HON.
H. O. BEATTY, Sacramento, has been a resident here since 1852, with exception
of one short period. He was born in
Kentucky, May 31, 1812; resided many years in Ohio, where he was admitted to
the bar; and, arriving in Sacramento in February, 1852, immediately began the
practice of his profession. In 1863 he moved to Virginia City, Nevada, where he
was soon elected Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court, and his son, W. H.,
chosen at the same election to be the District Judge of that State. The latter is now Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of the State of California.
At the end of his term the former returned to Sacramento, where he has
been prominently identified with its public interests. In 1872 he prepared a bill, which has passed
by the Legislature, establishing the Board of Funded Debt Commissioners--of
which he has been a member from the first--whose duty is to aid in the relief
of the city of Sacramento from its enormous debt. They have collected $212,000, with which they have bought up
about $1,400,000 of the outstanding obligations, leaving only about $1,700,000
of indebtedness, including coupons not yet due. At the present rate the debt will be entirely extinguished and 10
years. Judge Beatty was also director
and manager of the smelting works from 1874 to 1876, when they were
discontinued. He has also owned a vast
amount of city property. He was married
in Ohio, in 1836, to Miss Runyon. Their
children are: W. H., whose sketch appears elsewhere; and Mesdames Judge Denson
and Willis, in Sacramento, and Mrs. George E. Bates, in San Francisco.
An
Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California. By Hon. Win. J Davis.
Lewis Publishing Company 1890. Page 254-255.
Submitted
by: Nancy Pratt Melton