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Archiver > PIATT > 2001-04 > 0986869357


From: Laverne Piatt <>
Subject: [PIATT] Federal Hall, Boone Co KY
Date: Mon, 09 Apr 2001 22:25:12 -0400
References: <7f.12894879.27fd6c1e@aol.com>


I haven't seen a reply to the query about Federal Hall, so I am going to
venture a _guess_ as to its location. I trust someone will offer corrections
as to these estimations. (I may have missed a response as I'm not yet through
all the accumulated e-mail, though.)

I have two maps to compare. The map of Petersburg Precinct of Boone Co KY
from "Atlas of Boone, Kenton & Campbell Co KY, 1883" shows properties of
Charles D Piatt and Jac [sic] Piatt off a road that is identified on the
current DeLorme "Kentucky Atlas and Gazetteer" as Old Ferry Road. The 1883
map shows the road as running from the Petersburg-Burlington Turnpike (now KY
20) to the river across from Lawrenceburg IN and then south looping back to
the Petersburg-Burlington Turnpike east of Petersburg. This south running
section is identified as the Lawrenceburg Ferry Road.

>From the more easterly departure from the Petersburg-Burlington Turnpike the
road ran west along a creek and the Jac Piatt property was shown on the 1883
map as being on the riverside (west) slope of the ridge on the south side of
the road. The old map shows three buildings on this property connected with
dotted lines (private paths?) but it is the western most of the three that is
marked with a "Res."

The property of Chas D Piatt was a bit farther north and closer to the river
than that of Jac Piatt.

Jacob Piatt of Federal Hall was not alive in 1883. I don't know how long his
property was in the Piatt family. However, the current DeLorme topographical
atlas makes this property of Jac Piatt a good guess to be Federal Hall.

Today this same property would be inaccessible by road or by river, only by
foot. The current Old Ferry Road still turns off KY Route 20 at the same
point but runs only half way to the river--not nearly far enough to reach the
old Jac Piatt property. The south leg of the old road still runs from the old
ferry location across from Lawrenceburg south to where it rejoins KY 20 east
of Petersburg. But the middle portion of the Old Ferry Road has been abandoned.

Old Ferry Road would be just a short distance west southwest on KY 20 from the
I-275 interchange, about 1/3 of the way from the interchange to Petersburg.

It is my understanding that pioneer Piatt researcher the late Joe Kearney was
able to obtain access to this property by stealth. I believe the owner at the
time was not friendly to anyone wanting access. I have seen photocopies of
photos of the ruins. As photocopies of dark photographs the images are quite
poor. I do not remember offhand who took the original photographs.

I believe that Jacob's grave on the property is marked with a plaque with an
epitaph similar to the one quoted in the list query and that Joe Kearney
placed this plaque twice, it having been stolen once.

I also think that a Piatt researcher in Cincinnati hiked to the ruins within
the last 5 years or so but I'm relying on memory here and don't have proof at
hand. I can't remember which Cincinnati Piatt this one other than his name
was Piatt.

This isn't very definitive but it is a start. Additional comments appreciated.
--
Laverne Ingram Piatt
Ontario, OH

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