Capt. William Bean, Jr.

https://clanmacbean.org/

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Captain William 'Billy' Bean (1721-1782) son of William Bean and Elizabeth Hatton was the first recorded permanent white settler in what later became the state of Tennessee. While settled in Pittsylvania (Danville) County, Virginia he traveled to Holston country on hunting expeditions with Daniel Boone. In 1768 he cleared some land and built a cabin on Boone's Creek of the Watauga River in an area where he understood the hunting was good. The next year he brought his family to the lower Watauga. He was soon joined by his brothers-in-law, George and John Russell, and by other relatives and friends from southern Virginia. His son Russell was the first recorded white born in Tennessee. William is said to have been "a man of parts", having been a substantial landowner in Pittsylvania County and a Captain in the Virginia militia. Members of the Bean family were prominent in civil and military affairs in the Watauga Valley for many years. The colony was outside of any governmental control so they founded the Watuaga Association. In the fall of 1775 the Wautuga residents held a conference and decided to side with the American cause. A committee was formed that included William and they declared themselves the "Washington District." In 1776 an ordinance was appended to the North Carolina Constitution appointed William and 20 other individuals as Justices of the Peach for the Washington District. He served in the Revolutionary War from 1776 to1780 as a Captain in the Watauga Riflemen. At the Battle of Kings Mountain, Captain Bean and his man scattered a band of Tories and hanged 9 of them. His last will and testament was signed in 6 January 1782, four months prior to his death.

According to the research done by Louise Taylor:

"Gradually we are learning more and more about the life story of William Bean, and where his descendants live today (1969). There is still much to learn by research and it is hoped in the not too distant future this work can be done. In publishing the known information, the Genealogical Committee regrets that there is not sufficient time to finish gathering all the desired facts at this time. Research will be continued and hopefully at a future date the full facts will be published. The information shown on these pages, especially in the earliest generation, are based on many different family Bible records and on the family records kept by various members of the family, and in a limited way from census records. Also from the memory of older members of the family, and from a few letters that have been preserved through the years. Some of these records are in conflict, and some are quite impossible. The Committee realizes that much basic research needs to be done for the solid facts, and that this publication is premature. We would much prefer another year of research before these records are published, both to make the Family Genealogy more complete and to assure the fullest accuracy. However, in order to preserve the records we now know, and to assist others in their searching, this limited genealogy is included in this book. Frankly, the author is not satisfied fully with some conclusions given here. There is serious question about some of the records that have been passed on from generation to generation, and gathered from the scattered Clan all over the United States.

Of this we are satisfied: William Bean was born in Scotland and moved to Ireland at an early age and came to America in 1767 on THE ADMIRAL HAWK and settled first in the Chester District of S.C. and received a grant of land on what was then called Duncan Creek. He and his wife had 3 ch. at the time. He was 37 years old. On Duncan Creek they had 3 more children before they removed to Burke County, N.C., in what year is unknown. (Burke Co. is now called Caldwell Co. or at least part of it). It has been satisfactorily shown that the several Bean families of Burke County descend from the same progenitor, but the genealogy of the connection cannot now be published, for it is too incomplete. For instance, a visit to the various cemeteries of Burke Co., will show that there are so many similarities of names among the Beans buried there. At Smoky Creek, Caldwell Co., N.C. there is a Bean private cemetery. Here we find names that have been used in the family through every generation since. Names such as Mary Elizabeth Bean, Thomas Bean, William Bean, John Bean, Henry Bean, Walter Bean, Robert Bean, Sarah Bean. Phillip Bush of Washington, D.C., owns the old family Bible of Walter Bean dated 1810. The general area in which the Beans lived in old Burke County was the southern section of what is now Caldwell County, along the Catawba River. This is not surprising at all since the Beans were clannish and wanted to settle near each other. In the general time period beginning about 1780, some of the Beans of Burke County began to move to Tennessee, and William2 moved there in 1775, from Burke County, N.C., probably not living very long in Burke Co., however he was married there and had one son there. Family records show that William3 had two sons b. in Burke Co., the first in 1779, and they also show that he moved to Tenn. in 1775. Obviously, either one or the other is wrong. At any rate the several families did settle in Franklin Co. Tenn. And from there grouped off to Jefferson Co., Ill., and Johnson Co., Arkansas. It can be said quite conclusively that the Beans today of Jefferson Co., Ill, Johnson Co., AR and Caldwell Co., N.C. are of the same family line. For some years it was thought that the Beans of BEAN STATION, TENN. were of this Family but it has been shown that the Beans of this area descend from William Bean and his wife Lydia Russell, of Virginia, a very different line of the Clan. The Genealogy of the William and Lydia (Russell) Bean Line has been published very fully by Mrs. Vera Bean Looney of Camden, Arkansas. This is the William Bean who was the first settler on what was later named Boone Creek, even before Daniel Boone went to Tennessee.

The Line of William Bean3, son of William and Celia Wyatt, will not be shown in this volume because it has already been published under the authorship of George Washington Bean of Salt Lake City, who made the trek with the rest of the Mormans to Salt Lake in 1847.

Some details of births in relation to place will be shown as family records indicate or in relation to known dates of a move from one state to another. For instance we know that Walter Bean lived in Franklin Co., Tenn. until 1825, then moving to Mt. Vernon, Ill. all ch. after this date will be shown as b. in Mt. Vernon or Jefferson County."

William Bean1 b. 1730, Scotland, to Ireland, 1740, to America, 1767, settled Chester Dist., S.C., to Burke Co., N.C., m. 1753, Ireland, ____________________. Had 6 ch.

+ William, b. 1754, Ireland.

- Thomas, b. 1764, Ireland.

- Agnes, b. 1766, Ireland.

- Molly, b. __________, Duncan Creek, S.C.

- John, b. ___________, Duncan Creek, S.C.

- Matthew, b. ________, Duncan Creek, S.C.

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THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF WILLIAM BEAN

In the name of God, Amen. I, William Beane Sr., being in perfect mind and memory, and calling to mind the mortality of my own body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament, revoking all others by me made. First: Principally and first of all, I give and bequeath my soul to Almighty God, relying on his mercy, through Christ, and my body to the dust from whence it came, and as touching my worldly estate wherewith it has been, please God, to help me with in this life, I give and bequeath in the following manner and form first of all, I give and bequeath to my beloved wife, Liddy, one Negro girl, named Grace, and all my horses and cattle and hogs and sheep, and all my household goods, together with the land and mill whereon I now live, during her natural life and after her decease, the land and mill to be given to my beloved son, Russell, and the remainder, that is given to my beloved wife, at her decease to be equally divided amongst my children, and all the residue and remainder of my estate, real and personal, after my just debts being paid, to be equally divided amongst my surviving children. Also I leave my sons, William, and Robert, and George, executors of this, my last will.

his mark: WILLIAM x BEAN

Signed, Sealed, published, and declared in the presence of us, this 6th January, 1782.

(Signed)

THOMAS HARDEMAN.

his

JOHN x CALLAHAN.

mark

ROBERT STONE.

The foregoing will was proven in open court by the oath of Thomas Hardeman, one of the subscribing witnesses thereto, at May sessions, 1782, and ordered recorded.

STATE OF TENNESSEE, COUNTY OF WASHINGTON.

I, Jess G. Smith, Clerk of the Co. Court in and for the Co. and State aforesaid, do hereby certify the foregoing to be a true and perfect copy of the last will and testament of William Beane, Sr., as is of record in "Record of Wills," Book 1, Page 4, in my office.

Given under my hand and official seal at office in Jonesboro, Tennessee, this September 27, 1922.

(Signed) JESS G. SMITH,

(SEAL) Co. Court Clerk.

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Goodspeed's History of Washington County

Part One

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       WASHINGTON COUNTY lies between Greene and Carter Counties, and is bounded on the north by Sullivan and on the south by Union.  Its area is abut 350 square miles.  The surface is generally more or less broken, and in the southern part it becomes mountainous.  The valleys are fertile, as is also much of the upland.  The principal stream in the county is the Nolachucky River, which traverses the southern part.  Its chief tributaries are the Big Limestone and Buffalo. 

The most valuable mineral of the county is iron, which is found in great abundance.
The first permanent settlement in Tennessee was made in 1769 on Boone Creek by Capt. William Bean, who came in that year from Pittsylvania County, Va. His son, Russell Bean, is said to have been the first white child born in the State. soon after Bean made his settlement, in 1770 and 1771, James Robertson, Landon Carter and others, laid the foundation of the Watauga settlements, which at first were mainly in what is now Carter County. the steady stream of emigrants from the older States, however, soon forced these to overflow into the territory now embraced in Washington and Greene Counties. In 1772 Jacob Brown, with one or two families from North Carolina, located upon the north bank of the Nolachucky River, which up to this time had remained undisturbed by the white man. Mr. Brown had been a small merchant, and brought with him a packhorse loaded with goods with which he soon purchased from the Indians a lease of a large body of land lying on both sides of the Nolachucky. In 1775 he obtained one deed signed by the chief men of the cherokee Nation, embracing the greater part of the present Washington County west of the Big Limestone, and another deed for the land lying between the Big Limestone and a line drawn from a point on the Nolachucky Mountains "north 32 degrees wet to the mouth of Camp Creek; thence across the river; thence northwest to the dividing ridge between Lick Creek and Watauga or Holston; thence up the dividing ridge to the rest of the said Brown's land." This land Mr. Brown sold to settlers at a small price. The government of North Carolina, however, refused to recognize the validity of this deed, and continued to make grants in the territory covered by that instrument.
Among the most prominent of the pioneers who located within the present limits of Washington County were John Sevier, who lived on the Nolachucky, on the farm now owned by William Tyler. His sons, John and James, located on farms near by. John Tipton, the political enemy of the Seviers, lived on Turkey Creek, eight or ten miles east of Jonesboro. the first settlers on Little Limestone were Robert and James Allison, whose descendants still own a portion of the land entered by them. In 1778 Michael Bawn and James Pearn were each granted permission by the county to build a grist-mill on Little Limestone. In the same year an enumeration of the maile inhabitants of Washington County, which included all the settlements in East Tennessee, showed that the aggregate number subject to poll tax was 450. computing from this, upon the usual ration, the population at that time was not far from 2,500.
The first Baptist Church organized in the county was the Cherokee Creek Church, constituted in 1783 by Tidence Lane. Among its first members were James Keels, John Broyles, John Layman, William Murphy, Owen Owens, William Calvert, Reuben, John and Thomas Bayless, Thomas and Francis Baxter. Four years later Buffalo Ridge Church was constituted. Some of the prominent members were Anthony Epperson, Isaac Denton, Joseph Crouch, Peter Jackson, William Nash, David Parry and Nicholas Hale.
At Cherokee Creek Metting-house, on the fourth Saturday in October, 1786 [Minutes of Holston Association. Other authorities put it as early as 1779] wasorganized the Holston Baptist Associations, at which time six churches were represented as follows: Cherokee Creek- James Keel, John Broyles, John Layman and William Murphy; Bent Creek- Tidence Lane, Isaac Barton and Francis Hamilton; Greasy Cave- Richard Deakins and James Acton; North Fork of Holston- John Frost; Lower French Broad- James Randolph and Charles Gentry. Tidence Lane was chosen moderator, and William Murphy, clerk. During the next fifteen years the association grew very rapidly, thirty-five churches, new churches, having been constituted up to the close of 1802, when the membership was 2,474. In that year the association was divided, all west of a line running from Lee Courthousein Virginia, to Little War Gap, in Clinch Mountain, thence to Bull's Gap, thence to Fine Ferry (afterward Newport, Cocke County), thence in a direct line to Iron Mountain, was constituted the Tennessee Association. In 1811 the number of churches in the association had reached twenty, and the membership a little over 1,000, when seven churches were set off to form Washington Association. The northern line of Holston then became one running through Blountville, to where the Watauga River enters Tennessee. In 1828 the boundaries of the association were once more reduced. It then had thirty churches, with a membership of 1,086, when the Lick Creek, Concord, Bent Creek, Bethel South, County Line, Robertson Creek, Gap Creek, Long Creek, Slate Creek, Clay Creek and Prospect were set off to form Nolachucky Association, which body was organized on the second Saturday in November of that year. No further change of territory occurred prior to the war except that."
The war greatly depleted the ranks of the members. In 1857 the aggregate membership of the association was 3,500, while in 1865 it was only 1,794. New churches, however, were soon formed, and old ones revived, so that in 1868 twelve churches in the counties of Johnson, Carter and Union were set off to form Watauga Association, leaving twenty-five churches in Holston Association. In 1885 three more churches were set off to hoin the newly organized Holston Association. The Holston Association in 1886 had a membership of 3,430, divided among thirty-five churches. the Baptist Churches in Washington County at the present time are as follos: Cherokee Creek, organized in 1783; Buffalo Ridge, 1787; Fall Branch, 1827; Jonesboro, 1842; Limestone, 1842; New Salem, 1845; Harmony, 1850; Johnson City adn ____, 1869; Philadelphia, 1870; Antioch, 1875.
The work of the Presbyterians began contemporaneously with that of the Baptists. The first preacher was Rev. Samuel Doak, who, in 1778, located near where Washington College now is, and where he established Salem Church. Among other early churches of this denomination were Hebron, afterward Jonesboro, Leesburg and Bethesda. When the separation of the two factions of the church occurred the greater number went with the New School, and about 1858 formed a part of the United Synod. Upon the reorganization of the churches after the close of the war. considerable dissension occurred, a portion of the churches uniting with the Holston Presbytery of the Northern General Assembly, and the remainder going into the the Holston Presbytery of the Southern General Assembly., The churches in the county are as follows: Salem, Jonesboro (Second Church), Chucky Vale and Mount Lebanon, adhering to the Northern Assembly, and Leesburg, Johnson City and Jonesboro (First Church), holding to the Southern Assembly.
The Methodists began work in the county about 1783, but no records are now in existence from which an account of individual churches may be obtained.
In the establishment of a school for the higher education of youth Washington County has the honor of being the pioneer west of the Allegheny Mountains. In 1777 the Legislature of North Carolina granted a charter for Martin Academy in Washington County, and Samuel Doak, who came to the county the following year, established a school under the provisions of the act. At what time he began teaching is not definitely known, but it must have been in 1783 or 1784. He taught at first in a small log building, which stood on his own farm, a short distance west of the present college campus. There he continued his academy until 1795, when the Territorial Assembly passed an act incorporating it as Washington College. the following is the preamble to the act: "Whereas, The Legislature of North Carolina established an academy in Washington County by the name of Martin Academy, which has continued for ten or twelve years past under the presidency of the Rev. Samuel Doak, and has been of considerable utility to the public, and affords a prospect of future usefulness if invested with powers and privileges appertaining to a college. Be it enacted, etc." The trustees appointed were Rev. Samuel Doak, charles Cummings, Edward Crawford, John Cosson, Robert Henderson, Gideon Blackburn, Joseph Anderson, John Sevier, Landon Carter, Daniel Kennedy, Leroy Taylor, John Sevier, Jr., John Tipton, William Cocke, Archibald Roane, Joseph Hamilton, John Rhea, Samuel Mitchell, Jesse Payne, James Aiken, William C. C. Claiborne, Dr. William Holt, Dr. William Pl Chester, David Deaderick, John Waddell, Jr., Alexander Mathes, John Nelson, and John McAllister. The first meeting of the board was held on July 23, 1795, at which time Landon Carter was authorized to dispose of three tracts of land on Doe River belonging to Martin Academy, the property of that institution having been transferred to the college. It was also moved that John Waddell and John Sevier be appointed to collect sundry subscriptions made to Martin Academy in 1784.
On September 28, 1795, by order of the trustees, an oratorical contest among the students was held. They were divided into three grades, the best speaker in the first grade to receive $3, in the second $2, and in the third $1. The prizes were awarded to James Anderson, James Trimble and Samuel Sevier respectively. The first graduates were James Witherspoon and John W. doak, upon whom was conferred the degree of A.B. on August 15, 1796. The other graduates for the first ten years were John Robinson, James Trimble, William Mitchell, Charles McAllister, Jonathan Smith, Daniel Gray, A.M. Nelson, Samuel K. Nelson, William H. Deaderick, Jeremiah Mathes, Nicholas Yeager, Reuben White, Thomas Cooper and William W. Holt.
In 1806 J. W. Doak was made vice-president, and commissioned to solicit funds in Georgia and South Carolina for the benefit of the college, where he obtained $836.65. The next year he visited the North and East, and secured $1,575. With these funds a new frame building was erected in 1808. It was 40X24 feet, two stories high, and stood very near the site of the present chapel. In 1818 Samuel Doak resigned the presidency of the college, and was succeeded by John W. Doak, who continued until 1820. He then died and the position was tendered to Dr. Samuel Doak, who refused it. The next year John V. Bovell ws installed as president, and after three or four years was succeeded by S. W. Doak, who was not in actual charge of the college, however, Profs. Rice and W. M. Cunningham, acting as president for that time. In 1829 Rev. James McLin assumed control of the institution, and continued to direct it until 1838, S. W. Doak then succeeded him, and continued for two years.
In 1840 a new college building 86X34 feet and four stories high was built at a cost of $6,000. At the same time a dwelling for the president was erected., These buildings were completed in 1842, and the institution under the presidency of A.A. Doak entered upon an era of greater prosperity than it had known for several years preceding. In 1850 Mr. Doak resigned the presidency, and for a short time was succeeded by Rev. E. T. Baird, but he soon resumed his old relations with the college, and continued until 1857. From this time until the war, however, the Institution was financially embarrassed. In 1859 the aggregate indebtedness amounted to $4,793.24. It was then resolved to sell all the land belonging to the college with the exception of ten or twelve acres. The successor of Dr. A.A. Doak in 1857 was Rev. Samuel Hodge who held his position until the beginning of the war.
Like most other institutions of the kind in the State, the college suffered much during the war in the destruction of its library and damage to the buildings. In 1866 the buildings were repaired, and a school known as the WaShington Female College waS opened under the presidency of Rev. W.B. Rankin, who continued the school with more or less success until 1877. Meanwhile it had again become a mixed school, and Rev. J. E. Alexander leased the property, and continued a sort of graded school until 1883. Since that time the institution has been under the management of Rev. J. W. C. Willoughby, and it has regained much of its old time excellence. the present faculty is J. W. C. Willoughby, president and professor of sciences; Rev. M. A. Mathes, ancient languages; John A. Wilson, mathematics and physical sciences; C. A. Mathes, principal of the preparatory department.

       Washington County was laid off by an act of the Legislature of North Carolina, passed in November, 1777, and was made to include the whole of the territory afterward erected into the State of Tennessee.  the first magistrates appointed were James Robertson, Calentine Sevier, John Carter, John Sevier, Jacob Womack, Robert Lucas, Andrew Greer, John Shelby, Jr., George Russell, William Bean, Zachariah Isbell, John McNabb, Thomas Houghton, William Clark, John McMahan, Benjamin Gist, J. Chisolm, Joseph Wilson, William Cobb, Thomas Stuart, Michael Woods, Richard White, Benjamin Wilson, Charles Robertson, William McNabb, Thomas Price and Jesse Watson*.  The first session of the courtof pleas and quarter sessions was begun and held on February 23, 1778.  John Carter was chosen chairman;  John Sevier, clerk; Valentine Sevier, sheriff; James Stuart, surveyor, John McMahan, register; Jacob Womack, straymaster; John Carter, entry taker, and Samuel Lyle, John Gilliland, Richard Wolldridge, Emanuel Carter, William Ward, V. Dillingham and Samuel and John Smith, constables.  At the next term of the court, which was held at Charles Robertson's in May following, the rates of taxation were fixed as follows: 

For every one hundred pound's worth of property .............16s 8d
For building a courthouse, prison, and stocks..................... 2s 6d
For building a courthouse in Salisbury................................ 4d
For the contingent fund of the county................................. 1s
Total................................................................1 Pound, 6 d
*Watson probably should read "Walton."

       The county was then divided into seven districts, and the following magistrates appointed to make return of the taxable property:  Benjamin Wilson, John McNabb, John Chisolm, William Bean, Michael Woods, Zachariah Isbell and Jacob Womack.  The first grand jury was empaneled at this term, and was composed of the following men:  William Asher, Charles Gentry, James Hollis, Amos Bird, John Nave, Arthur Cobb, John Dunham, Peter McNamee, John Patterson, Nathaniel Clark, James Wilson, Adam Wilson, Drury Goodin, Samuel Tate, Jacob Brown, David Hughes, Joseph Fowler, Robert Shurley, James Grimes, Robert Blackburn, John Clark, Hosea Stout, Andrew Burton, John Hoskins, N. Hoskins.  The greater number of the first cases which came before this court were those of loyalists, and deserters from the Continental Army, who had sought safety in these remote settlements.  The intense loyalty of these pioneers to the American cause, however, made this section extremely uncomfortable for tory sympathizers.  The first case in the records of the court is that of the "State vs. Zekle Brown."  It was "ordered that the defendant be committed to gaol immediately, to be kept in custody until he can be conveniently delivered to a Continental Officer." 

Another case was that of the State vs. Moses Crawford, In Toryism. "It is the opinion of the court that the defendant be imprisoned during the present war with Great Britain, and the sheriff take the whole of his estate into custody, which must be valued by a jury at the next court- one-half of said estate to be kept by said sheriff for the use of the State, and the other half to be remitted to the family of the defendant." At the same time, on motion of Ephraim Dunlap, who had been appointed State's attorney, it was ordered that Isaac Butler, be sent to the Continental Army, there to serve three years or during the war. He was soon after released upon giving bond that he would apprehend two deserters, Joshua Williams and a certain Dyer who keeps company with said Williams, "by the 20th day of September next, and deliver them to the proper authorities. At the February term, 1780, John Reding was arraigned for speaking words treasonable and inimical to the common cause of liberty." He plead not guilty and the court, after hearing the evidence, bound him over to the superior court, in the sum of 20,000 pounds continental currency. This was at a time when the continental currency was at its lowest value, and the above apparently enormous sum amounted to less than 200 pounds in specie. The following tavern rates fixed for 1781 illustrate the great depreciation of the currency: Dinner, $20; breakfast or supper, $15; corn or oats, per gallon $12; pasturage, $6; Lodging, $6; West India rum, $130 per quart; peach brandy, $80 per quart; whiskey, $48 per quart; Normandy or Tafia rum, $100 per quart.

       At the November term, 1778, the commissioners appointed to lay off the place for erecting the courthouse, prison and stocks.  Jacob Womack, Jesse Walton, George Russell, Joseph Wilson, Zachariah Isbell and Benjamin Gist, reported that they had selected a site, and the following May term the court convened at that place in the first courthouse erected in Tennessee.  "This house was built of round logs, fresh from the adjacent forest, and was covered in the fashion of cabins of the pioneers, with clapboards."  In December, 1784, the court recommended that there be a courthouse built in the following manner: "twenty-four feet square, diamond corner, and hewn down after it is built up;  nine feet high between the floors, body of the above the upper floor, floors neatly laid with plank, shingles of roof to be hung with pegs, a justice's bench, a lawyer's and clerk's box, also a sheriff's box to sit in."  The contract was let to John Chisolm, who was to receive for his work an amount to be fixed by two men chosen by himself, and two chosen by the commissioners, appointed to superintend its erection.  At the same time Alexander Greer took the contract for repairing and completing the prison upon the same terms.  The latter building stood on the creek opposite the present jail. 

During the years 1785 and 1786, but little is known of the transactions of the court, as most of the minutes were lost in the struggle betwen Tipton and Sevier. It is known, however, that both county and superior courts were held at Jonesboro, under the authority of the Franklin government for nearly three years, although for the greater part of that time a majority of the people of the county avowed allegiance to North Carolina. It was not, however, until February, 1787, that a court of pleas and quarter sessions was established under the authority of the latter State. On the first Monday of that month John McMahon, James Stuart and Robert Allison met at the house of William Davis, on Buffalo Creek, and organized a court. George Mitchell waS elected sheriff pro tem.; John Tipton, clerk protem, and Thomas Gourley, deputy clerk. John Tipton presented his commission as colonel of the county; Robert Love, as second major, and Peter Parkinson, David McNabb, John Hendricks and Edward Simms as captains. The magistrates appointed from the county were John Tipton, Landon Carter, Robert Love, James Montgomery, John Wyer, John Strain, Andrew Chamberlain, Andrew Taylor, Alexander Moffitt, William Porsley, Edmund Williams and Henry Nelson.
At the May term following , Jonathan Pugh was elected sheriff, Alexander Moffitt, coroner, and Elijah Cooper, ranger. It was ordered by the court that the sheriff demand the public records of the county from John Sevier, former clerk of this court; also that he demand from the ranger his records and that he demand the key of the jail at Jonesboro, from the former sheriff. the series of conflicts between the two parties, which followed these orders are detailed in another chapter and will not be repeated here.
In May, 1788, the Franklin government had ceased to exist, and the courts of Davis were held unmolested. At that time John Hammer, William Pursley, Robert Love and William Moore, commissioners appointed by the preceding General Assembly of North Carolina to select a sight for a prison and stocks, reported that they were of the opinion that Jonesboro was the most convenient place. From this it may be inferred that it had been the intention of the General Assembly to remove the seat of justice from Jonesboro, that place having become obnoxious on account of its adherence to Gov. Sevier. The excitement and ill feeling had somewhat subsided at this time, however, and after hearing the above report, the court ordered that John Nolan be paid 25 pounds in part for completing the public buildings at Jonesboro. In November, 1790, the first session of the county court under the Territorial government was held, at which time Charles Robertson, John Campbell, Edmund Williams and John Chisolm were the magistrates present. On May 16, 1796, the court was again reorganized to conform to the provisions of the State constitution. The magistrates commissioned by Gov. Sevier were James Stuart, John Tipton, John Wise, John Adams, John Strain, Henry Nelson, Joseph Young, Joseph Crouch, William Nelson, Robert Blair, Jesse Payne, Isaac DePew, Charles McCray, Samuel Wood, Jacob Brown, John Alexander, Joseph Britton, John Norwood and John Gammon.
The General Assembly of North Carolina in 1782 passed an act providing for the holding of a court of oyer and terminer and general gaol delivery twice a year at Jonesboro for the counties of Washington and Sullivan. Previous to this time it was necessary either to take all cases coming under the jurisdiction of the superior court of Salisbury, or to allow the crime to go unpunished, or the wrongs unredressed, an alternative in which there was but little choice.
The first term was begun August 15, 1782, by Hon. Spruce McCoy, who appointed Waightsill Avery attorney for the State, and John Sevier, clerk. John Vance, Isaac Choate and William White were convicted of horse stealing, and sentenced to be executed on the 10th of September following. This court continued to be held until the passage of the first cession act by North Carolina in June 1784, and after the repeal of that act Washington District was erected from the counties in East Tennessee and a superior court established.
There is no evidence, however, to show that this court was organized until February 15, 1788, at which time Judge David Campbell held a superior court of law and equity at the courthouse in Washington County for the district of Washington. F.A. Ramsey was appointed clerk, and William Sharp was admitted as an attorney. At the next term Judge Samuel Spencer sat with Judge Campbell, and it was at this time that he issued the warrant for the arrest of John Sevier.
In accordance with the provision of the ordinance establishing the territory south of the Ohio River three judges of the superior court were appointed. They were David Campbell, Joseph Anderson and John McNairy, all of whom remained upon the bench until the adoption of the State constitution.. Gen. Jockson was upon the bench of the superior court from 1798 to 1804, and it was while sitting at Jonesboro that he made the famous arrest of a criminal who had defied the sheriff and his posse. This occurred at the September term, 1802. Russell Bean, a resident of the town, doubting the paternity of a child born to him, cut off its ears, thereby causing its death. A warrant was issued for him, but Bean refused to be taken, and the sheriff, Joseph Crouch, so reported to the court. Judge Jackson ordered him to summon a posse to aid him. He replied that he had a summoned a certain number, but to no avail. Jackson then told him to summon the whole town if necessary, whereupon Mr. Crouch summoned his Honor, Judge Jackson. The latter arose from the bench with the exclamation that, by the eternal, he could take him single handed, and, procuring a pistol, started for Mr. Bean, and demanded his surrender. The culprit, terrified by the determined look and flashing eye of Judge Jackson, succumbed at once without a struggle, and was taken into court. There he was convicted, but brought to the bar for sentence plead the "benefit of clergy," which was granted. He therefore escaped with a light sentence. He was branded upon the left thumb, and confined in the county jail for eleven months.
Another case which attracted much attention at the time, was tried in September, 1806. Mary Doherty was arraigned for the murder of her father, and being called upon to plead to the indictment "stood mute," whereupon a jury was empaneled "to inquire whether the defendant stands mute through malice or through the visitation of God." After a thorough examination the jury reported it as their opinion that Mary Doherty, the prisoner at the bar, stnads mute through the visitation of God. It was thereupon ordered by the judge, that a plea of not guilty be entered and the trial proceeded, resulting in the acquittal of the girl, who, it is said, walked out of the courtroom with a smile upon her face, and entered into conversation with her friends. The case is remarkable from the fact that she was an ignorant country girl, who had no counsel from any source, and yet she was able to deceive the court, jury, attorneys and jailor.
In 1809 the superior court was abolished, and in 1810 the circuit court was organized by Judge William Cocke, who appointed James V. Anderson as clerk. The chancery court for Washington, Carter, Johnson and Sullivan Counties was organized at Jonesboro September 5, 1836, by Judge Thomas L. Williams, who appointed Seth J. W. Lucky clerk and master.
The first attorney admitted to practice in a court in Tennessee was Waightsill Avery, in August, 1778. At the same term, but a day or two later, Ephraim Dunlap was electedstate's attorney, although he had not yet been licensed by the superior court. Both of the above ment continued to practice in the courts of the State for several years. Other attorneys admitted to practice were Spruce McCoy, 1779; William Cocke, 1780; William Johnson and Reuben Wood, 1784; Archibald Roane, David Allison, Jospeh Hamilton, James McNairy and James Reese, 1788; Alexander McGinty, 1787; John Rea and Hopkins Lacy, 1790. Of these early attorneys only one or two were residents of Washington County.
Transcribed by Pat Sabin

August 1999

Please note: In the process of transcribing this history I recognized what I believe are typographical errors in surnames. If you notice a mistake, please contact me. If the mistake is present in the printing, I will make a correction in the form of a postscript.

Pat Sabin.

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    Captain William 'Billy' Bean (1721-1782) son of William Bean and Elizabeth Hatton was the first recorded permanent white settler in what later became the state of Tennessee. While settled in Pittsylvania (Danville) County, Virginia he traveled to Holston country on hunting expeditions with Daniel Boone. In 1768 he cleared some land and built a cabin on Boone's Creek of the Watauga River in an area where he understood the hunting was good. The next year he brought his family to the lower Watauga. He was soon joined by his brothers-in-law, George and John Russell, and by other relatives and friends from southern Virginia. His son Russell was the first recorded white born in Tennessee. William is said to have been "a man of parts", having been a substantial landowner in Pittsylvania County and a Captain in the Virginia militia. Members of the Bean family were prominent in civil and military affairs in the Watauga Valley for many years. The colony was outside of any governmental control so they founded the Watuaga Association. In the fall of 1775 the Wautuga residents held a conference and decided to side with the American cause. A committee was formed that included William and they declared themselves the "Washington District." In 1776 an ordinance was appended to the North Carolina Constitution appointed William and 20 other individuals as Justices of the Peach for the Washington District. He served in the Revolutionary War from 1776 to1780 as a Captain in the Watauga Riflemen. At the Battle of Kings Mountain, Captain Bean and his man scattered a band of Tories and hanged 9 of them.  His last will and testament was signed in 6 January 1782, four months prior to his death.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Beans’ ancestry can be traced to Scotland, where they belonged to the Clan Chattan
and were known as the MacBeans, a family of ancient origin. They apparently lived in

the old province of Moray, the home of the MacBeths made famous by Shakespeare’s

play. The MacBean motto was; “Touch not the cat but a glove.” The old Gaelic word

Beathan, which means “living” or “lively one,” is the origin of the MacBean name.

When the MacBeans came to America, they altered their name to Bean.

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WILLIAM5 BEAN (WILLIAM4, JOHN (MACBEAN)3, WILLIAM 22, WILLIAM 11) was born December 09, 1721 in St. Stephen's Par., Northumberland Co., Virginia, and died May 1782 in Bean Station, Washington Co., Tennessee. He married LYDIA RUSSELL3,4 17595,6. She was born 1726 in Northumberland Co., Virginia, and died Bef. June 18, 1788 in Washington, Co., Tennessee.

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/u/n/d/Daniel-Pruitt-Unde...

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William and Wife Lydia are suppose to be the first permanent white people in Tenn. at a place called Watauga.

Correction below sent in by flgrl (#46913650)

Their suggestion:

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• ***************************** He was the son of William Bean and Elizabeth Hatton Bean. William Bean,Jr(CAPTAIN WILLIAM BEAN) was born in St. Stephens Parish, North Cumberland County, Virginia

CAPTAIN WILLIAM BEAN died in Hawkins County, Tennessee

The Bean Family are one of the first recorded families living in the area that eventually became Tennessee.

(Captain)William Bean settled at one time in Danville County, Virginia;moving on to Boone's Creek of the Watauga River because of the abundance of game.

The political history of Tennessee begins with a convention of the settlers on the Watauga River, 1772, which organized the Watauga Association, and appointed a court consisting of five members, which was entrusted with the entire administration of its laws. There were 13 members on the committee; one of the names was WILLIAM BEEN(BEAN)

When the County was organized on February 23, 1778 William Been(Bean) was one of the Magistrate's listed in attendance.

William Bean served in the Revolutionary War from 1776 to 1780 as a Captain in the Watauga Riflemen. They participated in the BATTLE OF KINGS MOUNTAIN.

CAPTAIN WILLIAM BEAN Married (1) Lydia Russell

• ***********************************************************
• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Feb 11 2016, 21:52:58 UTC

  ---

  
  

William and Wife Lydia are suppose to be the first permanent white people in Tenn. at a place called Watauga.

Correction below sent in by flgrl (#46913650)

Their suggestion:

---

• ***************************** He was the son of William Bean and Elizabeth Hatton Bean. William Bean,Jr(CAPTAIN WILLIAM BEAN) was born in St. Stephens Parish, North Cumberland County, Virginia

CAPTAIN WILLIAM BEAN died in Hawkins County, Tennessee

The Bean Family are one of the first recorded families living in the area that eventually became Tennessee.

(Captain)William Bean settled at one time in Danville County, Virginia;moving on to Boone's Creek of the Watauga River because of the abundance of game.

The political history of Tennessee begins with a convention of the settlers on the Watauga River, 1772, which organized the Watauga Association, and appointed a court consisting of five members, which was entrusted with the entire administration of its laws. There were 13 members on the committee; one of the names was WILLIAM BEEN(BEAN)

When the County was organized on February 23, 1778 William Been(Bean) was one of the Magistrate's listed in attendance.

William Bean served in the Revolutionary War from 1776 to 1780 as a Captain in the Watauga Riflemen. They participated in the BATTLE OF KINGS MOUNTAIN.

CAPTAIN WILLIAM BEAN Married (1) Lydia Russell

• ***********************************************************
• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Feb 12 2016, 0:06:38 UTC

  ---

  
  

DAR #: A008045 First white to build a cabin in TN, founded Bean Station, one of the oldest settlements in TN, plus Fort Bean and Bean Tavern.

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BIOGRAPHY: William Bean I. The geneological history of this branch of the Bean Clan in North America begins with the family of William and Naomi (Bates) Bean. They emigrated to America in 1767. They settled in South Carolina on Duncan Creek in What is now Laurens County (Known before as District No. 96). William Bean I was born in Scotland in about 1730. In 1740, at the age of ten, he accompanied his parents in their move to North Ireland. (Because of the Scottish Clans defeat in the Battle of Culloden in 1745, and its terrible aftermath, William Bean I and his parents fled Scotland for Northern Ireland, and thence on to South Carolina and the start of the family saga in North America) In about 1753, while in Ireland, he married Naomi (Namoiah) Bates, a daughter of Isaac Bates. Naomi's place of birth in unknown, but she was of Scottish descent. Three of their children (William II, Thomas, and Agnes) were born in North Ireland (Londonderry area) and accompanied their partents to America in 1767 aboard the Admiral Hawk. Four more children (Isaac, Molly, John, and Matthew) were lateer born on Duncan Creek, South Carolina. William Bean I's estate was settled on 3 April 1793, suggesting that he died shortly before that date. William Bean I and Naomi possibly never left Laurens County. However, some evidence suggests that at one time he owned land in Edgerfield Coung, South Carolina. William Bean II was born in North Ireland on 8 February 1754. In 1767, when he was 13 years old, he accompained his parents to America aboard the Admiral Hawk. He grew up on Duncans Creek in South Carolina. Possibly, he first married Celia Wyatt, who may have died after bearing on child (Peter). William Bean II then married Ann Scott. Ann was born in 1760 in Scotland (possibly at Larne), the daughter of William and Mary Scott. She came to America in 1769. William Bean II had a large family (possibly as many as 23 children) of which twelve or thirteen can be sure, ( Peter, William III, Thomas, Walter, Jonathan, John Jacob, Jenny Mary, Ransom (Randall), Naomi, James, Connor(?), and Martha). The family allegedly moved (date unknown) to what was then Burke County, North Carolina. Some data suggest that William Bean II served as a private in the militia during the Revolutionary war. Allegedly, he saw action at Charleston, South Carolina. They were there at the time of the death of William Bean I, where William II was a beneficiary in his father's estate. On 16 May 1793, William II and his wife Ann sold 150 acres of land that had originally been part of the grant given to William Bean I in 1768 by Governor Bull. On 1 March 1794, they sold 100 acres located on the South Fork of Duncan Creek, part of the 250 acre original grant to William Bean I. William BeanI II and Ann moved to Edgefield County, South Carolina. They sold the land on 25 September 1799, and on 18 July 1801, Ann relinquished Dower rights on the property. Ann's father William Scott also lived and died in Newberry County. Evidently, William II and Ann moved to Kentucky about 1801 and settled on a place near Elkton, then Christian County. Source Information found in the book, POORETS, George Washington Bean, Mormon Pioneer of 1847, Indian Interpreter, Explorer, Judge, by James A. Bean, and Published by Jim Bean Associates, Los Gatos, California.

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NAME: William Bean Jr.

NAME: William Bean Jr. - (AFN:30RS-N7), and (AFN: 30RS-LV) - Source L.D.S., Ancestral File.

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BIOGRAPHY: 4322 William Bean 2 (We begin with generation 2 because we expect to soon identify his father) b. 1730, Scotland, d. before 3-1-1794, Laurens Co., S.C. Duncan Creek (Date of settlement of his estate) m. 1753, Ireland, Naomi Bates, b. 1738, dau. of Isaac Bates. Place of her birth and death are yet unknown, except that her father was from Scotland (See Searching with Success by Bennett, pg. 177-179) They are credited with 7 ch., 3 b. in Ireland and 4 on Duncan Creek, Craven Co., S.C. + William Bean, b 2-8-1754

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(This page, 4328) - Thomas Bean, b. 2-21-1764 - Agnes Bean, b. 7-6-1766, d. ______, m. 1790 J.F. Shaw + Isaac P. Bean, b. 7-6-1769, d. ____. (See Fam 4322-1, pg. 1382) - Mary "Molly" Bean, b. 8-23-1772, d. Jefferson Co., ILL., m, 1792 Samuel Stormont. + John Bean, b. 10-18-1776,

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See Vol. II, pg. 644

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(7630) - Matthew Bean, b. 4 -11-1781, d. _____, Carbondale, ILL. See Vol. II for records of the families of the above except Wm3. - Source, THE LIFE AND FAMILY OF JOHN BEAN OF EXETER AND HIS COUSINS, Vol I, The Clan MacBean in North America, 1970 5th Edition 1985 Updated Revised By Bernie MacBean of MacBean Station, Published By The Clan MacBean Press, P.O. Box 278, Cut and Shoot, Texas 77301.

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BIOGRAPHY: 4328 William Bean3 (Fam. 4322, above) b. 2-2-1754, Ireland, came to America in 1767 with his parents, d. before 1816 (date of settlement of his estate) Elkton KY., m 1st?, 1776, Celia Wyatt, and 2nd, Ann Scott, b. 1760, prob. in Scotland, dau. of Wm. (b. 1728) and Mary (b. 1733) Scott, who came to America from Scotland. We quote the 1st m. on the authority of Geo. Washington Bean of Salt Lake City and his Autobiograph. During the Revolutionary war William removed to Burke Co., N.C. but returned to S.C. in the mid 1790s. In ca 1803 he removed to Elkton, KY., where he died. As many as 23 children have been credited to him by both m. but this is hard to believe. 13 appear to be authentic. - Peter Bean, b. 1774?, N.C., m. Frances

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(7673) + William Bean, b. 1777, See Fam. 4329, pg. 1072 & Vol. II -(7740) - Thomas Bean, b. ____, d. after 11-16-1827, m. 7-25-1810, Caldwell Co., KY, Elizabeth Martin. + Walter Bean, b. 4- 3-1779, Burke Co., N.C., See pg 1073

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(4330) + Jonathan Bean, b. 1781, Burke Co., N.C., See pg. 1071

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(4324) - John Jacob Bean, b. ____. - Jenny Mary Bean, b. ca 1785, m. 2-17-1803, Smithland, KY., James Bell.. - Ramdall (or Ramsom) Bean, b. ____, (See Monroe Co., KY.) (7799) - Naomi Bean, b. (Twin of Ransom, b. + James Bean, b. ca 1885, See pg. 1219. #4328 -1 & Vol. II

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(7800) + Connor Bean, b. ca 1885?, See pg. 1232, #4328-2 & Vol II--(7823) - Martha Bean, b. ___, m. 8-26-1822, Caldwell Co., KY, James Dobbins. - Margaret Bean, b. ca 1805, m. 8-26-1826, Smithland, KY., Giles Barrett. -Walter Bean went to Franklin Co., Tenn then to Gallatin Co., ILL. -Connor Bean went to Franklin Co., Tenn. -Jonathan Bean went to Franklin Co., Tenn. & in 1832 to Gallatin Co., ILL. -James Bean went to Franklin Co., Tenn. & to Harrison Co., Ind. -Peter Bean went to Monroe Co., KY. where he had a Land Grant on East Fork of Big Barron River, 1-16-1819. Monroe Co., Census of 1820. See Vol. II. - Sourece the book, THE LIFE AND FAMILY OF JOHN BEAN OF EXETER AND HIS COUSINS, Vol. 1, The Clan MacBean in North America, 1970, 5th Edition 1985, Updated Revised By Bernie MacBean of MacBean Station, Published by The Clan MacBean, Press, P.O. Box 278, Cut and Shoot Texas, 77301. pg, 1070.

Birth: 8 FEB 1754 in , , , Ireland Death: 25 JUL 1810 in Elkton, Christian, Kentucky Ancestral File #: 30RS-LV

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ID: I2639 Name: William Bean Given Name: William Surname: Bean Sex: M _UID: CAD245D67719D5119D63B90C96EDF61D887B Change Date: 1 MAR 2012 Note: NAME: William Bean

NAME: William Bean - (AFN: 30RS-N7), and (AFN: NKZ2-19) - Source L.D.S., Ancestral File.

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BIOGRAPHY: 4322 William Bean 2 (We begin with generation 2 because we expect to soon identify his father) b. 1730, Scotland, d. before 3-1-1794, Laurens Co., S.C. Duncan Creek (Date of settlement of his estate) m. 1753, Ireland, Naomi Bates, b. 1738, dau. of Isaac Bates. Place of her birth and death are yet unknown, except that her father was from Scotland (See Searching with Success by Bennett, pg. 177-179) They are credited with 7 ch., 3 b. in Ireland and 4 on Duncan Creek, Craven Co., S.C. + William Bean, b 2-8-1754

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(This page, 4328) - Thomas Bean, b. 2-21-1764 - Agnes Bean, b. 7-6-1766, d. ______, m. 1790 J.F. Shaw + Isaac P. Bean, b. 7-6-1769, d. ____. (See Fam 4322-1, pg. 1382) - Mary "Molly" Bean, b. 8-23-1772, d. Jefferson Co., ILL., m. 1792, Samuel Stormont. + John Bean, b. 10-18-1776, --- See Vol, II., pg 664

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(7630) - Matthew Bean, b. 4 -11-1871, d. ____, Carbondale, ILL. See Vol. II for records of the families of the above except Wm3. - Source, THE LIFE AND FAMILY OF JOHN BEAN OF EXETER AND HIS COUSINS, Vol I, The Clan MacBean in North America, 1970 5th Edition 1985 Updated Revised By Bernie MacBean of MacBean Station, Published By The Clan MacBean Press, P.O. Box 278, Cut and Shoot, Texas 77301.

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BIOGRAPHY: William Bean I. The geneological history of this branch of the Bean Clan in North America begins with the family of William and Naomi (Bates) Bean. They emigrated to America in 1767. They settled in South Carolina on Duncan Creek in What is now Laurens County (Known before as District No. 96). William Bean I was born in Scotland in about 1730. In 1740, at the age of ten, he accompanied his parents in their move to North Ireland. (Because of the Scottish Clans defeat in the Battle of Culloden in 1745, and its terrible aftermath, William Bean I and his parents fled Scotland for Northern Ireland, and thence on to South Carolina and the start of the family saga in North America) In about 1753, while in Ireland, he married Naomi (Namoiah) Bates, a daughter of Isaac Bates. Naomi's place of birth in unknown, but she was of Scottish descent. Three of their children (William II, Thomas, and Agnes) were born in North Ireland (Londonderry area) and accompanied their partents to America in 1767 aboard the Admiral Hawk. Four more children (Isaac, Molly, John, and Matthew) were lateer born on Duncan Creek, South Carolina. William Bean I's estate was settled on 3 April 1793, suggesting that he died shortly before that date. William Bean I and Naomi possibly never left Laurens County. However, some evidence suggests that at one time he owned land in Edgerfield Coung, South Carolina. Source Information found in the Book, POORETS, George Washington Bean, Mormon Pioneer of 1847, Indian Interpreter, Explorer, Judge, by James A. Bean, Published by Jim Bean Associates, Los Gatos, California.

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E-MAIL: From : - Mark.F.Bean@gsk.com - Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2006 1:56 PM. To: donmartinthomas@hotmail.com - Subject: William Bean m. Naomi etc. - Hi (Don is it?). I believe you have a few minor errors in the data on William Bean etc. which I can substantiate and would like to avoid propagating about the web. William Bean b.1730 should be b.1727 as he listed himself as age 40 in the days prior to Jan 5, 1768 on the Admiral Hawke ship's list. Jan 5 is the day that the Clerk entered the ship list in the Council records, so one assumes that he visited the ship in the preceding two weeks (there had been a council meeting on Dec 15). This pretty much locks him in as born 1727. His death date is not known, but is prior to his son selling his estate as you note. However, it should be South Fork of Duncan's Creek, not Duncan's Creek. Maybe inconsequential, but perhaps someone will go looking for the original log cabin (I have). Laurens Co. is most correct, the stated Craven Co. entry is not very useful as that huge area designation was replaced by "Ninety-Six District" (and other districts) in 1769 and then in W.B.'s case, Laurens Co. (created 1785). See http://www.sciway.net/cnty/history/timeline.html - It is not reasonable to state that William fled Scotland in 1740 in the aftermath of Culloden Field (1745). Either he left after Culloden or before, either is reasonable. Staying in Croy after Culloden is not reasonable as Croy was within modern walking distance of Culloden and spitting distance of the largest English fort in the world - Ft. George - erected to secure the Highlands. In fact, no one can truly say where he came from other than Ireland. My father found a record of a William Bean in Ulster and believed it to be this William, though there it is hard to draw conclusions based on the name William Bean. There was probably at least 3 William Beans (father, son, and another at Long Canes) in SC in 1780. It is also inconclusive that Naomi was in fact Bates. The only evidence is from Flora Diana Bean 1871, daughter of G. W. Bean 191831-1897) who edited and published her father's autobiography. The statement appears on page 265 in a section written by Flora, not George, and refers to a lost Bible record. In the same paragraph she states that William and Naomi married 1753 in SC - which is odd considering they arrived in 1767. That Naomi was the daughter of Isaac Bates strikes me as supposition. He was in SC at the time, had been granted a relatively huge parcel of 750 acres, but 80- 90 miles east of William Bean, and anyway, Naomi arrived by boat from Ireland. One supporting piece of evidence is that they named a son Isaac, and Isaac had land bequeathed him by his father and sold it the same day as William Bean Jr. That piece was granted William Bean Sr on 15 Aug, 1774, and presumably reflects the birth of the first three American children Isaac, Mary, and John Bean (50 acres each was the rule). Lastly Mary Bean married Samuel Storment (he changed the family name spelling from Stormont, but used Storment). Somewhere, I have hand-written copies of the Inverness Croy and related parish records for MacBean. They are available in the library at Inverness or in Edinburgh. It is easier to access the microfilms in Inverness as it is less crowded. There was a William Bean born about the right time (to another William Bean). I am son of WB 1727, WB 1754, WB 1777, WB 1809, WHB 1846, WEB 1889, RWB 1917, but you will be glad my name is Mark (my brother is William Hillary Bean). Yikes, don't Beans have any imagination? I have photographs of WB 1809, WHB 1846, WEB 1889, RWB 1917, friends and relations if anyone wants them. How do you connect here? regards, Mark F. Bean, Ph.D.

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Birth: 1730 in , Scotland Death: ABT 1783 in Duncan Creek, Laurens, South Carolina Ancestral File #: 30RS-N7

Marriage 1 Naomi Bates b: 1738 in , , Ireland Married: 1753 in , , Ireland Children Has Children William Bean b: 8 FEB 1754 in , , , Ireland Has No Children Thomas Bean b: 21 FEB 1764 Has No Children Agnes Bean b: 6 JUL 1766 in , Londonderry, Ireland Has No Children Isaac P. Bean b: 27 JUN 1769 in Duncan Creek, Laurens, South Carolina Has No Children Mary Bean b: 23 AUG 1772 in Duncan Creek, Laurens, South Carolina Has No Children John Bean b: 18 OCT 1776 in Duncan Creek, Laurens, South Carolina Has No Children Matthew Bean b: 11 APR 1781 in Duncan Creek, Laurens, South Carolina

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GEDCOM Note

Category:Clan Chattan
tartan = Clan Tartans-113.jpg Category:Washington_District Category:Sons of_the_American_Revolution
category=American Revolution
sar-number = A008045

Biography ==Captain WILLIAM 'BILLY' BEAN [1258] was a Magistrate in Colonial NorthCarolina, serviing as Justice of the Peace and Judge of the County Court. <ref> DAR Ancestor #: A008045 </ref> William Bean served in theRevolutionary War from 1776 to 1780 as a Captain in the Watauga Riflemen. They participated in the Battle of Kings Mountain. <ref> 58613847 </ref> William was born 9 December 1721 in St. Stephens Parish, Northumberland County, Virginia, and died May 1782 in German Creek, Washington (now Grainger) County, Tennessee.

In 1741, in North Carolina, William married Lydia Russell, <ref> Wikipedia:William_Bean </ref> daughter of William Russell and Martha (Henley) Russell. Lydia was born 29 September 1726 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia, and died before 18 June 1788 in Washington county, North Carolina (now Grainger) County, Tennessee. Although it may appear that William and Lydia moved around in Virginia, they lived first in present day Pittsylvania County Virginia and county lines around them changed while they lived there. Lunenburg County was established on May 1, 1746, from Brunswick County; Halifax County was established in 1752 by English colonists from Lunenburg County, and Pittsylvania county was formed in 1767 from Halifax County. They lived in the western portion of Halifax County (now Pittsylvania), Virginia on the northern side of the Dan River. In 1753 he and others were ordered to lay out a road from his house to the the Falls of Banister this road having previously been ordered by the Lunenburg Court in 1750. In 1768 William began selling his property in Pittsylvania county, Virginia. He sold a parcel of land to Jeremiah Walker on August 26, 1768and land in Pittsylvania County to Col. John Payne of Goochland, Nicholas Perkins, Gideon Marr. In 1769, William moved his family to the Watauga Settlement, on a a tributary of the Watauga River, near what is today Johnson City, Tennessee. It is said that William had hunted there with Daniel Boone and was familiar with the area. When William built a log cabin on the bank of the Boone Creek, they become the firstfamily to settle permanently in what later became the state of Tennessee. Their youngest son Russell was born only a few days after their arrival. Soon they were joined by Lydia's brothers John and George. Gradually a settlement, grew up around them, composed largely of the families of the Regulators whom the tyranny of Governor Tryon had drivenout of North Carolina. In July 1776 militant Cherokees prepared to attack illegal white communities on the Watauga River. The famous Cherokee, Nancy Ward, disapproved of intentionally taking civilian lives. Nancy was able to warn several of the Watauga settlements in time for them to defend themselves or flee. Lydia was unfortunate enough to be taken alive by the Cherokee warriors as she made her way from her home on Boone's Creek to Sycamore Shoals. She was taken an Indian camp where she found 13 year old Samuel Moore, also a prisoner. The Indians, with Samuel as interpreter, asked Lydia many questions concerning the strength of the whites – how many forts they had, how many soldiers in each, whether they hadpowder, etc. She answered these questions so as to leave the impression that the settlers were able to take care of themselves. She was then condemned to death, bound, taken to the top of one of the mounds andwas about to be burned, when Nancy Ward, then exercising in the nation the functions of the Beloved or Pretty Woman, interfered and pronounced her pardon. Her life was spared. Samuel was not so lucky and was burned at the stake. In 1787 Lydia owned 400 acres of land in Washington County, Tennessee. (Source Needed)

Children of WILLIAM BEAN and LYDIA RUSSELL are:

• Mordecai Bean, b. march 1743/1744, Virginia; 28 November 1814, Virginia. (Note: this child in not listed in the Clan MacBean resource)
• Captain WILLIAM R. BEAN, born between 1745, in Augusta County, Virginia; d. about 1825, Jonesborough, Washington County, Tennessee, married1) Rachel Ball and 2) Elizabeth (Blair) Shaw (DAR Ancestor A008044)
• John Bean, born before 1749 in Luneburg county Virginia; died shortly after 1815, possibly Franklin County, Tennessee, married 1) unknown 2) Rachel Griffith and 3) Reuben B. Woodall
• Robert Bean, born before 1750, in Lunenburg County, Virginia, died about 1793, Hawkins County, Tennessee, married Rhoda Lane. (DAR Ancestor #: A119579)
• George Bean, born 1754, in Halifax county, Virginia, died between 1816 and 1820, Franklin County, Tennessee, married 1) Jane Hazard and 2)Prudence (Windham) Cope
• Captain Jesse Bean, born about 1756, in Halifax County, Virginia; d. 10 Sep 1829, Independence County, Arkansas, married Elizabeth Mitchell(DAR Ancestor #: A008006 )
• Edmund Bean, born 1763, Halifax County, Virginia; died December 3, 1807, Washington County, Tennessee.
• Jane Bean, born 1766, Halifax County, Virginia; Killed by Indians on November 24, 1798, near Bean's Station, in Grainger County, Tennessee.
• Sarah Bean, born 1768, in newly formed Pittsylvania County, Virginia;died 1861, Fair Play, Oceolo County, Missouri, buried at Bolivar, Missouri, married John Bowen
• Russell Bean, born May, 1769, First White child born in Tennessee, (Watauga Settlement) died January 9, 1826, Washington County, Tennessee;married at the age of twenty to Rosamond Robertson, on October 8, 1789, by the Reverend Jonathan Mulkey, Baptist minister. Rosamond was born circa 1775 to Charles Robertson and Susannah (Nichols) Robertson. It was the first marriage for both of them.

Daughters of The American Revolution Record

:BEAN, WILLIAM :Service: NORTH CAROLINA :Rank: CIVIL SERVICE :Birth: 12-9-1721 NORTHUMBERLAND CO VIRGINIA :Death: 5- -1782 WASHINGTON CO NORTH CAROLINA :Service Source: CLARK, STATE RECS OF NC, VOL 23, P 995; VOL 11, P 653 :Service Description: JP AND JUDGE OF CO COURT :Notice: 2 William Beans :Residence: WATAUGA, WASHINGTON CO, NORTH CAROLINA :Spouse: LYDIA RUSSELL :SIGNED WATAUGA PETITION

Researcher's Notes

•Birth: 9 DEC 1721 in St. Stephens Parish, Northumberland Co., VA

•Death: BET JAN 1782 AND APR 1782 in Washington Co., Tennessee

On US Highway 23, on the outskirts of Johnson City, TN, goingtoward Big Stone Gap, VA is a historical marker beside the highway saying, "Site of cabin erected 1768 by William Bean. Russell Bean, first white child born on Tennessee soil, born here." The marker was placed in a spot that, according to the "Bean" author in 1973, "is almost impossible to reach now, and only those who are made of the sturdy stuff are inclined to fight their way through poison ivy, briars and barbed wire fences to reach the spot."
This is the inscription on a marker erected by the Nancy Ward chapter,Daughters of the American Revolution, Chattanooga, TN, 1929, honoringBean Station. Originally the marker was located on a corner of the lot of the Old Colonial Inn. The marker was moved to park area in 1942 above the water line of the Cherokee Lake, near the site where the Tennessee DAR hopes to restore the Bean Tavern.

Sources

<references />

• 1767: First List of Tithables, Pittsylvania County, Virginia*1768: Tennessee The Volunteer State Vol 1 - Biographies of professional individuals residing in Tennessee from 1769-1923, Page 50*1769: The Overmountain Men, Pat Alderman, The Overmountain Press, 1970, Page 13*1769: Tennessee The Volunteer State Vol 1 - Biographies of professional individuals residing in Tennessee from 1769-1923, Page 63*1776: Tennessee The Volunteer State Vol 1 - Biographies of professional individuals residing in Tennessee from 1769-1923, Page 166, 247
• 1776: DAR Patriot Index - Centennial Edition, Part I, 1990*1782: Last Will and Testament of William Bean, Jonesborough, Washington County, Tennessee Courthouse, Vol I, page 4 *Records of Record of Births 1661-1810 Northumberland County, Virginia, abstracted and published by Beverly Fleet.*<i>William Bean: Pioneer of Tennessee and his Descendants, </i> "William Bean: Pioneer of Tennessee and his Descendants," by Jamie Ault Grady 1973, pages 9,12, 14, 20, 22
• http://www.larkcom.us/ancestry/history/2427.cfm*Clan MacBean in North America, Volume II, Fifth Edition, Revised 1993, by Joseph S. Bean, pages 320-458*http://www.anamericanfamilyhistory.com/TennesseeFamilies&Places/Bea... The Bean Family of Washington County, Tennessee*Database, (http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=jwtrout&i...: accessed )

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William and Wife Lydia are suppose to be the first permanent white people in Tenn. at a place called Watauga.

Correction below sent in by flgrl (#46913650)

Their suggestion:

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He was the son of William Bean and Elizabeth Hatton Bean.
William Bean,Jr(CAPTAIN WILLIAM BEAN) was born in St. Stephens Parish, North Cumberland County, Virginia

CAPTAIN WILLIAM BEAN died in Hawkins County, Tennessee

The Bean Family are one of the first recorded families living in the area that eventually became Tennessee.

(Captain)William Bean settled at one time in Danville County, Virginia;moving on to Boone's Creek of the Watauga River because of the abundance of game.

The political history of Tennessee begins with a convention of the settlers on the Watauga River, 1772, which organized the Watauga Association, and appointed a court consisting of five members, which was entrusted with the entire administration of its laws. There were 13 members on the committee; one of the names was WILLIAM BEEN(BEAN)

When the County was organized on February 23, 1778 William Been(Bean) was one of the Magistrate's listed in attendance.

William Bean served in the Revolutionary War from 1776 to 1780 as a Captain in the Watauga Riflemen. They participated in the BATTLE OF KINGS MOUNTAIN.

CAPTAIN WILLIAM BEAN Married (1) Lydia Russell

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• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Aug 16 2022, 14:59:54 UTC
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Bean

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He was the son of William Bean and Elizabeth Hatton Bean.
William Bean,Jr(CAPTAIN WILLIAM BEAN) was born in St. Stephens Parish, North Cumberland County, Virginia

CAPTAIN WILLIAM BEAN died in Hawkins County, Tennessee

The Bean Family are one of the first recorded families living in the area that eventually became Tennessee.

(Captain)William Bean settled at one time in Danville County, Virginia;moving on to Boone's Creek of the Watauga River because of the abundance of game.

The political history of Tennessee begins with a convention of the settlers on the Watauga River, 1772, which organized the Watauga Association, and appointed a court consisting of five members, which was entrusted with the entire administration of its laws. There were 13 members on the committee; one of the names was WILLIAM BEEN(BEAN)

When the County was organized on February 23, 1778 William Been(Bean) was one of the Magistrate's listed in attendance.

William Bean served in the Revolutionary War from 1776 to 1780 as a Captain in the Watauga Riflemen. They participated in the BATTLE OF KINGS MOUNTAIN.

CAPTAIN WILLIAM BEAN Married (1) Lydia Russell

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• Military_service: Augusta, Virginia, British Colonial America - 1742
• Military_service: Halifax, Virginia, British Colonial America - about 1754
• Military_service: Washington County, North Carolina (now Tenn) - 1778
• Military_service: Washington, Beaufort, North Carolina, United States - 12 Jun 1783
• Residence: Halifax, Virginia, British Colonial America - March 1747
• Residence: Halifax, Virginia, British Colonial America - 1752
• Residence: Halifax, Virginia, British Colonial America - 1753
• Residence: Augusta, Virginia, British Colonial America - 1764
• Residence: Watauga settlement, North Carolina (now Tennessee) - 1769
• Residence: Holston settlement, North Carolina (now Bristol, Tenn. - about 1771
• Residence: Watauga Settlement, Washington Dist., North Carolina (now Tenn.) - 3 April 1775