Jefferson Monroe Beaty (1863 - 1891)

Born 27 May 1863 in Heard County, Georgia, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Amanda Jane (Thomas) Woods — married 25 Dec 1885 in Marshall, Alabama, United States

Died 11 Feb 1891 at age 27 in Palo Pinto, Texas, United States

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Biography

Jeff was the tenth child and the seventh son of Thomas Ross and Sarah. Jeff was born Wednesday, May 27, 1863 in State Line, Heard County, Georgia where his parents operated a country store and a small farm. He moved to Chattooga County with his parents. In 1880 Jeff was living with his brother, Jim Beaty, in Chattooga county, Georgia. Jeff left his family in Menlo, Chattooga County, in Northwest Georgia while still in his teens to stay with an uncle, Glen Morris (his mother's brother), in Marshall County, Alabama. There he studied at an Agriculture College in Albertville. Jefferson, at age 23, married Amanda Jane Thomas (Mandy), a one-quarter Cherokee Indian with black hair and dark eyes on Thursday, December 24, 1885 in Boaz, Marshall County, Alabama. They were married by W.W. Curry Justice of the Peace and the witness was T. Thomas. The couple had met at church in Mt. Vernon where Jeff was leading the singing and Mandy was singing alto in the choir. After their marriage, they moved into a tenant house on the Bob Gaines farm located near the present American Legion site in Boaz. Out of their union two boys were born: Dolph Gaines and Tillman Marion. One of their first visitors was Jeff's mother, Sarah, and his sister, Huldah Montgomery. They came in a buggy and brought the couple their wedding gifts. Among the gifts was a set of feather pillows and a feather mattress. Later that feather mattress was made into pillows and given to the grandchildren. Dennis Beaty, Jeff's grandson, still living in Boaz today, has in his possession some of those pillows which he greatly prizes. The couple then decided to take advantage of the free land that the United States Government was offering West of the Mississippi. The journey was mostly on a train, with only plank boards on which to sit. The Beaty women later laughed, remembering that they had dressed in their Sunday best and were wearing new shoes and corsets on this immigrant train. The family spent one year in Arkansas, but decided that the climate was unhealthy and moved to the Indian Territory to be near other family members. In 1889, they moved south to Palo Pinto County, Texas. Jeff and Mandy had a homestead on the Brazos River not too far from Alex and Fannie Beaty. It is here that Jeff became very ill. Just before death, though suffering greatly, he called his wife to his bedside and said, "If I am called away try to do the best you can," and to his mother he said, "Tell all my friends good-bye, and tell them to meet me in heaven. Tell them I am going home to be at rest." In February 1891, Jeff took seriously ill and died quickly on Wednesday the 11th of that month at age 27 in Palo Pinto County, Texas. The roads were impassable at that time and travel to Palo Pinto, Santo, or Gordon was not possible, so his brothers persuaded Mandy to allow him to be buried in "new ground." This new cemetery was carved out of a small corner of Zeke Beaty’s land and today is in an out-of-the-way location and set aside for area residents and their families. Mandy agreed to bury him in New Hope, right beside the schoolhouse were the Beaty children went to school.

Letter to Huldah Montgomery from Jefferson Monroe Beaty Albertville, Alabama Saturday, April 2, 1887 Mrs. H. A. Montgomery: Dear sister it is with much pleasure that I now embrace the present opportunity to answer your kind and welcome letter which I received a few days ago. I was very glad to hear from you. I have no news to write. We are all well at present I recon you thought I never was a going to write ever more. Well Huldah, you ought to see my little boy. He is the loveingist little fellow you ever saw. He laughs and hollars till you can hear him up to Uncle Glens. He laught at ever body that looks at him, he is a setting alone and weighs 20 lbs. his name is Dolphy Gaines. You wanted to know if I had hard from Babe. I have not. Huldah you wanted me to write to you what I thought about Wiley Gillespie. I hardley know he has been a going to school for the last two or three years he is going to school now in Walnut Grove. He has got the big head pretty bad he has bought a town lot in Walnut Grove and paid $100 for it. He owns a little farm close to me. He is a good sturdy boy, he would make a good living for any woman. So I will close by asking you to write soon so I remain your brother as ever. J. M. Beaty

Letter to Huldah Montgomery from Georgia Beaty Lone Camp, Texas, Wednesday, February 18, 1891 Dear sister, With a sad heart I will write you a few lines. I wrote you a letter two weeks ago tell you of Jeff's sickness.* I don't know whether you have received it or not, but now our dear brother has passed from our side. But weep not as those that have no hope for he said he was going to rest. Oh, can I ever forget his suffering. He is buried alone near our home. Early this morning I went out alone to weep over his grave thinking if it had been myself that had died, I would not have been missed so much for he left a wife and two little children without his love and care. Huldah, I can't write much for my heart is troubled, but I hope we will meet our dear brother in heaven. Your sister in sorrow, Georgia.

Letter to Huldah Montgomery from Amanda Beaty (partial letter), February 1891 ...is so pretty. Huldah if I had known Jeff was not going to get well I would have written to you but I did not know that. You know he always thought so much of you he said all the time he was going to die he said he wanted us all to pray for him and to all meet him in heaven. He said he heard some of the prettyest singing while he was sick, he ever heard in his life. He would call us to his bed and ask us if we couldn't hear singing and pretty music. He would tell me nearly every day to come and hug and kiss him and say Mandy meet me in heaven. He said he hated to leave me and the children and for me to do the best I could. I stayed right with him as long as he lived. Dolphy talks about his Pa every day. He says he wants us to dig his Pa up so we can go home and live he thought so much of his Pa. He tells me all about how his Pa was dressed he will never forget how he looked as long as he lives. I did not get to see him. It liked to have killed me when I saw he was gone. He got all the attention any one could have, every body around come to see him we had 2 Dr.'s with him, we all done all we could for him he did not like for any thing at all. I have not sold any thing but my chickens. I have got a good cow and young calf and a heifer yearling and a mare and some hogs and plenty of meat to do me all the year. Huldah write to me and come if you can. Your sister, Amanda Beaty

Sources

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8461812/jefferson-monroe-beaty
• "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:29NC-V1J : 19 February 2021), Jefferson M Baty and Mandy J Thomas, 24 Dec 1885; citing Marshall, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,035,277.

Information from David Beaty, a direct descendant.