My Genealogy Hound

William J. Beaty is numbered among the younger of the successful and rising agriculturists of this county, and none will have a brighter future than he, or will make better use of their advantages. The citizens of Hempstead County are proud to claim him as one of its sons, for he was born here August 1, 1860. His father, Lemuel Beaty, was also a native of Hempstead County, born in 1836, and carried on farming operations with marked success in this county considering that he was blind all his life, having lost his eyesight when four weeks old. He was first married in Hempstead County, in 1856, to Miss Sarah A. Pridgeon, a native of Alabama, born in 1831, by whom he had a family of four children—two sons and two daughters—only three of whom are now living, namely, William J. (our subject), Erastus B. and Alice W. (wife of William J. Ray, a farmer of Hempstead County. Mrs. Beaty died in 1864, a faithful Christian, and Mr. Beaty remained a widower until 1867,when he married his second wife, whose maiden name was Miss Mary A. Holden. There were born to this last union nine children— three sons and six daughters—only seven of whom are now living. The survivors are Josiah A., Lemuel E., Wilson E., Mary L, Ellen E., Rosa L. and Callie. The father was a religious man, and departed this life willingly, passing to his final home on January 23, 1889. His son, William J., now grown to manhood’s estate, is one of the leading farmers of this section, and stands high in the community in which he has passed his life. He is a Democrat, politically, and contributes so far as able to all worthy public enterprises. He owns a fine farm of 240 acres of good tillable land, and 100 acres of this he cultivates, raising mostly cotton and corn.