Licence system was abolished in favour of an excise placed upon the quantity of gold discovered.

Sources

1. ↑ christening James Beattie 1831 at Brigham, Cumberland, England. Parents; James & Elisabeth Beattie. "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NB3R-QRK : 19 September 2020), James Beattie, 1831.
2. ↑ Marriage Thomas Beattie & Mary Harrington 1877 at Victoria. BDM Vic ref# 2140/1877. https://my.rio.bdm.vic.gov.au/
3. ↑ Death James Beattie 1901 at Nagambie, Victoria. BDM Vic ref# 14971/1901. Mother's Maiden Name; Broadbent. Birthplace; not recorded. https://my.rio.bdm.vic.gov.au/
4. ↑ cemetery James Beattie 1901 at Nagambie https://billiongraves.com/grave/James-Beattie/21607492

• Nagambie history centre
• family history records
• Births, deaths, marriages Victoria