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From: "Robin Pyatt Bellamy" <>
Subject: Martin Smith
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 22:36:33 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)



I spent part of last week in Nicholas County, WV and a couple of things need
to be passed on to those of us who are following the WV
Piatts/Pyatts/Peyatts.

First, in all probability we will never know who John S Pyatt's birth
parents are. I spoke with county officials and historical society folks and
a prominent genealogist in the area and was told that prior to 1853
Virginians were not required to file birth or death certificates. So the
only information we could possibly get would have to come from a family
bible (I know of none in existence for this family) or church records, which
likely were burned in the Civil War. I will let you know if by some miracle
our DNA turns up something fruitful, but for now my search for birth
information on my John S is done.

Martin Smith, however, is a different story. Martin is the listed father to
Mary Smith, (probable) second wife of William Pyatt of Nicholas County. He
has long eluded us.

So I did some digging. I found a land record for Martin Smith for
Greenbriar County dated 1778 which states he is granted the land title
because he had possession of the land prior to 1 Jan 1778. I followed the
tract information through the many county changes, and discovered this land
is near present day Muddlety (formerly Muddlety Peg) which is just north of
Summersville in Nicholas County. Muddlety, Craigsville, and Richwood all
lie along one road and Pyatts have been found in all three towns for over
150 years.

When researching Martin Smith, keep this in mind. Muddlety, Nicholas county
WV was Greenbriar County Virginia 1778-1818. There is a good probability
that Martin's death information will be in the Greenbriar Co records (if it
exists anywhere). Before it was Greenbriar Co, it was Montgomery County, VA
in 1776-1777. Prior to that it was Botentort County, VA, 1769-1776. Prior
to 1776 it was Augusta County, VA.

Therefore it is my opinion (pending further research) that our Martin Smith
was probably born in Augusta or Botentort County, VA and died probably in
Breenbriar County, VA. sometime between 1790 and 1814.

More notes forthcoming...just wanted to pass this along while it was on my
mind.

Robin



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