BIOGRAPHY OF MAJ. ALEXANDER BEATON
This short biography was published in
History of Navarro County [Texas]* in 1933.
PIONEER FAMILIES
One of the early settlers of Navarro County was Major Alexander Beaton who was born in Inverness, Scotland, in 1820. Major Beaton moved to America in 1843 and settled in Navarro County on March 16, 1850. Corsicana was then a village of about one hundred inhabitants.
Major Beaton was intensely pleased with the appearance of Navarro County and immediately settled here to make this his permanent home. He first worked in the county clerk's office under R. N. White, continuing his law studies at night and in his spare time. Later Major Beaton was admitted to the bar and he and R. Q. Mills were law partners.
In 1852 Major Beaton married Miss Elizabeth J. McKinney and they had three children, Ralph, Kate (Mrs. S. W. Johnson), and Thomas Ruffin.
He was very fond of his home South of town, called Gem Hill, his library and his collection of minerals. He also had a large collection of arrow heads, all of which were found on his own farm.
During his entire lifetime Major Beaton worked untiringly toward furthering the success of Corsicana. In appreciation of his efforts toward securing the railroad the principal street in Corsicana is named in his honor.
Both Major Beaton and his good wife are buried in Oakwood Cemetery amid beautiful surroundings he loved so well.
*History of Navarro County (Dallas, Tex.: Southwest Press, 1933), pp. 257-58.