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Archiver > PIATT > 2000-02 > 0950243224


From: Charles Piatt <>
Subject: Re: [PIATT] (Too?) Many Benjamins
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2000 23:27:04 -0500


Hi Alley,

I'm glad that there was something of value in my posting. I encourage you to
get a copy of the original record of the marriage of James and Mary Donahue
Piatt for your files. The marriage occurred in Rockbridge Co VA. I'm
surprised I don't have the marriage book and number but the text of the record is:

"Know all men by these presents that we JAMES PEATT & JNO DONAGHOW alias JNO W
DONAUGH, are held and firmly bound to John Page, Governor of the Commonwealth
of Virginia or his successors in the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars to
which payment well and truly to be made we bind ourselves, our heirs,
Executors &c jointly & severally, firmly by these presents witness our hands
and seals this 17th day of July 1805. The condition of the above obligation
is such that whereas there is a marriage shortly intended to be solumnized
between the above bound James Peatt and MARY DONAGHOE, daughter of said
Donaghoe, of Rockbridge County. If therefore there shall be no lawful cause
to obstruct the same then this obligation to be void, otherwise to remain in
full force.

James (his X mark) Peatt (SEAL) /s/ John Donhoe (SEAL)

Rockbg. County to Wit: James Peatt came before me in the office of said
County Court & made oath that from the information of his parents & his own
knowledge he is now above the age of Twenty one years & that there is no undue
means about to be used in order to obtain a license to intermarry with Mary
Donaghe, daughter of John Donaghe, alias Jno W Donagh. Given under my hand
this 17th day of July 1805. A Reid, Clk.
****

Notice the variations in the spelling of Donahue.

Similar records are found for other marriages:

BENJAMIN PYATT and James Pyatt are held and firmly bound...this 6th day of
February 1827...[marriage]to be solemnized between the above bound Benjamin
Pyatt and RACHAEL MCWILLIAMS, daughter of John McWilliams of Rockingham
Co....[Rockingham Marriage Book 3:632]

The same bond is also found with a date of 8 February 1827.
****

WILLIAM PEAT and John Miller are held and firmly bound...this 17th day of
November 1814...[marriage] to be solemnized between the above bound William
Peatt & MARY SMITH, daughter of Martin Smith decd? of Augusta Co...(Augusta Co)
****

JOHN MCWILLIAMS JR and James Peat are held and firmly bound...this 25th day of
July 1826...[marriage] to be solemnized between the above bound John
McWilliams Jr and ISABELLA PEAT of Augusta Co...(Augusta Co; Another record
refers to Isabella Peatt as "orphan of Moses Peatt.")
****

ELIJAH TURNER and Wm Donoho are held and firmly bound...this 22 day of
February 1830...[marriage] to be solemnized between the above bound Elijah
Turner and CATHERINE PEYATT, orphan of Benjamin Peyatt, deceased...(Augusta
Co, obviously this Benjamin Piatt did not make it to Indiana.)
****

CORNELIUS PYATT and Micajah Watkins are held and firmly bound...this 19th day
of May 1806...[marriage] to be solemnized betwen the above bound Cornelius
Pyatt and ANN WATKINS, daughter of Micajah Watkins of this County [Rockbridge Co]...
****

BENJAMIN PYATT and John Donahoe are held and firmly bound...this 20th day of
Novem 1809...[marriage] to be solemnized between the above bound Benjamin
Pyatt and SARAH DONOHO, daughter of said John...(Rockbridge Co)
****

By date and location this last Benjamin should be a brother to the James who
married Mary Donahue and an uncle to the Benjamin who married Rachel
McWilliams. This last Benjamin could be the deceased father of Isabella Peat
by 1826.

To further confuse matters there was another Clarissa Piatt b c1856 in Indiana
to Philip and Lanna (Lavinia Galbreath?) Piatt. Philip was a son of James and
Mary Donahue Piatt and so this couple had two granddaughters named Clarissa,
not unusual I guess in the era of large families.

I said that the New Jersey link had not been established, but in the 1860
census for Jasper Co IN, James Pyatt is listed as age 74, b c 1786 in NJ. His
occupation was "gardener." He and Mary were listed above the family of son
Philip who lived with them. However, we don't know where in NJ James was born
or to whom.

And that's probably more than anyone wanted to know about these folks.;-)

Source: Piatt Family Newsletter, Volume 4, 1898; Volume 5, 1990.

Laverne Ingram Piatt
Ontario, O

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