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My husband is a direct descendant of JACOB PIATT and ELIZABETH DUNHAM(?) PIATT. Jacob died in Washington Co PA in 1784 leaving a will in which he named 11 children including JAMES PIATT (sr), my husband's 3rd great grandfather, of Monroe Co OH. There has never been any indication, suspicion or family tradition of Indian blood in the family. In fact, the Piatts of this line that I know have to use a lot of sunblock, have brown hair or lighter, and light eyes.
There is evidence that a JACOB PIATT and a BENJAMIN PIATT were in the area of Louisville KY in the time period mentioned. But it is doubtful that the JACOB PIATT in Louisville was the same one who died in Washington Co PA in 1784. JACOB PIATT of Washington Co PA owned some 400 acres of land called Fidelity (now believed to be the Trax Farms at Finleyville PA) and is known to have owned a number of sheep. While he may have been the JACOB PIATT Jr listed as one of the settlers dispossed of land in the Path Valley of PA (now Franklin Co, along with his Indian trader father) around 1755, it is more plausible that JACOB's son JACOB PIATT ("my ouldest son" who received "my Big Bible and my Cane" in the will proved in 1784) was the one who was in Louisville at the Falls of the Ohio.
Likewise, it is thought that the BENJAMIN PIATT at the Falls of the Ohio was also a son of the JACOB PIATT who died in Washington Co PA in 1784. This BENJAMIN PIATT is an interesting man and there are still many questions to be answered about him. He married, presumably in Washington Co PA, to MARY PHILIPS daughter of REV DAVID PHILIPS a most well-respected minister. BENJAMIN and MARY had two children, John (b 18 Apr 1784) and Benjamin Piatt. REV DAVID PHILIPS owned Ninevah, a large property near Fidelity. On 24 Nov 1790 the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania granted MARY PHILIPS PIATT, the MINISTER's daughter, a divorce.
Let's consider what it would have taken for the minister's daughter to be divorced in 1790. First, there had to be a period of abandonment for 3 years, so we can surmise that BENJAMIN had been absent since 1787. And, in my opinion, the problems between the couple had to be more than insurmountable for the minister's daughter to go through the humiliation of a divorce.
Indeed, there is evidence of problems between the PHILIPS family and BENJAMIN PIATT. BENJAMIN PIATT was named the will of his father JACOB PIATT, proved in 1784. In the will to son BENJAMIN "I give the care and youse of my Land until the boys is of age and I give BENJAMIN one horse plough and plough tackling and BENJAMIN is to bring up and school JAMES and THOMAS for the yus of the Land." BENJAMIN, JAMES, and THOMAS were to have "my land equally divided." (Son JACOB was already established with 200 acres in Ohio Co VA and son ROBERT had been wounded in the arm during the Revolution and may not have been able to farm.)
BENJAMIN PIATT appears on the tax rolls of Washington Co PA in 1781 with 150 acres, value 112, and in 1784 with 10 shillings, 6 pence. (What does this discrepancy in worth mean? Are these one or two BENJAMINs?) BENJAMIN PIATT disappears from the tax rolls with the 1784 listing.
While researching in Washington Co PA a few years ago I discovered a most interesting document. In the March 1787 term of Common Pleas Court, DAVID PHILIPS sued BENJAMIN PYEATTE for a debt of 75 pounds, plus 2 pounds 11 shillings 6 pence. The judgement was found in favor of PHILIPS. To settle this judgement a part of Fidelity was forfeited and sold to the highest bidder for a mere 20 pounds 5 shillings, less than a third of what the suit was brought for. (PEYETTE, BENJAMIN, by Sheriff, to Jesse Hunt, 1 Aug 1788, Washington Co Deed Book 1D, page 232, Peters Township.) Why did PHILIPS have to sue? If there was a debt that couldn't be paid, why didn't BENJAMIN deed a portion of his land to PHILIPS, his father-in-law? A little over two years later, PHILIP's daughter was granted a divorce.
On 2 Nov 1795 BENJAMIN PIATT married MARY WADDEL in Ohio Co VA. This couple went to Adams Co OH and lived a rather quiet life there near his brother JACOB PIATT (of the Big Bible and Cane). It had been thought that the BENJAMIN PIATT who married MARY WADDEL was the same as divorced from MARY PHILIPS. And indeed he may be.
However, there are records in the Territorial Papers of Louisiana which indicate that a BENJAMIN PIATT was around Natchez during the last few years of the 1700s and maybe into the 1800s. And we have to suspect that he was from the Wheeling area, which could include Washington Co PA, as he was associating with Lewis Wetzel of Ohio Co VA. Wetzel was hero or villan, depending on who is talking about him. Some of the actions attributed to him would be considered atrocities today. The BENJAMIN PIATT of Louisiana Territory was charged with counterfeiting and murder. He was imprisoned and there are three versions of what happened next: he died in prison, he was released after serving his term, and a third which I can't remember offhand.
So which BENJAMIN is which. After having been sued for debt, losing part of the home place, and having been divorced, what would BENJAMIN have done--remarried and lived quietly in Adams Co OH not far from his brother JACOB PIATT or commit outrageous acts in Louisiana Territory? And after we decide that, who was the other BENJAMIN?
The _Rogalid_ commanded by Capt JACOB PYATT which sank at the mouth of Beargrass was a boat called a bateau. It was used to transport soldiers and also was supposed to guard the Ohio River. But it was too heavy and unwieldy to be of much use. Remember boats had to be rowed in those days. I wonder if JACOB shed many tears when it sank. Beargrass Creek is in Louisville.
There are two wonderful new books by, I believe, Kenneth Carstens (corrections to this name please) about the activities of the soldiers under the command of George Rogers Clark at Fort Jefferson in western Kentucky. JACOB PIATT is mentioned several times, but noticably he is always referred to as MR PIATT, not by Capt or Major. It's been a while since I've reviewed these books but as I recall it seemed that JACOB was more of a quartermaster than a soldier. I do remember that he was entrusted to deliver messages to the from Fort Jefferson to the area of Fort Pitt. So is this designation as MISTER rather than by military rank significant? Were there two JACOB PIATTs with G R Clark? If so we can send the captain to Arkansas and the mister to Adams Co OH.
So was the wife of JACOB PIATT of Washington Co PA an Indian? Doubtful. But were the Piatts of this line associated with Indians? Absolutely. The associations are documented in the Draper Papers, the Pennsylvania Archives, Hanna's _Wilderness Road_, several county histories which list those dispossessed of their lands in Path Valley, the papers of Henri Bouquet. Also, the trading post called "Pyatt's" appears on Scull's c1770 map of Pennsylvania and appears to have been located at Dry Run in Path Valley.
We can all certainly agree that there were way too many JACOBs, BENJAMINs, (and JOHNs) in the PIATT lines and that our search would be easier if the ancestors had been more creative in their choices of given names like the young folks are today.
Laverne Ingram Piatt
Ontario, OH
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