PIATT-L Archives

Archiver > PIATT > 2000-02 > 0950587623


From: "Ron and Jeannine Lemmon" <>
Subject: [PIATT] Fw: Piatt surname, Branch Co., MI.
Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2000 23:07:03 -0500


Hi Piatt Researchers!

At last I have something to contribute, rather than just asking for help all
the time!

I received the following in response to a query I posted on the Branch
County, Michigan Gen Web page, searching for connections to William A. Piatt
and his parents, William Piatt and Hannah Tindall.

This is extremely interesting information, especially the narrative on
Nathaniel Piatt, son of William and Hannah, as it includes information about
their migration west to Indiana.

I am posting it here in hopes that is also helps someone else out. Mary
Kane, who did the lookup, says this is all she has on Piatts.

So here you go...we all owe Mary a big thank you!

Jeannine

_____________________

Hi Jeannine, OK, starting with the book "Coldwater Michigan Graduates
The First 100 Years ) 1868 - 1967.

There is one listing : Lamoyne Piatt --- Class of 1929, Coldwater High
School.
~~~~~~~~~~

The book ; Cemetery Inscriptions and Records 1831-1990 Branch County,
Michigan.
Index to Volume 1 - Rural Cemeteries of Branch County.

Piatt, Ella ____-____ North Gilead Cem. Marker illegible.

Piatt, Frances P. ____-1874 North Gilead Cem. dau/Wlliam & M.F., age 11y
7m 23d.

Piatt, George O. 1876-1959 East Gilead Cem. age 83y.

Piatt, Leona B. 1879 - 1905 North Gilead Cem.

Piatt, Lucinda 1860 - 1898 North Gilead Cem.- dau/ N. & N. Piatt.

Piatt, M. F. ____-____ North Gilead Cem. - No Information.

Piatt, Margarette E. 1882 - 1951 East Gilead Cem age 68y.

Piatt, Nancy 1827 - 1875 North Gilead Cem. wife/Nathaniel Piatt.

Piatt, Nathaniel 1826-1908 North Gilead Cem.

Piatt, Patience C. 1858 - 1877 East Gelead Cem.

Piatt, Reumah 1816 - 1893 Knauss Cem. - sister/Mrs. A.W. Case.

Piatt, Sarah 1858 - 1908 North Gilead Cem.

Piatt, William ____ - 1882 North Gilead Cem age 60y 3m 13d
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NO listings for Piatt name in the Cemetery Inscriptions and Records 1831 -
1986 Branch County, MIchigan Vol. IV Oak Grove Cemetery, Coldwater,
Michigan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NO listings for Piatt name in the 1854 State Census for Coldwater Township,
Branch County, Michigan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As far as marriage records, I do not have Book One 1831-1875.
I tried to get it but it has been sold out. ( drat the luck). I only have
some of the pages copied for my family and do not have the page for Piatt
name.
I do have Book 2 . Early Marriage Records of Branch County, Michigan 1876 -
1887.

Piatt, Cyrus, 23, b Wayne Co., OH, of Bronson, Farmer, m Ellen
Haight, 18, b Bronson, of Same, on 24 Aug 1879 at Bronson, by J. Clubine
(MG), witnessed by Wm. Fallows and Linda Fallows both of Bronson.
E232-7028.

Piatt, David Maxwell, 29, b Berlin, OH., of Bethel {Twp.}, Farmer, m
Anna Maria Hardinger, 27, b Pennsylvania, of Orland, IN., on 25 March
1879 at Coldwater, by J.J. Buell (MG), witnessed by Lucretia Parker and
Celestine R. Buell both of Coldwater. E229-6988.

Piatt, Frank, 23, b Indiana, of Bethel, Blacksmith, m Lydia Mahlla
Robinson, 18, b Wisconsin, of Bethel, on 14 April 1878 at Bethel, by
E.J. Keeville (MG), Witnessed by Bion Chapin and Lucy Chapin both of Bethel.
E207-6659.

(same book, listing of Brides...)

Piatt, Ella to Hathaway, Lelim 7 July 1878 E210-6698.

Piatt, Lucinda I. to Benedict, Edwin 3 Nov 1877 E197-6509.

Piatt, Minerva to Carter, Edward C. 18 Aug 1884 F068-8803.

Now to follow up on these bride listings...looking at the Groom listing...

Hathaway, Lemim D. 35, b New York, of Gelead, Mechanic, m Ella
Piatt, 20, b Wisconsin, of Ovid {Twp}, on 7 July 1878 at Kinderhook, by
J.C. Len----- (MG), witnessed by George Tripp and Mary Tripp both of
Kinderhook, #E210-6698.

Benedict, Edwin, 20, b Jamestown, IN., of Same, Farmer, m Lucinda I.
Piatt, 17, b Branch Co., of Bethel, on 3 Nov 1877 at Bethel, by
G.W. Hill (MG), witnessed by Nathaniel Piatt and Margaret Piatt both of
Bethel, E197-6509.

Carter, Edward C. 21, b Michigan, of Porter, MI., Farmer, m
Minerva Piatt, 20, b Michigan, of Porter, IN., on 18 Aug 1884 at
Bronson, by John R. Bonney (MG), witnessed by Cyrus Piatt and Ellen Piatt
both of Branch Co. F068-8803.
*** This seems to have some sort of mix up, about Porter, MI. or
Porter, IN. ?? The name is not familier to me and I lived in Branch
County for 52 years, and have just a couple months ago moved to Texas. But
I brought my books with me to help others searching Branch County. ****
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the book " History of Branch County, Michigan " 1879 --

Page 286. Mentions in the Civil List fr supervisors of Bethel Township in
the year 1870, Nathaniel Piatt. Also in the 1872 - 73 years.
Nathaniel Piatt was also Drain Commissioner in 1875.

Page 257. In East Gilead, Franklin Piatt built a Wagon-shop in 1873.

Page 73. Members of the Seventeenth Infantry from Branch County.

David S. Piatt, Co. C.; died of disease at Frederickville, Md., Dec 12,
1862.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the Book : History and Biographical Record of Branch County, Michigan
1906.

This is the only PIATT listed.

NATHANIEL PIATT.

Nathaniel Piatt, one of the self-made men of Branch county whose
success has resulted entirely from his own able efforts, and whose example
should serve as a course of inspiration and encouragement to others, was
born in Warren County, New Jersey, May 27, 1826. His parents were William
and Hannah (Tindall) Piatt, both of whom were natives of New Jersey,
whence they removed in 1830 to Columbia county, Pennsylvania, and in 1835
they went to eastern Ohio. About sixteen years were there passed, and in
1852 they arrived in Elkhart county, Indiana. In their family were eight
children who reached years of maturity, but only three of the number ever
came to Michigan, namely : Nathaniel ; William, who died in Cass county
; and James A., who died in Esabella county. Nathaniel Piatt is the only
one of the family now living. The father passed away in Elkhart county,
Indiana, and the mother's death occurred in LaGrange county, that state.
Both were esteemed people and were strong Methodists in religious faith.
Nathaniel Piatt started out in life on his own account in 1848. He had
accompanied his parents on their various removals up to that time, and he
preceded them in their removal to Elkhart county, Indiana, by a year. He
first owned land in LaGrange County, Indiana, and in 1854 came to Michigan,
where he purchased forty acres of land in Gilead township, Branch County.
Later, however, he increased his holdings to one hundred and fifty-nine
acres in Gilead and Bethel townships. The place was only partially cleared
when it came into his possession, and he made all of the improvements
thereon. He now owns sixty-eight acres on sections thirty-five and
thirty-six in Bethel township. He started out in life unaided, with no
capital save strong determination and willing hands, but he has accumulated
property by hard work and is now in comfortable financial circumstances.
He was a director of the Branch County Mutual Fire Insurance Company, with
which organization he has been connected for many years, and in affairs in
Gilead and Bethel townships he has been an active and influential factor,
his labors proving of direct and immediate serviceableness in many
connections.
Mr. Piatt was married in Holmes county, Ohio, January 25, 1848, to
Miss Nancy Ritter, who was born in Mount Eaton, Wayne county, Ohio,
January 28, 1827. They had eight children. David Piatt, the eldest, who
died in the state of California in 1886, married Patience Mabry and they
had a son George, who was born August 28, 1876, and who wedded Margaret
Whaley, whose birth occurred August 2, 1882. This marriage was blessed
with a daughter, Erta Marie, who was born November 26, 1902. George Piatt
and his family now live with his grandfather, Nahaniel Piatt, upon the old
home farm. Mrs. Melissa Patch, the second member of the fmily, lives in
Coldwater. Mrs. Lucretia Balcom died in Seattle, Washington, in 1905.
Franklin is living in the west. William Albert, a resident of South
Dakota, married Mrs. Delilah Perrin and they have five children, namely :
Charles, Orva, Rollin, Clyde and Eva. Mrs. Lucinda Benedict died in
Chicago in 1898. Ella died in infancy. Mrs. Mattie Green is living in
Seattle. The mother of this family departed this life September 29, 1875,
and on the 2nd of September, 1876, Mr. Piatt was married to Mrs. A. P.
Chapin, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. She was a most active and interested
worker in the church, at one time was connected with the Baptist
denomination, but afterward with the Liberal United Brethren. She was a
woman possessed of many sterling traits of character, and her death, which
occurred in Bethel township, May 22, 1904, was the occasion of deep regret
on the part of her many friends.
Mr. Piatt has traveled extensively through the west. He made the first
trip in 1856 when there was one little railroad west of the Mississippi
river. He now makes annual trips through to the coast and is well posted on
the western country, its prospects and possibilities. In community affairs
he has been actively and helpfully interested. He served as supervisor for
three years, was drain commissioner one year and school officer for many
years in Gilead and Bethel townships. Although not a member of any
religious society, he is an earnest Christian and one of the chief
supporters of the Liberal United Brethern church, being chairman of the
building committee which erected Bethel church of that denomination. He has
for many years been a member of Tyre lodge, F. & A.M., and was formerly an
influential member of the Grange. He is still a well preserved man in spite
of his years, having now reached the eightieth milestone on life's journey.
His has been an active, useful and honorable career and Branch county has
benefited by his efforts in her behalf. (the end)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In this same book, there is a bio. of George Carter. I can see no mention
of your Edward C. Carter in there. If you would like, I can type it up and
email it also.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Coldwater Phone Book, which also includes :Bronson, Coldwater Lake,
Quincy, Reading and Union City,........ There is listing in Bronson for
:

Piatt, Clair 934 Weaver Rd. (517) 369-1597

Piatt, Harry H. 518 S. Walker St. 369 - 8804

Jeannine, Are your eyes going around and around yet, and your heart
thumping ? Well, I think this is about all the info. that I have
available to me here in Texas. Sure hope it helps you out some. Let me
know if I can do anything else for you.
Did you know there are 2 web sites for Branch County ? If you haven't put
your queries on both, you might consider it. Also the Branch County
Library has a web site.
Good luck and Happy Valentines Day.
Mary

Mary J. Kane

This thread: