He married first on April 11, 1791, in Guilford County, North Carolina, Catherine Finley. She was born in North Carolina (or Charleston, SC; or Ireland) August 10, 1756, and died September 24, 1818 in Crystal Hill, Pyeatt Township, Pulaski County, Arkansas. She was the daughter of Rev Andrew Finley (a twin) who was born April 10, 1717 Armagh, Ireland and died October 6, 1780, in Guilford County, North Carolina (Almanance Presbyterian Church; occ. Presbyterian Minister; child #4 of Michael Finley and Ann O'Neill; [Note: some sources have dob 18 Apr 1717 and dod 1782] and Katherine Paul (Paull b: c1717; d: ?Warren Co KY; child #1 of Hugh Paul (Paull) and Mary ?; [Note: mentioned in father's will].
According to a manuscript of L A Colquitt (original sources not known to me) "After their apprenticeships were completed, James and Jacob Pyeatte became traders and cattle dealers, driving herds to market in Charleston. It was on these journeys that they stopped at the inn where the Finley sisters were working. Margaret and Catherine Finley, who married Jacob and James Pyeatte, were the eldest daughters of an Irish landlord of a small estate in North Ireland. As the family was large, the sisters came to America under a contract to pay steerage after arrival. Reaching Charleston, S. C., they found employment at an inn, where they met the two Pyeattes (now traders and cattle dealers), who susequently paid the balance due on their steerage, and married them. Jacob and Margaret were married the third year after they met. As will have been noted, Jacob and Catherine were united about a year later."
"Soon after their marriages the brothers took their wives to the frontier, settling for a time in what has since become Logan County, Kentucky. Accompanying them from the Carolinas were members of the Carnahan family and some others, including Buchanans, Shannons, Billingleys, Marrs, Porters, Prestons, Rankins, Drakes, and Blairs. These names are still prominent in Northwest Arkansas, and throughout the South and West. There is some evidence that his party of Carolinians remained together for more than a generation of pioneering, a large portion of which was spent under the actual, if not official, leadership of Jacob Pyeatte."
Children of James and Catherine:
According to a Goodspeed's article (History of Washington County, AR) on John Rankin Pyeatt, James and Kate moved from Kentucky in about 1812 to about 13 miles above Little Rock, Arkansas. It has also been said that James and his brother, Jacob, were bell makers and that some cow bells could still be found in Washington County, Arkansas, which were made by the two of them.
After Catherine's death, James married second on August 7, 1821, "Patsy" Martha ?White who died March 15, 1834. He then married third on December 15, 1834, Holly Hardin (nee Bagley) who died April 17, 1837. According to L A Colquitt, "The Gazette of March 25, 1834 gives an account of the death of Mrs. James Pyeatt of Pyeatt Township, Pulaski County, on Mar. 15 1834, and on April 18, 1837, it gives an account of the death of Mrs. Holly Pyeatt, second wife of James Pyeatt, which occurred on April 17, 1837. On May 16, 1837 the Gazette gives an account of the death of James Pyeatt of Pulaski County which occurred on April 24, 1837." James was about 67 years of age when he died. Another note on L A Colquitt's manuscript says "Ark Gaz D 30 1824 marr of James Pyatt & Holly Hardin." Should this read 1834 instead of 1824?
The following land claim seems to belong to James:
Sources:
Version Two
James Pyeatt son of John and Jane Blare Pyeatt was born in 1762 or 1768 and married Catherine Finley
The children of James and Catherine:
Back to Home
Back to John and Jane Blair Pyeatt Page
