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JOHN M. BEATTY, one of the prominent men of affairs of Benton county, has been a resident of Vinton for the past seven years, where he owns what is known as "Watson Park" and where he has built a beautiful home.
Mr. Beatty was born in Linn county, Iowa, in 1861, son of Charles and Mary (McAllister) Beatty, both natives of the "Emerald Isle." Charles Beatty came with his father, Walter Beatty, from Coshocton county, Ohio, to Iowa in 1855, and settled north of Palo, in Linn county, on a farm which is still in the Beatty family, now being owned and occupied by an uncle of John M. Walter Beatty died there about 1876, at the age of eighty-one years, his wife's death occurring a year later. Charles Beatty farmed in Linn county and also near Atkins, in Fremont township, Benton county. He died at the latter place in May, 1907, at the age of seventy-six years. Both Walter and Charles Beatty were prominent and influential men in their day. The former was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, and both his life and his teachings told for good in the cause he espoused. Charles was active in local politics, affiliating with the Democrat party and serving efficiently in various township offices. Fraternally he was a Mason. He was twice married and had two sets of children, namely: John M. and C. E. Beatty, the latter a resident of near Shellsburg, Iowa, and two daughters, one in Benton county and the other at Laporte, Black Hawk county, Iowa. The children of the second marriage are W. J., residing at the old homestead near Atkins, and Joseph I., who lives near Palo, Iowa.
Since his early childhood John M. has been a resident of Benton county, and the greater part of his life has been devoted to farming and stock raising. From time to time, however, he has become interested in other enterprises and has made a financial success of almost everything he has undertaken. He is still actively engaged in operating his large farms in Canton and Benton townships. He is president of the Peoples' Savings Bank at Shellsburg, and is interested in the Farmers Telephone Company, of which he is an officer. Also he has made investments in the west including a section of land near Cheyenne, Wyoming.
In 1893 Mr. Beatty married Miss Myrtle Bowe, a native of Benton county and a daughter of R. E. and Eliza (Gates) Bowe, pioneers of Benton county and now residents of Vinton. This union has been blessed in the birth of one daughter, Zola, now six years of age.
Mr. Beatty was for many years a member of the United Brethren church, but there being no organization of this denomination at Vinton he and Mrs. Beatty have affiliated with the Presbyterian church, and for some years he has been superintendent of the Presbyterian Sabbath-school. Politically he is a Democrat; has always shown a commendable interest in local affairs, and has served Vinton as a member of its city council. Fraternally he is in good standing in both the Masonic Order and the Knights of Pythias.
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