Crossle Record
Page 253
The Mid-Ulster Mail
Cookstown, November 22, 1919
Captain William Beatty
Dear Sir,
It does not appear to be generally known that William Beatty who was a Captain in the Garrison of Derry during the famous siege of 1689, appears to have been a native of Cookstown, and probably born there. History tells us that during the siege he “ever behaved himself with great integrity and valour," taking part in all important engagements, and also going out almost daily with small parties to harass the besiegers, until about a month before the end of the siege, having been attacked with a severe illness, he withdrew, under protection, to his home. Tradition says he had twelve sons, of whom the writer has found evidence of nine (if not another son, Charles), and three daughters. His father was William Beatty, of Cookstown, who apparently died soon after October, 1685, the date of his will, lodged in the diocese of Armagh (in which he mentions his two sisters, Nancy and Jenett, his three daughters, Jenett, Mary and Margaret, and his son William). Captain William Beatty's mother, Margaret Russell, also made her will, dated 8th July, 1689, proved in the diocese of Armagh, 20th March, 1690-1, in which she is described as of Cookstown, in the parish of Derriloran, Co., Tyrone, and she refers to William as her only son, recommending to him the care of her three daughters; and she desires to be buried in Londonderry; the inference being that she took refuge there with her sons during the Rebellion of 1688-9, and apparently died during the siege.
Captain William Beatty figures in a lease of the tithes of the parish of Lissan, granted 22nd March, 1696-7, by Rev. Adam Usher, rector of the united parishes of Lissan and Dissartlin, to William Beatty, William Wylye, William Harknesse, Joseph Wright, John Crookes, James Harknesse, James Johnston, David Starrett, William Mills, and Henry Burnett, to hold during the incumbency of Adam Usher at £70 rent. The lessees held the leave in trust for the rest of the parishioners of Lissan and paid their rent to Rev. John Farquhar, curate of that parish. Owing to some quibble, Usher took the lease away from Beatty and the other lessees, and gave it to David Esqie and Mathew M'Lernan, upon which Beatty and his comrades instituted a lawsuit against Usher and Farquahar in June 1709, to recover the lease.
This latter date (1709) is the last reference I have found of Captain Wm. Beatty being alive, but he probably lived much later, and died in the neighborhood of Cookstown (? At Brackagh, in the parish of Lissan). We certainly know that two of his sons held Revenue appointments, no doubt obtained by them in recognition of their father's services, during the siege of Derry; and it is probable that some of his other sons obtained similar appointments, which would account for the scattering of his various sons. I do not know who his wife was, but she was probably a member of one of the well-known families in the neighbourhood of Cookstown; one of his sons was named
Palmer, another Vincent, with which families she may have been related. Captain Wm. Beatty left the following children—
I. James Beatty, sometime of Newry (his residence there probably due to an appointment under the Revenue); and later of Clones. His prerogative will is dated 19th February, 1780; proved 17th November, 1784. He left a widow, Margaret, but no children.
II. William Beatty, sometime of Newry, apparently as an officer of the Revenue. Before the date of his death (on 13th December, 1735) he had removed to Dublin; where he was cashier in the office of the Collector of the Customs. He left a widow Mary and at least two sons –
1. Ven. Robert Beatty, Archdeacon of Ardagh. 1790-1804, Rector of Moydow, Co. Longford; Vicar General of Ardagh 1776-1804; was born in Newry about 1723; entered T.C.D., 19 March, 1739-40, Sch. 1742; B.A. 1744; M.A. 1747; died December, 1804; married January, 1769, Ellen, daughter of Theobald Butler, of Priestown, Co. Meath, and Waterville, Co., Kerry, by Mary, daughter of Sir Nathaniel Whitewell, of Dublin; and by her (who died about, 1812) had, with a daughter Ellen, died young, two sons - - -
(a) Ven. Robert Beatty, jun., Archdeacon of Ardagh, 1804-21; Rector of Moydow, Co. Longford; born about 1774; B. A., T.C.D. 1795; M.A. 1799; died at Moydow 4th September, 1821; married 6th May, 1809, Eliza Beatty, sister of William Beatty, of the parish of St. Andrew, Dublin, by whom he had only one child, Eliza Beatty (died 18th January, 1889, aged 79), who married William Carlisle Henderson, Q.C. and B.L.
(b) James Beatty, of Dublin, B.L., B.A., T.C.D., 1798, died unmarried about 1807.
2. William Beatty of Cookstown (said to have been a brother of Archdeacon Robert Beatty, sen.), who married Anne Creighton, had a family of whom the youngest son---
James Beatty, born about 1792; died 3rd May, 1865; went to Canada in 1830, and settled as a merchant, at Toronto, where he married and left issue.
III. Palmer Beatty, of Tamnaskenny, Co., Tyrone, which he held in right of his wife, Jane Richardson, who was a niece of William Richardson of Somerset, Co. Derry, M.P. for Augher, 1727-55. Her Armagh will is dated 13th December, 1773, proved,7th April, 1777, of which she appointed her husband an executor. Issue, two sons and two daughters- -
1. William Beatty.
2. Archibald Beatty.
3. Mary Beatty, married 1764, Nicholas West.
4. Isabella Beatty.
IV. Joseph Beatty, living at Creeve in 1773.
V . Adam Beatty who may have been christened after Rev. Adam Usher, rector of the parish his father lived in.
VI. Vincent Beatty, who held a Revenue appointment at Downpatrick, from which he retired to live with his brother James at Clones. His Down will is dated 3rd April, 1781, proved 19th June, 1783. He had six sons, and at least one daughter - -
1. William Beatty (eldest son).
2. James Beatty: held a Revenue appointment at Derry; but afterwards
became a merchant there; and died unmarried about 1819.
3. John Beatty to whom his father (in 1781) refers to as being abroad.
4. Ross Beatty, lived in Clones, where he died in 1796, having married in
1772, Anne Graham, and lef (with a daughter Margaret) a son, Vincent
Beatty
5. Thomas Beatty, whose wife was Elinor, and in 1781 had three children - -- John, Mary Anne, and Elizabeth Beatty.
6. Vincent Beatty.
7. Annie Beatty, who married a Mr. Baker and had a son, Ray Fredrick Walter Baker; heir to his uncle, James Beatty of Derry.
VII. Henry Beatty, not know where he lived, had three children living in 1780. one of whom was a son James.
VIII. Thomas Beatty, living in the neighborhood of Cookstown in 1736.
IX. Ralph Beatty, formerly of Brackagh, in the parish of Lissan, but removed to Ballymulderg in the parish of Ardtrea, Co. Derry; was deceased before June, 1765 and left issue at least four children. . .
1. Thomas Beatty of Ballymulderg; living there May, 1775.
2. John Beatty of same place, in June, 1766.
3. Captain Robert Beatty, of Liverpool; administration of his goods granted in diocese of Armagh, 1st May, 1775, to his brother Thomas. He was probably a sea-going captain.
4. Martha Beatty, living at Ballymulderg, in June 1766.
X. Charles Beatty was probably another son of Captain Wm. Beatty, as he had dealings with the heirs of Wm. Beatty, of Dublin, deceased, in 1740.
XI. Margaret Beatty, married Clendinning.
XII. Anne Beatty, married a Mr. Oliver, probably the William Oliver, of Dublin, who goes bailsman in the administration bond of Captain Robert Beatty in 1775.
XIII. Ester Beatty, married ____ Brown.
Having thus given all I know about this family, can any of your readers kindly supplement this little sketch with any further information? No matter how small, I shall be glad to have it. For instance – Who was the wife of Captain William Beatty; and is there any record or tradition in the neighbourhood how long he lived? The only members of his family who appear to have continued to live at Cookstown are William Beatty (who tradition says was a brother of Archdeacon Robert Beatty, sen.) and Ralph Beatty, who for some time lived at Brackagh, in the parish of Lissan, but subsequently removed Ballymulderg. Some of the descendants must have continued to live in the neighbourhood. Capt. William Beatty, who was so notable a figure in the history of his time, would surely have left some tradition or record of his residence, and his descendants, in your neighbourhood.
If any of your readers can give me further information, I will be much obliged.
Believe me, yours faithfully,
Philip Crossle
47 Upper Beechwood Avenue,
Ranelagh, Dublin.
______________
Marginal note:
Belfast Newsletter 12 Feb. 1774—“Died, near Dungannon Mr. William Beatty, aged 103. He signalized himself at the memorable battles of the Boyne and Aughrin in the year 1690, when he carried a pair of colors.”
Page 253a
Toronto Oct. 21st 1920
Philip Crossle, Esq.
105 grove Park
Rathmines
Dublin, Ireland
Dear Mr. Crossle:-
I am in receipt of your card of the 9th inst.
The following are ascertained facts which may possibly throw a little light on the identity of the father of William Beatty who married Anne Creighton. That marriage, I suppose, will be registered and will give the names of the parents.
William Beatty lived in the Township of Tamnaskey near Cookstown on land he had for his life rent free. He died about 1805. His widow survived him. They had a son William Beatty who died about 1820 or soon afterwards; also a son named Joseph Beatty and two daughters: Jane who died unmarried and Isabella who married Edward Hall, a merchant, in Paisley, Scotland.
Whether this information is of any value or not I can not say. It seems to me that some information should be got from parochial registers if they are available.
Yours Truly,
E. M. Chatwood (?? signature is hard to read.—LTB)
Page 253b
Unnumbered page
Memorandum of James Beatty for his eldest son William Henry Beatty
“I was born on the 10th May 1792 the youngest of five of a family, Jane, Isabella, Joseph and William. My father William Beatty of the ancient family of Beattye (sic) of Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, Ireland, whose noble ancestor and great grandfather Capt. Wm. Beatty for whom you are called, fought at the glorious Siege of Derry in defense of the Protestant faith, whose name mentioned in Derrians as having distinguished himself as a gallant soldier at the Siege of that City. My mother was of a respectable and ancient family; and sister to Wm. Creighton’s father. My father died I think about the year 1805.”
* Wm Creighton came to Canada I know him very well. So did Joseph Beatty above named. Jane died unmarried. Isabella’s descendants, some at least, I know.
James Beatty came to Toronto Canada in 1839. He died in 1861. He was intended to have been educated as a Surgeon and “to go to sea” but when his father died he had to give up that and turned to a mercantile career.
[Two more unnumbered pages follow. These pages contain a rough Family Tree for some descendants of William Beatty.]
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