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Archiver > PIATT > 2001-04 > 0987817769


From: Laverne Piatt <>
Subject: Re: [PIATT] Phantom John
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2001 21:49:29 -0400
References: <3ADD7BE2.DC028C12@icx.net> <3ADE1BF5.F76CA5A3@worldnet.att.net> <3AE01DCE.E4B2B399@icx.net>


For Elise,

A few years ago when we visited the Pioneer House in Logan Co OH during one of
the Piatt Conferences I heard someone behind me say "John of France"--or was
it "John and Frances." I couldn't tell. Then I began wondering if the phrase
had been altered over the years of retelling. And with the origin of the
immigrant in France anyway it could added to confusion. Anyway, it is the
line of the Five Revolutionary brothers which told the "John of France" story
the more and I began trying to locate the papers of the late Nannie Louise
Lodge who wrote "The Tribe of Jacob," which also mentions "John of France." I
thought if I could find her correspondence, some light could be shed on the
origins of the story. But I've had no luck finding her papers as yet. Any
advice on where they might be would be appreciated. Lodge died in Covington
KY in 1936 having no direct heirs.

The Pioneer House is the log home of Judge Benjamin M Piatt and his wife
Elizabeth Barnett Piatt. It fell into disrepair after the death of their son
General Abram S Piatt but was discovered by the Younckman family a number of
years ago when the Younckmans bought that portion of the Piatt property. The
Younckmans restored the house and turned it into the Pioneer House gift shop.
Elizabeth Barnett Piatt is said to have run a station on the Underground
Railroad here despite the fact that her husband was a federal judge in
Cincinnati. Elizabeth's activities are mentioned in an article on the
Underground Railroad published in National Geographic, July 1984. Sadly, the
article does not mentioned Elizabeth by her given name!
--
Laverne Ingram Piatt
Ontario, OH


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