Beatty/Beaty mentions Juniata Valley, Pennsylvania Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: RCBDJR@aol.com ************************************************************************** History of the early settlement of the Juniata Valley: embracing an account of the early pioneers, and the trials and privations incident to the settlement of the valley, predatory incursions, massacres, and abductions by the Indians during the French and Indian wars, and the war of the revolution, &c. By. U. J. Jones. Imprint Harrisburg, Pa., Harrisburg publishing company, 1889. ************************************************************************** HISTORY of the EARLY SETTLEMENT of the JUNIATA VALLEY by U. J. Jones (published originally 1856) CHAPTER XXIX: Water Street is an old place, and was settled prior to the Revolution. A stream of water from the Canoe Mountains, supposed to be the Arch Spring of Sinking Valley, passes down a ravine and empties into the Juniata at this place. For some distance through a narrow defile, the road passes directly through the bed of this stream, - a circumstance which induced the settlers to call it Water Street when the original settlement was made. This for a long time was an important point, being the canoe-landing for the interior country. Hence the name of Canoe Valley, applied to the country now known as Catharine township in Blair county. At this place was General Roberdeau's landing, where he received his stores for the lead mines, and where he shipped the lead-ore to be taken to Middleton for smelting. The number of persons living about Water Street and in the lower end of Canoe Valley, during the Revolution, was fully as great as at the present day. Among the first settlers was Patrick Beatty. He was the father of seven sons, regular flowers of the forest, who never would fort during all the troubles, and who cared no more for an Indian than they did for a bear. They lived in a cabin about a mile west of Water Street. [note: father of the seven Beaty brothers appears to be Edward, son of Patrick?.] It is related of John, the oldest son, that, coming through the woods one day, near his home, he met two Indians in his path. They both aimed at him, but by successful dodging he prevented them from shooting, and reached the house. He found one of his brothers at home; and the two, seizing their rifles, started out after the Indians, and followed them sixty miles, frequently getting sight of them, but never within shooting distance. The Indians knew the Beattys, and feared them, for a more daring and reckless party of young fellows never existed in the valley. It is a remarkable coincidence that of the Beattys there were seven brothers, seven brothers of the Cryders, seven of the Ricketts, seven of the Rollers, and seven of the Moores, - constituting the most formidable force of active and daring frontier-men to be found between Standing Stone and the base of the mountain. In the winter of 1778 or the spring of 1779, Lowry's fort was erected, about two and a half or three miles west of Water Street, for the protection of the settlers of Water Street and Canoe Valley. (Note: the story continues with more about the fort and the fact that some would not fort. The Indians came and burned down a cabin, killing the lady that was home and her three children and taking a neighbor's son, who had spent the night with the Deans.) News of the disaster was conveyed to the fort, and in a few hours the entire neighborhood was alarmed. A strong force, headed by the Beattys, started in pursuit, and got upon the track of the savages, but could not find them. They even waylaid the gap through which the war-path ran; but all to no purpose, for they got clear of the settlements by some other route. Captain Simonton, at the time of the outrage, was at Minor's Mill, getting a grist ground. On his return, he heard the news at Water Street, when he threw the bag of flour from the horse, and rode as fast at the animal could carry him to the scene of the disaster, where he arrived in a state of mind bordering closely upon madness - for he passionately loved his little boy - just as the neighbors were taking the roasted and charred remains of Mrs. Dean and her three children out of the ashes. One of the neighbors so engaged was a daughter of Mr. Beatty, now Mrs. Adams, still living in Gaysport, at a very advanced age, who gave us a graphic account of the occurrence. [Note: Edward Beaty's dau Agness {Ann/Nancy} married a John Adams.] BEATTY references from notes at the end of this history: Page 278 Lewis Mytinger who purchased the Water Street property from the Beatty's about 1795, relates in his memoirs taken down by Judge Adams in 1845, that the "Beattys informed him that shortly after they settled in Water Street they were visited by several Indians - their mother was churning - gave them a cup of buttermilk, each passed it to the other tasting it, that their mother then set out the churn and let them drink what they would. They afterwards left and in a day or two carried in several hams of venison and hung it at the fence around the door." Page 307 The article here refers to the "Battle of Frankstown" that was the major military event along the frontier from the Susquehanna to Pittsburgh during the Revolutionary War. It lists the captured, dead and wounded. Daniel Beate is listed among the wounded.