William R. Beaty was the oldest child of Isaac Beaty, born in 1803, Susannah Gwynn Beaty, born in 1802. He was born in the western part of Fentress County. He was married to Mary "Pop" Sells of Overton County. Born in 1829, she was the daughter of John Sells (1790-1870) and Sallie Winnsant (1799-1868). Both of Sallie's parents were born in Virginia and migrated to Overton County, Tennessee. The Sells line goes as follows: Henry Sells, Anthony Sells, Sr., Solomon, Andrew (1776), John (1790), and Mary.
U.S. Government records show that William R. enrolled in the Civil War on the Union side on 12-15-1861 at Somerset, Kentucky for a period of three years and that he died in a government hospital on 3-12-1862 of disease diarrhea. This hospital was at Flat Lick, Kentucky, not far from the present London, Kentucky. His enlistment was with Co. D. 2nd Tenn. Three of his brothers served in this same company. They were John G., James M., and David C. We are not sure what company the brother, Isaac, enlisted in.
William R.'s wife died on October 23, the same year that he did. The grandfather, John Sells, was named as guardian for the minor children. When Sells died, Joel Lindsey Reagan was appointed by the court to serve as guardian. Joel Lindsey married these minor children's Aunt Lucy Catherine Beaty Reagan. Joel served in this position until all the minor children reached their majority. It must have taken lots of courage and loyalty to volunteer for military services when there were seven children in the family. However, the two oldest daughters had married and were gone from William's home. That left five young orphans to be cared for by relatives.
by Wilma Pinckley, great niece of Wm. R.

• Married: BET. 10 JUL - 7 OCT 1848 in Overton Co., TN
• Event: Pic in

1. Sarah Elender BEATY b: 22 APR 1849
2. Susan Ann BEATY b: 30 SEP 1850 in Little Crab, Fentress Co., TN
3. Isaac BEATY b: 16 SEP 1852
4. Mary Jane BEATY b: 8 OCT 1854
5. Rebecca E. BEATY b: 30 JAN 1857 in Tennessee
6. John Allen BEATY b: 1 MAY 1859 in Tennessee
7. Samuel W. R. BEATY b: 15 SEP 1860 in Tennessee