Beaty Cecil

Beaty Cecil (1849-1931) was Scott County’s eighth sheriff, serving in that capacity from 1882 to 1886. He later served as a Scott County Judge, was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives, and was twice elected to the Tennessee Senate. He is the father of the brothers who are collectively known as the Fighting Cecils of New River. He was the son-in-law of Scott County Sheriff Bailey Buttram.

See Also: Sheriffs of Scott County
Preceded By: Reuben Hurtt • Succeeded By: Frank Hughett

See Also: Mayors of Scott County
Preceded By: W.H. Potter • Succeeded By: W.H. Potter

Early Life

Beaty Cecil (sometimes spelled Beatty, including on his gravestone, or Baty) was born September 13, 1949 in Helenwood, the son of Samuel and Priscilla Martha Thomas Cecil. Born the same year Scott County was established, he was a life-long resident of the New River area.

Cecil hiked from his home in Scott County to Nashville to join the Union army in 1864, at the age of 15. He was enlisted in the 7th Tennessee Mounted Cavalry, which saw action late in the war across parts of East Tennessee.

After he returned home, Cecil married Polly Elmira Buttram (1858-1938) on November 6, 1874. Polly Buttram was the daughter of former Scott County Sheriff Bailey Buttram and Lucinda McCoy Buttram.

The Buttram family was perhaps New River’s wealthiest family. Bailey Buttram and his brother, William, amassed thousands of acres of property along the river. Their parents, John and Jane Buttram, were also well-to-do farmers. At the dawn of the Civil War, Jane Buttram was Scott County’s most prominent slaveowner, owning 22 slaves.

The Cecils were also a notable family. Beaty Cecil’s paternal grandparents had 14 children, and his grandmother was a part of the Reed family — the daughter of Isaac and Pharaba Hatfield Reed. Both Cecil’s father-in-law, Bailey Buttram, and his great-grandfather, Isaac Reed, were on the committee that chose Huntsville as the county seat in 1850. Isaac Reed was also elected Scott County’s first trustee.

Sheriff of Scott County

Cecil had a lengthy career in elected office, beginning with his election as Scott County Sheriff in 1882. He was the county’s eighth sheriff, succeeding Reuben Hurtt, who was also from New River. Hurtt’s older sister, Mary, married John Buttram, who was Bailey Buttram’s nephew.

Cecil was re-elected in 1884 and served a total of four years as sheriff. In her book, County Scott and Its Mountain Folk, historian Esther Sharp Sanderson cited Scott County Court records from 1885 showing that Cecil was paid a salary of $50.05 for his services in 1884 — the equivalent of about $1,560 today.

Following Cecil’s tenure as sheriff, he completed the bar exam and practiced as an attorney, and was elected to the Tennessee Senate in 1887. He served a two-year stint in the Senate, then was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1889, where he served another two years.

Judge of Scott County

In 1902, Cecil was elected as the sixth Scott County Judge. He was re-elected in 1906 and served two terms in that capacity. He and Judge W.H. Potter became fierce opponents, and were noted for their fiery campaign speeches against one another. Beaty defeated Potter in 1902, then Potter defeated Beaty in 1910.

In 1913, Cecil was once again elected to the Tennessee Senate, serving two more years.

Family & Personal Life

Beaty and Polly Buttram Cecil had seven children: Elliot Cecil, who died in infancy, Minnie Cecil Campe, John Riley Cecil, Joseph Samuel Cecil, Thomas J. Cecil, Henry Barton Cecil, and James Jay Cecil.

Beaty Cecil died in Knoxville, Tenn. on April 29, 1931, at the age of 81. His cause of death was listed as old senile debility (old age). He was buried in the Reed Cemetery at New River.

Military Legacy

Beaty Cecil hiked from Helenwood to Nashville to join the Union army in 1864. Years later, his sons continued to carve out a family military legacy. Together, they became known as the “Fighting Cecils of New River.”

Col. Joe Cecil (1878-1940) was awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor for his courage in the Philippine Insurrection. He is Scott County’s only Medal of Honor winner.

Comm. Henry Barton Cecil (1888-1933) was killed in action aboard the U.S.S. Akron in 1933. A naval air station in Florida is named Cecil Field in his honor.

Lt. Col. Tom Cecil (1885-1974) served in World War I.

Col. James J. Cecil (1893-1976) served in both World War I and World War II.