William Beverly Elementary School

Captain William Beverly
1806-1895

Captain William Beverly was born in Jefferson County, Tennessee, on November 28, 1806, the son of John Beverly, a captain in the Revolution. In 1837, he married Nancy DeLozier in Illinois, The couple arrived in Texas on November 28, 1846, and settled northwest of Plano as Peters Colonists. In addition to his farming activities, Captain Beverly was a county commissioner in 1852, ‘54 and ‘56. He assisted in the development of the courthouse square in McKinney.

The Captain and Nancy had nine children: John, Pernina, James, Mary, Christopher, Guilford, Andrew, William, and Thomas. Five of their sons (Thomas, Christopher, Andrew, Guilford, and William) were killed in 1864 as they fought for the Confederacy. James followed his father as a farmer, and John was a Methodist minister and circuit rider. The two daughter married Vances.

Captain Beverly’s wife died on June 16, 1851. Captain Beverly’s second wife was Rebecca Crownover, and to this union were born five children. Captain Beverly died on May 20, 1895.

Captain Beverly’s eldest son John married Isabel Russell. They had twelve children: Joseph, Pernina, Mary, Mattie, Warren, James, Thomas, Andrew, John, Frank, Lula and Robert. Joseph was a prominent businessman in Crowell, Texas. He took great interest in the early history of his native county of Collin and wrote numerous articles in the McKinney papers on historic subjects. Pernina taught school at Spring Creek and then married Thomas F. Hughston.

Descendants of William Beverly in the Plano area include Frank Beverly, Tom Hughston, and Thomas Beverly, Jr.