My Genealogy Hound

MASSIE BEASLEY, Justice of the Peace, Aberdeen. Probably no man in Brown County enjoys a greater degree of notoriety than the above-named gentleman. He was born in this township Jan. 3, 1811, and is a son of Benjamin and Ann (Allentharp) Beasley. The former was born in Virginia, Dec. 13, 1773, and died in this township July 24, 1851; his wife was born December 25, 1777, and died December 7, 1841 Benjamin was a son of Charles and Elizabeth Beasley. Charles’ father was born in England. In 1788, Charles Beasley with his family emigrated to Kentucky, and in 1793 and 1794, Benjamin acted as an Indian spy under Gen. Henry Lee, and did good service for the pioneers. In 1796, he was married to Ann Allentharp, and soon after joined a company gotten up by Gen. Nathaniel Massie, to found a settlement where the city of Manchester is now located. One year later, he came to this township and bought 200 acres of land in Survey No. 2,627. He was a man of good attainments and a skilled surveyor; he was successful, and accumulated a large property. Ten children were born to him — John T., Mary, Elizabeth, Jeptha, Lucinda, Benjamin, Mason, Massie, Harvey and Julia Ann — all deceased but Massie. The early life of our subject was passed in a manner common with pioneer boys. His scientific training was received under his brother Jeptha and Adam Calderwood, surveyors of considerable note. At the age of sixteen years, he had completed his studies, and then took up civil engineering under the tutorage of Mr. Calderwood. His business has been extensive, and he has without doubt run more lines than any other surveyor the county ever had. In 1850, he was elected Justice of the Peace, of this township. In 1855, he Game to Aberdeen, and has been Mayor of the place three terms. In 1870, he was again elected Justice of the Peace, and successor to the famous Thomas Shelton, Esq. For fifty four years this remarkable man wore the ermine of office, and during this time solemnized 4,000 marriages before he died; his mantle fell upon the shoulders of our worthy subject, who, since has with dignity and decorum linked together “for better or worse,” the destinies of 3,000 couples. His popularity as the “Marriage Squire” extends everywhere, and those whose fondest desires cannot be realized because of parental authority, have only to call upon the Squire, who will in a few minutes, and in an impressive way, still their troubled hearts in defiance of parental restrictions. Mr. Beasley was married, March 4, 1832, to Jane T., the daughter of Henry and Sophia Cropper, by whom he had nine children - James H., Thomas M., John F., Benjamin F., Eliza, and four that died in infancy. Mrs. Beasley died September 7, 1874, aged sixty-one years and twenty-three days. Massie Beasley, the subject of this sketch, is a well-preserved man, both physically and mentally; is buoyant and frolicism in disposition, and highly esteemed throughout the county.