Civil War Pension of John Beatty; Company C 82 NY Infantry; Company K 44 US Infantry; General Service Corps; Signal Corps; Certificate # 637,401; widow Margaret G. Beatty, Certificate # 733,167; filed Virginia On May 18, 1908 John Beatty, aged 70 and a resident of the National Soldiers Home, Elizabeth City, State of Virginia filed a declaration for pension under the act of February 6, 1907. He states he enlisted May 21, 1861 at Washington D. C. in the General Service U. S. Army. He also served from February 5, 1864 until January 1, 1877 in the General Service of the U. S. Army. He states "claimant orig. enl. was in Co. C 82 NY Vol. in April, 1861." "That his personal description at enlistment was as follows: Height 5 feet 7 ½ inches; complexion light; color of eyes, blue; color of hair, dark; that his occupation was gas fitter; that he was born in May (12th) 1838 at Philadelphia, Pa. That his several places of residence since leaving the service have been as follows, in Washington City up to 1890 and since 1890 Nat Soldiers Home, Va." On form 3-402, dated April 23, 1898 John Beatty states he is married and his wife's maiden name was Margaret Graser. He was married in 1866 in Washington DC by Rev. Wm. Finkal. He was not previously married and has no living children. John Beatty was last paid at the rate of $15 to Dec 4, 1910. He was dropped form the pension rolls due to his death Feb 28, 1911. On June 3, 1911 Margaret G. Beatty, aged 64 and a resident of Phoebus, Elizabeth City, Virginia filed a declaration for Widow's Pension as the widow of John Beatty. She states she married John Beatty under the name Margaret Grasser on January 1, 1866 at Washington D. C. by "common law union contract." In a deposition dated November 11, 1911 Margaret G. Beatty states "I am 63 years old. My present postal address is Rock Creek Church Road, care Lawrence S. McEntyre, Washington, D. C. I was born in Baden, Germany, and came to America in the 50's. Buchanan was President. I came over with my parents and brothers and one sister. All of the family are now deceased but myself. We came directly to Washington from Germany. My parents lived here until they died; my father before and my mother in 1880. I am the widow of the late John Beatty who during the civil war in the 82 NY Inf., and subsequently in the Signal Corps. He died at the Soldiers Home, Hampton, Va., Feby 28, 1911, where he had been since 1890. I had a home in Phoebus, Va., during the time he was at the Home and he came out and spent some time with me. I lived with him until his death, the latter years under the condition I have just mentioned of him being in the Home and I in Phoebus. I was never ceremonially married to Mr. Beatty. I began living with him January 1, 1866, in Washington DC as his common law wife and lived with him in Washington DC in that relation.My maiden name was Margaret Grasser. I first met Mr. Beatty in the winter preceding the time I began living with him in January 1866.I met him at the home of Mrs. Ripley on 10th street NW near Pa. Ave. I went there to see my Aunt, Mrs. Barbara Funk who was employed as a domestic in the home of Mrs. Ripley.I was then living with my mother on Pa Ave between 21 & 22 Streets. She was then a widower, her second husband, Null having died.About the second week in December 1865, he made the proposition to me [to live together]; I was young and let him persuade me into it. I had insisted that the ceremony be performed by Rev. Mr. Finkle then pastor of the Lutheran church 20th & G Streets N. W. I knew the pastor; he confirmed me. Mr. Beatty also knew him but he insisted that we could be true to each other without any ceremony; said lots of the best people were living together without any ceremony having been performed..No I had never been married before January 1, 1866. I have no reason to believe that Mr. Beatty ever had any girl before me. He didn't believe in ceremonial marriages. I never heard of any other woman in 'the case." We were known and recognized as husband and wife by all who knew us subsequent to January 1, 1866.Mr. Beatty knew there was no ceremony and I suppose he said the ceremony was performed by Rev. Finkle because he did not want to admit the common law marriage. He knew I knew Mr. Finkle and that I had been in earlier years affiliated with the church where Rev. Finkle was located." Margaret G. Beatty was last paid at the rate of $30 per month to Jul 4, 1925. She was dropped from the pension rolls due to her death July 17, 1925. Washington Post, July 16, 1925 BEATTY-On Tuesday, July 14, 1925 at 5 a. m. at Georgetown University Hospital, Margaret G., widow of John Beatty, aged seventy-seven years. Funeral from the residence of her cousin, Mrs. L. B. McEntire, 4514 Rock Creek Church Road, on Thursday July 16, at 2 p. m. Relatives and friends invited to attend. Interment Rock Creek Cemetery. 1870 Washington Ward 1, District of Columbia, p. 130 Beaty, John plumber born PA Margaret 23 born DC 1880 Washington, District of Columbia, p. 261 John Beatty 42 plumber born PA, father born Scotland, mother born PA Margaret 33 born Baden, parents born Baden 1900 Chesapeake, Elizabeth City, VA, Southern Branch National Home for D. V. S. John Bady 69 born PA May 1831, parents born Ireland 1910 Chesapeake, Elizabeth City, VA, p. 24A, National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers John Beatty 71 born PA, father born PA, mother born Ireland Laurel Baty, L252