This excerpt from Hogue’s History of Fentress County, pages 37-38, was transcribed by Michael Allen in 2000.

David Beaty, known as Tinker, was a native of Fentress County, and a son of George Beaty, who came from North Carolina with his brothers, John and David Beaty, in pioneer days, and settled on the East Fork, George Beaty settling what is now known as the Richard Smith place. Here David was born in 1823, and lived near the old home all his life and died in 1883.

He formed a company early in the Civil War, known as David Beaty’s Independent Scouts and was made captain. Their purpose was to protect the mountain country from invasion by the Confederates. The author is indebted to C. Beaty, son of Tinker Beaty, for the information in regard to skirmishes herein described.

Tinker Beaty’s Company–In 1861 they had a skirmish with Bledsoe’s men, near the Albertson schoolhouse. Lieutenant Riddle, who lives near Monterey, and another man was wounded. The next engagement was near Glenoby, also near the home of Captain Beaty. Two or three were wounded in this engagement.

This company met and defeated a Confederate force of fifty or sixty men at the Wash Taylor stand, nine miles south of Jamestown, about 1862. Two wagon loads of drugs and paper for striking Confederate money were being smuggled through from Kentucky with the intention of taking it to the Confederate government. The Confederates were forced to run off and leave the plunder in the hands of the attacking company. A man named Baldwin was seriously wounded.

In 1863 they fought a battle with some Confederates under Captain Hutchinson, near the George Holes place, in what is now Pickett County. Captain Hutchinson was killed and two or three others wounded. Among them was W. E. Linder, who was with Hutchinson. He was shot, a minnie ball passing through his body. Although the wound was a very dangerous one, he still survives, and lives near Poteet, Tennessee.

Another skirmish took place near Van Huren Academy in Poplar Cove. The Confederate lieutenant, Wm. Goggins, was killed and a few others wounded.

In 1864, Beaty’s company attacked Col. Hughes’ company, which had come up from the lower counties into Fentress on a foraging expedition. This fight occurred in the Buffalo Cove. Thomas Culver and Jop Moody of Tinker’s company were killed and several Confederates wounded.

This company was engaged in many other skirmishes in Fentress, Overton, Clay, Pickett, Cumberland and White counties in Tennessee, and in southern Kentucky.

After the war was over Champ Ferguson came to Jamestown and attempted the arrest of Capt. Beaty. Beaty mounted a race horse and ran off and left him, receiving three wounds, from which he soon recovered. He was a leader in Fentress during reconstruction days and until his death in 1883. He was a very clever, hospitable man among his neighbors and was generally liked by them.

Source: https://homepages.rootsweb.com/~bp2000/fentress/captinker.htm

Transcriber’s note:  Most, but not all, [transcribed] excerpts relate to Beaty families. Don’t forget the first rule of genealogy — everything should be backed by primary documentation — This book was written by the Fentress Co. Historical Society. It’s mainly a collection of personal histories told from memory and family tradition with little documentation, and should be taken as such.

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