Name, birth data, marriage data, death data from William Irving Brooks, letter of 29 March 1993 to Thomas Moore.

Burial information from William Irving Brooks, letter of 6 June 1993 to Thomas Moore. In this letter he provided a different death date listed on the grave of James Boughan Beazley of Winter 1909. He died of tuberculosis.

James Irving Brooks wrote the following note: “Soon after her [Elizabeth Catharine Boughan Beazley] death [1878] the house was burned in a winter’s night. The family barely escaped in their night clothes. Nothing was saved except one desk with some valuable papers. Due to a technicality no insurance was collected. A dwelling was built the following spring. In the interim the family lived in an “outhouse”. During this time the father was ill and both Vestilla (Vessie) and Boughan had diptheria and were seriously ill.”

1880 U.S. Census, Essex County, Virginia:
Beasley, James, 45, farmer, widowed
Beasley, Catharine, 10, daughter, in school
Beasley, Warner L., 12, son, in school
Beasley, Lilly H., 19, daughter, at home
Beasley, Bessy, 7 daughter, at home
Beasley, Boughan, 4, son, at home

On 1 February 1894 a deed was made between Henry E. Brooks and Lillie his wife, Warner L. Beazley and Fannie his wife, Jennet C. Beazley, Vestilla F. Beazley, and James B. Beazley of the first part, and A. G. Courtney of the second part, all of Essex County. The parties of the first part sell land of James Beazley deceased. James B. Beazley is a minor and therefore cannot formally convey his share until he reaches the age of 21. [Essex County, Virginia, Deed Book 57, pages 313–314.]

1900 U.S. Census, Essex County, Virginia
Central District, Enumeration District 24, Sheet 4A
Dwelling 46, Family 46
Beaseley, James, head, white, male, born September 1875, 24, married for 2 years, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia, merchant working on own account, can read and write, speaks English, owns farm free of mortgage, 46 on farm schedule
Beaseley, Susie E., wife, white, female, born June 1882, 17, married for 2 years, mother of 0 children, born in Virginia, both parents born in Virginia, can read and write, speaks English

James Irving Brooks wrote that after James Boughan Beazley’s father’s estate was settled, he “lived with his sister, Lillie Howerton, and attended school. Boughan later opened a general merchandise store at Piscataway, now Dunbrooke, adjacent to Mt. Zion Baptist Church.”