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CHAPTER XXXVII
ERIE COUNTY CELEBRITIES
Old John Beatty is mentioned as a typical pioneer. He built the
old Beatty mansion which still stands east of Bogarts. He also built a
church known as the Beatty Church, Avhich aftenvards became a Lutheran
Church solely because be did not believe that the Methodist Church at
that lime had any principles on the subject of slavery and he proposed
to have a church that, Avould stand for opposition to the evil to Avhich
he AVIIS himself opposed. Like many reformers he did not haA'e much
business ability. He became land poor. He bought a large amount of
land in Erie County and sold some of it for less Ihan he paid. He sold
the farm in IJerkins ToAvnship that is knoAvn as Hie Lindsay Farm,
formerly oAvncd by Gen. W. I). Lindsay, for 1,600 bushels of potatoes.
and Avhen the potatoes Ave re dug and ready for delivery be left them
lay on the field to rot.
For twenty years he AVIIS never Avilhout a lawsuit in court and
spent in litigation property 1 licit today Avould undoubtedly be Avorth
several millions of dollars. lie had one lawsuit with the United States
^-over a cask of brandy that got past the custom house officials which cost
him a large amount of money.
His anger or sympathy AA'ere easily aroused. On one occasion a
neighbor came to him and told him that a man named Smith AVIIS ill treating
his children, Hint he had a number of small children and only fed
them one meal a day, Avhereupon Mr. Beatty in anger Avent over to see
Mr. Smith and Avhen be learned the truth, which AVIIS the fact that Smith
began to feed his children in the morning and fed them all day, he took
the joker by the neck and kicked him a few times, at which Mr. Smith
laughed, but neither Mr. Beatty nor the joker did.
Gen. John Beatty.—One of the most prominent men taking part in
the Civil Avar from Erie County AVIIS Gen. Jojin Beatty, who AVIIS born
December 16. 182S, in a log cabin on South Columbus Avenue, being the
only house betAveeii Sandusky and IIOAV Avhat is called Bogarts. His
grandfather built the first brick house in the Firelands near Bogarts and
it is still standing. His early education AVIIS obtained in the district
school. The coming and going of the stage coach from Mansfield and
toAvns further iuvny carrying travelers for Sandusky, where they took
boots for Buffalo. AVIIS an event in the child's life, as AVIIS the running
iiAvay to come to Sandusky to Avitness the execution of the murderer of
John ('. Ritter. the only person legally executed in Erie County.
At the outbreak of the Civil Avar he and his brother AA'ere in. the
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