Samuel Beatty was born around 1819 in Ohio. He married Mary Ann Booker on September 6, 1836, and they had at least three children: Oliver, born around 1843; Edna, born around 1846; and Cassandra, born around 1850. They lived in Marion, Indiana, and Beatty worked as a trader. By 1850, he owned $2,000 of real estate.
His wife died in the early 1850s, and he married Margaret Morris on December 3, 1854. They had at least five children: William, born around 1855; Rachel, born around 1859; Ellen, born around 1863; Bettie, born around 1864; and Charles, born around 1868. By 1860, they were living in Knox, Indiana, and Beatty owned $7,900 of real estate and $4,000 of personal property. A decade later, he was working as a farmer, and he owned $1,000 of real estate and $500 of personal property. He died in September 1885.