diff --git a/Adafruit_SPIDevice.cpp b/Adafruit_SPIDevice.cpp
index 09308dc..04c0543 100644
--- a/Adafruit_SPIDevice.cpp
+++ b/Adafruit_SPIDevice.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ Adafruit_SPIDevice::Adafruit_SPIDevice(int8_t cspin, uint32_t freq,
   _cs = cspin;
   _sck = _mosi = _miso = -1;
   _spi = theSPI;
-  _begun = false;
   _spiSetting = new SPISettings(freq, dataOrder, dataMode);
   _freq = freq;
   _dataOrder = dataOrder;
@@ -61,7 +60,6 @@ Adafruit_SPIDevice::Adafruit_SPIDevice(int8_t cspin, int8_t sckpin,
   _freq = freq;
   _dataOrder = dataOrder;
   _dataMode = dataMode;
-  _begun = false;
   _spiSetting = new SPISettings(freq, dataOrder, dataMode);
   _spi = NULL;
 }
@@ -106,7 +104,6 @@ bool Adafruit_SPIDevice::begin(void) {
     }
   }
 
-  _begun = true;
   return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/Adafruit_SPIDevice.h b/Adafruit_SPIDevice.h
index 60ebe2a..a99f104 100644
--- a/Adafruit_SPIDevice.h
+++ b/Adafruit_SPIDevice.h
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@ class Adafruit_SPIDevice {
   uint8_t _dataMode;
   void setChipSelect(int value);
   int8_t _cs, _sck, _mosi, _miso;
-  bool _begun;
 };
 
 #endif /* RTDUINO_USING_SPI */