Beasley 
State Government 
W
elcome to our section on "Famous and Notable Beasleys", in honor of Beasley (all spellings) kinfolk who have earned their mark in state and local government, including elected, appointed and professional posts. This site honors those kinfolk who have served in state legislatures, state elected offices, appointive offices and professionals in government.If you have information on a Beasley relative who became well-known (in any state or nation), please send us a copy of it, along with any sources for the information (book, magazine, newspaper, etc.) to preserve in the Family Library.
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Beasley kinfolk who have served as representatives or senators in state and provincial legislatures or constitutional conventions.
Andrew T. Beasley was born about 1887. He became an attorney in Buffalo, Erie County, NY and was elected as a Democrat from the 4th District (Erie County) to the New York State House of Representatives and served from 1919-1922.
Jarrell Beasley was born in 1778 in Lunenburg County, Va., a son of Robert Beasley and Elizabeth Willingham. He moved to Georgia and was elected to the Georgia State Senate from Jasper County in 1820. He later settled in Troup County, Ga. and was again elected to the State Senate from there.
Nathaniel Beasley was born 19 May 1774 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, a son of Charles Beasley Sr. (from North Carolina) and Susannah Allen. When he was 14, his father moved the family to Limestone, Ky. He and his brother Benjamin became noted Indian fighters and served with the Virginia Militia in the western territories of Virginia which are now parts of the states of Kentucky and Ohio. The two became a perfect team of scouts, serving along the Ohio River scouting Indians for the protection of settlers in the Kentucky region. They often were often in the wilderness for up to a month on these scouting trips.
He became an assistant surveyor for the Virginia Military District (now Kentucky) and was part of several surveying expeditions in southwestern Ohio which were often attacked by Indians. He later traveled with his wife to Ohio and became one of the first settlers of Byrd Township. He built the first home, a log cabin, in what became the town of Decatur, Ohio. He began surveying farms, roads and villages in the region. He was elected Surveyor of Adams County and served several years.
Nathaniel became a major land dealer and bought many tracts of land, surveyed them and then sold them to new settlers. He ultimately became one of the wealthiest land-owners in the community and became one of the most esteemed citizens of the county. He had a farm just outside Decatur. He served as a Major in the Ohio State Militia during the War of 1812 and rose in the Militia to the rank of Major General.
In 1814, Nathaniel was elected to the Ohio State House of Representatives. He was elected to the Ohio State Senate in 1818 and again in 1820 and 1821.
He was appointed by the General Assembly as a member of the Ohio Board of Canal Commissioners on 25 Feb 1824. He accompanied Governor DeWitt Clinton of New York and Governor Morrow of Ohio at the ground breaking in 1825 for construction of two state canals at Licking Summit and Middletown.
Nathaniel married Sarah Sutton and they had 12 children. He died at his farm outside Decatur, Oh. 27 Mar 1835. Sarah died in 1841.
Richard Beasley was raised in the Hudson River Valley and later settled at Burlington Bay about 1790. In 1792, he established a gristmill on a stream that descended from the Ancaster hills into Coote's Paradise. A sawmill was built the next year. Beasley was a pioneer western merchant who imported settlers' supplies, forwarded agricultural produce to Montreal exporters and speculated in land. He owned several properties and built a log house on the ridge between present day Harvey Park and Dundurn Park. His Burlington Heights property was later sold to Sir Allan MacNab who used it for his Dundurn castle.
Colonel Beasley's political career included sitting as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada from 1791 to 1804; he was appointed justice of the peace in 1795 and magistrate in 1796. He was elected speaker of the Assembly in 1803.
As well as receiving civil commissions, by 1809 he had advanced from lieutenant to colonel commanding the 2nd Regiment of York Militia. He did not take part in any engagements during the War of 1812, although he held a number of related similar posts. He led a detachment of militia to look for deserters and absentees in September 1812 and the following year was appointed to head a commission to take charge of the property of those who had fled the province. Beasley joined other prominent Niagara and Gore District men in the Reform movement and was selected as president at their convention of July 1818.
Two of Colonel Beasley's daughters became first ladies of Hamilton: Catherine was married to the first mayor of Hamilton, Colin Campbell Ferric and Keziah was the wife of the sixth mayor, Nehemiah Ford. His tombstone in the graveyard of Christ's Church Cathedral called him "the first settler of the Head of the Lake".
Thomas Beesley was a resident of Cape May County, New Jersey. He was elected from Cape May to the New Jersey State Senate and served 1871-1873.
Dr. W. A. Beasley was elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives from Columbia County and served in sessions in 1868-1869, 1873 and 1874.
William David Beazley was born 1854 in London, England and his parents moved the family to Melbourne, Australia when he was only a few months old. When he was 14, he was apprenticed to a saddler and harness maker. He worked in that trade until he became an estate agent in Collingwood in 1886. He later became involved in several other businesses and building societies in Collingwood. He was also interested in local sporting activities and was one of the founders of the Collingwood Football Club in 1892.
William was elected to the Collingwood Council in 1887 and served as Mayor several times. In 1889, he was elected from Collingwood to the Victoria Provincial Legislative Assembly. While in the Assembly, he associated himself with the Melbourne Trades Hall Council and advocated worker's rights. In 1892, he stood for election as a Labor Party candidate and was successful, although the party was not. In 1900, he ran as a Liberal Party candidate and in 1902 again as a Labor Party candidate. William was a protectionist with an interest in finance and served on the Committee of Public Accounts for several years. He was a member of the royal commissions into state banking (1894-95) and old age pensions (1897-98). He served as Chairman of Committees in 1897-1903.
William was elected Speaker of the Assembly for several months after the death of the previous speaker. In 1904, he stood for and won a new seat from Abbotsford and held the office until his death from pneumonia in 1912. William was never married.
William Martin ("Billy") Beasley was born 19 Mar 1940 in Barbour County, Alabama. He was elected as a Democrat to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1998, from the 84th District (Barbour and Henry Counties). In his first bid for office, he defeated the Barbour County sheriff in the Democratic primary and went on to win in the general election for the post in the House. During his tenure, Billy has served on the Health Committee and the Local Government Committee.
Billy graduated with a BS degree from Auburn University in 1962. He served as a Captain in the US Army Medical Services Corps. He became a pharmacist in Barbour County and now is president of Pratts Station, which owns drug stores in Clayton, Clio and Louisville, AL. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Eufaula-Barbour County Chamber of Commerce; is a member of the Barbour County Hospital Board; and is a member of the Auburn Alumi Association. He is a past president of the Clayton Rotary Club and the Alabama Pharmaceutical Association.
Billy is a brother of former Alabama Lieutenant Governor Jere Beasley. Billy married Rebecca Parish and they have five children. Rebecca is Mayor of Clayton, Ala. and publisher of The Clayton Record newspaper.
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