Yesterday I ran into a Beattie mentioned who had done the stonework on the Statue of Liberty and was curious who it was. This has probably been posted before but I don't remember seeing it so I hope it is a new posting. Donna L-3 Anyone know a lineage? Representative Men and Old Families of Southeastern Massachusetts-1912 WILLIAM BEATTIE, now living retired, but in his active life one of the large quarrymen and contractors in his line in southern Massachusetts, a man who won success by his own work and gained position on his own merits, was born Oct. 4, 1829, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, a younger brother of John Beattie, quarryman and contractor, late of Leete Island, Guilford, who was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, June 18, 1820. John Beattie, their father, was a freeman of that city, and a direct descendant of that noted Beattie family of Eskdale Moore, in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, whose ancestry has been traced back more than six centuries, and whose valor and exploits in peace and war have been celebrated in the story and song of that country by Sir Walter Scott and others. On the paternal side his grandmother was Nancy Armstrong, a descendant of the Johnson family, of Dumiriesshire, also prominent in the affairs of Scotland. The mother of John Beattie was Ann Richardson, a daughter of John and Catharine (Tate) Richardson, both of families belonging to Haddington, Scotland. John and Ann (Richardson) Beattie had children: John, George (born in 1822), William, David (born in 1831) and Christiana. The parents came to America in 1828 and settled in Nova Scotia, Canada, where his father carried on his trade of stonemason and contractor. He was contractor in the construction of the masonry work on the Shubenacadie canal, between Halifax and Pictou. In that locality, on a small farm, the paternal home in this country was established. John Beattie, the elder of the brothers above referred to, was eight years old when he came with the family to this side of the Atlantic. In the neighborhood of the new home he was sent to school for a short time. But his robust nature rebelling against the restraint imposed by sedentary life, he preferred to labor in the fields of his father's farm. In Nova Scotia he attended with profit a few terms at the school of an excellent man, Rev. Mr. Morrison, and to these brief periods his school days were limited. After a few years residence in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and when John would no longer attend school, his father proposed to indenture him to learn the trade of a shoemaker, and had selected a master for him, whereupon the independent lad gave so emphatic a demonstration against the step that the plan was summarily abandoned. This opposition was probably the act in life which led him into the vocation in which he for so many years was successfully engaged. Being now thirteen years old, strong and healthy, with a love' for outdoor occupation, his father was persuaded to allow him to learn the trade of stone cutting, to which work John took with great spirit. In the course of a few years the failure of the canal company induced the Beatties to make their home at Newport, R. 1., whence the father and John went to New York to work at their trade. A year later they proceeded to Boston, and not long after to Newport, where the father died in 1835, when John was in his sixteenth year. The care of the family, consisting of his mother and four other children, the next eldest being ten years of age, now devolved upon John, who, deeply feeling the responsibility placed upon him, entered upon his life work with an earnestness of application that was bound to bring success. In his trade he becamevery skillful; and was a rapid and thorough workman. During the next four years he was employed at Fort Adams, R. I., having when he was eighteen years old his first contract to do work for the United States government. At the age of twenty years he was appointed foreman mason of the bridge builders on a section of the Boston & Troy railroad, and there for the fo11owing two years he had his first experience in overseeing large numbers of men. In 1846 he returned to Fort Adams, where he was appointed master stonecutter by Gen. W. S. Rosecrans, and superintended the preparation of the material used in that fortification until work was suspended by order of Jefferson Davis, at the time secretary of war. Again, for a year, Mr. Beattie was with the Boston & Troy Railroad Company, in his old capacity. He then went to California as a gold miner, in 1852, and for over two years had the experience of an argonaut without realizing any of the rewards sometimes associated therewith. Returning to the East, poor in purse and with impaired health, his next, work was building the stone towers for the suspension bridge across the Kentucky river at Pleasant Valley, from Cincinnati to Covington, in 1857. His health continuing poor, however, he and his brother William next opened a stonecutter's yard at Newport, in which he worked a year with beneficial results to his health. In 1855 Mr. Beattie was engaged in building the towers for the great bridge across the Ohio, between Cincinnati and Covington, after which he had an interest in the construction of Section 1, of the Brooklyn waterworks, at Jamaica, N. Y. That work being completed, at a loss to him, he spent some time building bridges on the Wabash railroad in Indiana, after which he returned to Jamaica, N. Y., and contracted for the construction of another section of the waterworks. This job he personally superintended, and to such great advantage that he and his partner cleared $20,000 in eighteen months. After this he executed many contracts for mason work, in bridges on railroads, warehouse docks, and lighthouses; built bridges on the Worcester & Nashua railroad, on the Old Colony line, and on the Warren & Fall River railroad; constructed the piers for the bridge at Warehouse Point (using sand bags for coffer dams for the first time in bridge construction in this couniry); and for the Old Colony docks at Newport -all public works. He also built the stone work of the statue of Liberty in New York harbor. In 1865 Mr. Beattie purchased the Harrison quarry, at Fall River, but after operating it one year left it in charge of his brother William and his son John, and opened another quarry at Niantic, Conn. In a few years he disposed of that interest, and in February, 1869, he went to Guilford, where he bought sixteen acres of land at Hoadley's Point, upon which were very fine ledges of excellent granite. During the following season he built several houses on this tract, doing at the same time the mason work for the Newport & Wickford railroad. On Aug. 22, 1870, he removed permanently to Leete Island, where he continued to make his home until his death, Nov. 18, 1899. Here he developed his large quarry interests until the industry became one of the largest of the kind in the State. His granite lands and real estate holdings at Leete Island increased to more than 400 acres, and employment was given to from 125 to 600 men, their operations being conducted in a systematic manner, aided by modern appliances. The products were readily transported to many localities by the Shore Line railroad, running through his lands, and by a fleet of vessels owned by him and laden at his docks at Hoadley's Point. The granite of these quarries is of several qualities, blue, pink and white, which are here cut, carved and polished into any desired form, and a coarse-grained gray, having a carrying capacity of 18,000 pounds to the square inch, which is much used for building purposes. A large quantity was thus supplied for the construction of the roadway of the New York & Harlem railroad, from the river to the Grand Central depot, in New York City. Much of the stone in the Brooklyn suspension bridge in New York was furnished from these quarries. Mr. Beattie had a thorough, practical knowledge of every department of work carried on by him, and being possessed of great industry, pluck and executive ability, he prospered in his affairs and earned the distinction of being one of the foremost business men in the eastern part of the country. Of strong physique, and liberally endowed with many of the distinguishing characteristics of the Scottish race, he was a typical son of the "land of the mountain and the flood." William Beattie went to a child's school in Halifax, and continued his studies after the family settled at Newport, but his attendance at day school stopped after he was ten or eleven years old, and later he attended night schooL He commenced work carrying tools at Fort Adams for one year, and then learned the trade of mason, serving three years at four dollars per month. His apprenticeship began in 1842 and was completed in 1846. In the latter year, in association with his brother George, he built a bridge and constructed the piers in Bangor, Maine. He was with his brother at Fort Adams until 1849, when, during Jefferson Davis's administration as secretary of war, work was discontinued, the funds giving out. George Beattie went around the Horn in 1849 and John and William went out to California in 1852, making the trip via Greytown, in Central America, over the Nicaragua route. The four brothers, John, George, William and David, were all in California at one time, William Beattie remaining there about two years and four months. Returning to the East, he became engaged at stonecutting in Newport, and then in 1865 with his brother John purchased the Harrison quarrY, in Fall River, which covered an area of two and a half acres. It was small and about ready to be abandoned. The brothers operated it about one year, when John withdrew, and William Beattie added to it as prosperity allowed until the property comprised over sixty acres. Mr. Beattie received considerable government work, and continued adding to his quarry and extending his business, one of his important contracts being to furnish the stone for the foundation of the State house at Albany, in 1873. Later, in 1877, he bought out his nephew and continued the business alone. His life has been much the same as that of his successful brother in the same line. By business ability of the most pronounced order he widened his interests and increased the scope of his work until he became one of the most extensive quarrymen in his region. By his own efforts, and the most honorable methods, he built up a business creditable alike to the owner and to the community in which it was carried on. Mr. Beattie is a director of the Union and Seaconnet Mills. At one time he was a member of St. John's Lodge, A. F. & A. M.; Newport, and of Quidneck Encampment (I. O. O. F.), of the same place. Mr. Beattie married Mary Hamilton, who was born in northern England, daughter of Thomas Hamilton, and came to America when two years old. Their children are: David, member of the firm of Beattie & Wilcox, of Fall River; William Henry, of the firm of Beattie & Cornell, of Fall River; and Roy Hamilton, who is engaged alone in the building of sea walls.

Here are birth records from the Old Parish registers: No Date Surname Forename Parent Names/ Sex Parish City/County 1 13/06/1821 BEATIE JOHN JOHN BEATIE/ANN RICHARDSON M St Cuthbert's EDINBURGH CITY/MIDLOTHIAN 2 22/05/1825 BEATTIE CATHERINE JOHN BEATTIE/ANN RICHARDSON F Canongate EDINBURGH CITY/MIDLOTHIAN Marriage: No Date Surname Forename Spouse Name/ Sex Parish City/County 1 06/03/1820 BEATTIE JOHN ANN RICHARDSON/ M Edinburgh EDINBURGH CITY/MIDLOTHIAN Laurel Baty, L252 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Donna VanZandt" <[email protected]> To: "BP2000" <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, August 31, 2007 8:19 PM Subject: [BP2000] Beattie Bio/Statue of Liberty > Yesterday I ran into a Beattie mentioned who had done the stonework on the > Statue of Liberty and was curious who it was. This has probably been > posted > before but I don't remember seeing it so I hope it is a new posting. > Donna > L-3 Anyone know a lineage? > > Representative Men and Old Families of Southeastern Massachusetts-1912 > > > > WILLIAM BEATTIE, now living retired, but in his active life one of the > large > quarrymen and contractors in his line in southern Massachusetts, a man who > won success by his own work and gained position on his own merits, was > born > Oct. 4, 1829, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, a younger brother of John Beattie, > quarryman and contractor, late of Leete Island, Guilford, who was born in > Edinburgh, Scotland, June 18, 1820. John Beattie, their father, was a > freeman of that city, and a direct descendant of that noted Beattie family > of Eskdale Moore, in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, whose ancestry has been > traced > back more than six > > centuries, and whose valor and exploits in peace and war have been > celebrated in the story and song of that country by Sir Walter Scott and > others. On the paternal side his grandmother was Nancy Armstrong, a > descendant of the Johnson family, of Dumiriesshire, also prominent in the > affairs of Scotland. The mother of John Beattie was Ann Richardson, a > daughter of John and Catharine (Tate) Richardson, both of families > belonging to Haddington, Scotland. John and Ann (Richardson) Beattie had > children: John, George (born in 1822), William, David (born in 1831) and > Christiana. The parents came to America in 1828 and settled in > > Nova Scotia, Canada, where his father carried on his trade of stonemason > and > contractor. He was contractor in the construction of the masonry work on > the > Shubenacadie canal, between Halifax and Pictou. In that locality, on a > small > farm, the paternal home in this country was established. John Beattie, the > elder of the brothers above referred to, was eight years old when he came > with the family to this side of the Atlantic. In the neighborhood of the > new > home he was sent to school for a short time. But his robust nature > rebelling > > against the restraint imposed by sedentary life, he preferred to labor in > the fields of his father's farm. In Nova Scotia he attended with profit a > few terms at the school of an excellent man, Rev. Mr. Morrison, and to > these > brief periods his school days were limited. After a few years residence in > Halifax, Nova Scotia, and when John would no longer attend school, his > father proposed to indenture him to learn the trade of a shoemaker, and > had > selected a master for him, whereupon the independent lad gave so emphatic > a > demonstration against the step that the plan was summarily abandoned. This > opposition was probably the act in life which led him into the vocation in > which he for so many years was successfully engaged. Being now thirteen > years old, strong and healthy, with a love' for outdoor occupation, his > father was persuaded to allow him to learn the trade of stone cutting, to > which work John took with great spirit. In the course of a few years the > failure of the canal company induced the Beatties to make their home at > Newport, R. 1., whence the father and John went to New York to work at > their > trade. A year later they proceeded to Boston, and not long after to > Newport, > where the father died in 1835, when John was in his sixteenth year. The > care > of the family, consisting of his mother and four other children, the next > eldest being ten years of age, now devolved upon John, who, deeply feeling > the responsibility placed upon him, entered upon his life work > > > with an earnestness of application that was bound to bring success. In his > trade he becamevery skillful; and was a rapid and thorough workman. During > the next four years he was employed at Fort Adams, R. I., having when he > was > eighteen years old his > > > first contract to do work for the United States government. At the age of > twenty years he was appointed foreman mason of the bridge builders on a > section of the Boston & Troy railroad, and there for the fo11owing two > years > he had his first experience in overseeing large numbers of men. In 1846 he > returned to Fort Adams, where he was appointed master stonecutter by Gen. > W. > S. Rosecrans, and superintended the preparation of the material used in > that > fortification until work was suspended by order of Jefferson Davis, at the > time secretary of war. Again, for a year, Mr. Beattie was with the Boston > & > Troy Railroad Company, in his old capacity. He then went to California as > a > gold miner, in 1852, and for over two years had the experience of an > argonaut without realizing any of the rewards sometimes associated > therewith. Returning to the East, poor in purse and with > > > impaired health, his next, work was building the stone towers for the > suspension bridge across the Kentucky river at Pleasant Valley, from > Cincinnati to Covington, in 1857. His health continuing poor, however, he > and his brother William next opened a > > > stonecutter's yard at Newport, in which he worked a year with beneficial > results to his health. > > In 1855 Mr. Beattie was engaged in building the towers for the great > bridge > across the > > Ohio, between Cincinnati and Covington, after which he had an interest in > the construction of Section 1, of the Brooklyn waterworks, at Jamaica, N. > Y. > That work being completed, at a loss to him, he spent some time building > bridges on the Wabash railroad in Indiana, after which he returned to > Jamaica, N. Y., and contracted for the construction of another section of > the waterworks. This job he personally superintended, and to such great > advantage that he and his partner cleared $20,000 in eighteen months. > After > this he executed many contracts for mason work, in bridges on railroads, > warehouse docks, and lighthouses; built bridges on the Worcester & Nashua > railroad, on the Old Colony line, and on the Warren & Fall River > > > railroad; constructed the piers for the bridge at Warehouse Point (using > sand bags for coffer dams for the first time in bridge construction in > this > couniry); and for the Old Colony docks at Newport -all public works. He > also > built the stone work of the statue of Liberty in New York harbor. In 1865 > Mr. Beattie purchased the Harrison quarry, at Fall River, but after > operating it one year left it in charge of his brother William and his son > John, and opened another quarry at Niantic, Conn. In a few years he > disposed > of that interest, > > > and in February, 1869, he went to Guilford, where he bought sixteen acres > of > land at Hoadley's Point, upon which were very fine ledges of excellent > granite. During the following season he built several houses on this > tract, > doing at the same time the mason work for the Newport & Wickford railroad. > On Aug. 22, 1870, he removed permanently to Leete Island, where he > continued > to make his home until his death, Nov. 18, 1899. Here he developed his > large > quarry interests until the industry became one of the largest of the kind > in > the State. His granite lands and real estate holdings at Leete Island > increased to more than 400 acres, and employment was given to from 125 to > 600 men, their operations being conducted in a systematic manner, aided by > modern appliances. The products were readily transported to many > localities > by the Shore Line railroad, running through his lands, and by a fleet of > vessels owned by him and laden at his docks at Hoadley's Point. The > granite > of these quarries is of several qualities, blue, pink and white, which are > here cut, carved and polished into any desired form, and a coarse-grained > gray, having a carrying capacity of 18,000 pounds to the square inch, > which > is much used for building purposes. A large quantity was thus supplied for > the construction of the roadway of the New York & Harlem railroad, from > the > river to the Grand Central depot, in New York City. Much of the stone in > the > Brooklyn suspension bridge in New York was furnished from these quarries. > Mr. Beattie had a thorough, practical knowledge of every department of > work > carried on by him, and being possessed of great > > > industry, pluck and executive ability, he prospered in his affairs and > earned the distinction of being one of the foremost business men in the > eastern part of the country. Of strong physique, and liberally endowed > with > many of the distinguishing characteristics of the Scottish race, he was a > typical son of the "land of the mountain and the flood." > > William Beattie went to a child's school in Halifax, and continued his > studies after the family settled at Newport, but his attendance at day > school stopped after he was ten or eleven years old, and later he attended > night schooL He commenced work carrying tools at Fort Adams for one year, > and then learned the trade of mason, serving three years at four dollars > per > > > month. His apprenticeship began in 1842 and was completed in 1846. In the > latter year, in association with his brother George, he built a bridge and > constructed the piers in Bangor, Maine. He was with his brother at Fort > Adams until 1849, when, during Jefferson Davis's administration as > secretary > of war, work was discontinued, the funds giving out. George Beattie went > around the Horn in 1849 and John and William went out to California in > 1852, > making the trip via Greytown, in Central America, over the Nicaragua > route. > The four brothers, John, George, William and David, were all in California > at one time, William Beattie remaining there about two years and four > months. Returning to the East, he became engaged at stonecutting in > Newport, > and then in 1865 with his brother John purchased the Harrison quarrY, in > Fall River, which covered an area of two and a half acres. It was small > and > about ready to be abandoned. The brothers operated it about one year, when > John withdrew, and William Beattie added to it as prosperity allowed until > the property comprised over sixty acres. Mr. Beattie received considerable > government work, and continued adding to his quarry and extending his > business, one of his important contracts being to furnish the stone for > the > foundation of the State house at Albany, in 1873. Later, in 1877, he > bought > out his nephew and continued the business alone. His life has been much > the > same as that of his successful brother in the same line. By business > ability > of the most pronounced order he widened his interests and increased the > scope of his work until he became one of the most extensive quarrymen in > his > region. By his own efforts, and the most honorable methods, he built up a > business creditable alike to the owner and to the community in which it > was > carried on. Mr. Beattie is a director of the Union and Seaconnet Mills. At > one time he was a member of St. John's Lodge, A. F. & A. M.; Newport, and > of > Quidneck Encampment (I. O. > > > O. F.), of the same place. > > Mr. Beattie married Mary Hamilton, who was born in northern England, > daughter of Thomas Hamilton, and came to America when two years old. Their > children are: David, member of the firm of Beattie & Wilcox, of Fall > River; > William Henry, of the firm of Beattie & Cornell, of Fall River; and Roy > Hamilton, who is engaged alone in the building of sea walls. > > When replying to a digest message, quote only the specific message to > which you are replying, removing the rest of the digest from your reply. > Also, remember to change the subject of your reply so that it coincides > with the message subject to which you are replying. > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message

I found this abstract from the NY Times which stated that there was a controversy over who actually had supplied the stone for the Statue of Liberty. New York Times: June 15, 1986, Sunday By ELEANOR CHARLES (NYT); Connecticut Weekly Desk Late City Final Edition, Section 11CN, Page 6, Column 5, 675 words ELLEN BEATTIE HARE of Old Saybrook is still hoping for an official invitation to the Fourth of July celebration at the Statue of Liberty. Mrs. Hare is the great-granddaughter of John Beattie of Guilford, owner of a quarry that, Mrs. Hare maintains, supplied all the stone for the statue's .. So, I thought I would add the obituary of John Beattie: New York Times, November 21, 1899, p. 17 John Beattie, one of the best known stone-contractors in the New England States, died yesterday at Teete's (sic) Island, Conn., where he had conducted an immense quarry for over a century. Some of his large contracts were the furnishing of stone for the abutments of the Statue of Liberty, the roadbed of the Consolidated Road and the New Haven breakwater. He was eighty years old. Laurel Baty, L252 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Donna VanZandt" <[email protected]> To: "BP2000" <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, August 31, 2007 8:19 PM Subject: [BP2000] Beattie Bio/Statue of Liberty > Yesterday I ran into a Beattie mentioned who had done the stonework on the > Statue of Liberty and was curious who it was. This has probably been > posted > before but I don't remember seeing it so I hope it is a new posting. > Donna > L-3 Anyone know a lineage? > > Representative Men and Old Families of Southeastern Massachusetts-1912 > > > > WILLIAM BEATTIE, now living retired, but in his active life one of the > large > quarrymen and contractors in his line in southern Massachusetts, a man who > won success by his own work and gained position on his own merits, was > born > Oct. 4, 1829, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, a younger brother of John Beattie, > quarryman and contractor, late of Leete Island, Guilford, who was born in > Edinburgh, Scotland, June 18, 1820. John Beattie, their father, was a > freeman of that city, and a direct descendant of that noted Beattie family > of Eskdale Moore, in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, whose ancestry has been > traced > back more than six > > centuries, and whose valor and exploits in peace and war have been > celebrated in the story and song of that country by Sir Walter Scott and > others. On the paternal side his grandmother was Nancy Armstrong, a > descendant of the Johnson family, of Dumiriesshire, also prominent in the > affairs of Scotland. The mother of John Beattie was Ann Richardson, a > daughter of John and Catharine (Tate) Richardson, both of families > belonging to Haddington, Scotland. John and Ann (Richardson) Beattie had > children: John, George (born in 1822), William, David (born in 1831) and > Christiana. The parents came to America in 1828 and settled in > > Nova Scotia, Canada, where his father carried on his trade of stonemason > and > contractor. He was contractor in the construction of the masonry work on > the > Shubenacadie canal, between Halifax and Pictou. In that locality, on a > small > farm, the paternal home in this country was established. John Beattie, the > elder of the brothers above referred to, was eight years old when he came > with the family to this side of the Atlantic. In the neighborhood of the > new > home he was sent to school for a short time. But his robust nature > rebelling > > against the restraint imposed by sedentary life, he preferred to labor in > the fields of his father's farm. In Nova Scotia he attended with profit a > few terms at the school of an excellent man, Rev. Mr. Morrison, and to > these > brief periods his school days were limited. After a few years residence in > Halifax, Nova Scotia, and when John would no longer attend school, his > father proposed to indenture him to learn the trade of a shoemaker, and > had > selected a master for him, whereupon the independent lad gave so emphatic > a > demonstration against the step that the plan was summarily abandoned. This > opposition was probably the act in life which led him into the vocation in > which he for so many years was successfully engaged. Being now thirteen > years old, strong and healthy, with a love' for outdoor occupation, his > father was persuaded to allow him to learn the trade of stone cutting, to > which work John took with great spirit. In the course of a few years the > failure of the canal company induced the Beatties to make their home at > Newport, R. 1., whence the father and John went to New York to work at > their > trade. A year later they proceeded to Boston, and not long after to > Newport, > where the father died in 1835, when John was in his sixteenth year. The > care > of the family, consisting of his mother and four other children, the next > eldest being ten years of age, now devolved upon John, who, deeply feeling > the responsibility placed upon him, entered upon his life work > > > with an earnestness of application that was bound to bring success. In his > trade he becamevery skillful; and was a rapid and thorough workman. During > the next four years he was employed at Fort Adams, R. I., having when he > was > eighteen years old his > > > first contract to do work for the United States government. At the age of > twenty years he was appointed foreman mason of the bridge builders on a > section of the Boston & Troy railroad, and there for the fo11owing two > years > he had his first experience in overseeing large numbers of men. In 1846 he > returned to Fort Adams, where he was appointed master stonecutter by Gen. > W. > S. Rosecrans, and superintended the preparation of the material used in > that > fortification until work was suspended by order of Jefferson Davis, at the > time secretary of war. Again, for a year, Mr. Beattie was with the Boston > & > Troy Railroad Company, in his old capacity. He then went to California as > a > gold miner, in 1852, and for over two years had the experience of an > argonaut without realizing any of the rewards sometimes associated > therewith. Returning to the East, poor in purse and with > > > impaired health, his next, work was building the stone towers for the > suspension bridge across the Kentucky river at Pleasant Valley, from > Cincinnati to Covington, in 1857. His health continuing poor, however, he > and his brother William next opened a > > > stonecutter's yard at Newport, in which he worked a year with beneficial > results to his health. > > In 1855 Mr. Beattie was engaged in building the towers for the great > bridge > across the > > Ohio, between Cincinnati and Covington, after which he had an interest in > the construction of Section 1, of the Brooklyn waterworks, at Jamaica, N. > Y. > That work being completed, at a loss to him, he spent some time building > bridges on the Wabash railroad in Indiana, after which he returned to > Jamaica, N. Y., and contracted for the construction of another section of > the waterworks. This job he personally superintended, and to such great > advantage that he and his partner cleared $20,000 in eighteen months. > After > this he executed many contracts for mason work, in bridges on railroads, > warehouse docks, and lighthouses; built bridges on the Worcester & Nashua > railroad, on the Old Colony line, and on the Warren & Fall River > > > railroad; constructed the piers for the bridge at Warehouse Point (using > sand bags for coffer dams for the first time in bridge construction in > this > couniry); and for the Old Colony docks at Newport -all public works. He > also > built the stone work of the statue of Liberty in New York harbor. In 1865 > Mr. Beattie purchased the Harrison quarry, at Fall River, but after > operating it one year left it in charge of his brother William and his son > John, and opened another quarry at Niantic, Conn. In a few years he > disposed > of that interest, > > > and in February, 1869, he went to Guilford, where he bought sixteen acres > of > land at Hoadley's Point, upon which were very fine ledges of excellent > granite. During the following season he built several houses on this > tract, > doing at the same time the mason work for the Newport & Wickford railroad. > On Aug. 22, 1870, he removed permanently to Leete Island, where he > continued > to make his home until his death, Nov. 18, 1899. Here he developed his > large > quarry interests until the industry became one of the largest of the kind > in > the State. His granite lands and real estate holdings at Leete Island > increased to more than 400 acres, and employment was given to from 125 to > 600 men, their operations being conducted in a systematic manner, aided by > modern appliances. The products were readily transported to many > localities > by the Shore Line railroad, running through his lands, and by a fleet of > vessels owned by him and laden at his docks at Hoadley's Point. The > granite > of these quarries is of several qualities, blue, pink and white, which are > here cut, carved and polished into any desired form, and a coarse-grained > gray, having a carrying capacity of 18,000 pounds to the square inch, > which > is much used for building purposes. A large quantity was thus supplied for > the construction of the roadway of the New York & Harlem railroad, from > the > river to the Grand Central depot, in New York City. Much of the stone in > the > Brooklyn suspension bridge in New York was furnished from these quarries. > Mr. Beattie had a thorough, practical knowledge of every department of > work > carried on by him, and being possessed of great > > > industry, pluck and executive ability, he prospered in his affairs and > earned the distinction of being one of the foremost business men in the > eastern part of the country. Of strong physique, and liberally endowed > with > many of the distinguishing characteristics of the Scottish race, he was a > typical son of the "land of the mountain and the flood." > > William Beattie went to a child's school in Halifax, and continued his > studies after the family settled at Newport, but his attendance at day > school stopped after he was ten or eleven years old, and later he attended > night schooL He commenced work carrying tools at Fort Adams for one year, > and then learned the trade of mason, serving three years at four dollars > per > > > month. His apprenticeship began in 1842 and was completed in 1846. In the > latter year, in association with his brother George, he built a bridge and > constructed the piers in Bangor, Maine. He was with his brother at Fort > Adams until 1849, when, during Jefferson Davis's administration as > secretary > of war, work was discontinued, the funds giving out. George Beattie went > around the Horn in 1849 and John and William went out to California in > 1852, > making the trip via Greytown, in Central America, over the Nicaragua > route. > The four brothers, John, George, William and David, were all in California > at one time, William Beattie remaining there about two years and four > months. Returning to the East, he became engaged at stonecutting in > Newport, > and then in 1865 with his brother John purchased the Harrison quarrY, in > Fall River, which covered an area of two and a half acres. It was small > and > about ready to be abandoned. The brothers operated it about one year, when > John withdrew, and William Beattie added to it as prosperity allowed until > the property comprised over sixty acres. Mr. Beattie received considerable > government work, and continued adding to his quarry and extending his > business, one of his important contracts being to furnish the stone for > the > foundation of the State house at Albany, in 1873. Later, in 1877, he > bought > out his nephew and continued the business alone. His life has been much > the > same as that of his successful brother in the same line. By business > ability > of the most pronounced order he widened his interests and increased the > scope of his work until he became one of the most extensive quarrymen in > his > region. By his own efforts, and the most honorable methods, he built up a > business creditable alike to the owner and to the community in which it > was > carried on. Mr. Beattie is a director of the Union and Seaconnet Mills. At > one time he was a member of St. John's Lodge, A. F. & A. M.; Newport, and > of > Quidneck Encampment (I. O. > > > O. F.), of the same place. > > Mr. Beattie married Mary Hamilton, who was born in northern England, > daughter of Thomas Hamilton, and came to America when two years old. Their > children are: David, member of the firm of Beattie & Wilcox, of Fall > River; > William Henry, of the firm of Beattie & Cornell, of Fall River; and Roy > Hamilton, who is engaged alone in the building of sea walls. > > When replying to a digest message, quote only the specific message to > which you are replying, removing the rest of the digest from your reply. > Also, remember to change the subject of your reply so that it coincides > with the message subject to which you are replying. > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message