Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!

Stephen and Mary McConnell Piatt

Stephen Piatt was born c176? probably in Virginia and died between 1850 and 1860 in Prospect Township, Marion County, Ohio. He married Mary McConnell in Muskingham County, Ohio, on June 29, 1813, as 'Stephen Peatt'. Mary was born c1787 in New Jersey and died after 1860.

Suspected/known children of Stephen and Mary were as follows:

Stephen and Mary's family lived for many years in Muskingham County, Ohio. Stephen's suspected brother, Amos Piatt, married Susannah Hawkins and also lived in Muskingum County.

I was told that both Stephen and Amos came to Muskingham County from Loudoun County, Virginia, via Hampshire County, (West) Virginia.

The Virginia heritage for Stephen and Amos is also born out by the places of birth listed for the children of Amos and Susan on various records including the 1880 census.

Looking for Stephen in Virginia on the 1810 census, we find 'Amos Pite' in Harrison County, VA (now WV):

This would fit to be Amos Piatt, his wife & 6 children, and also Amos' brother Stephen. Stephen was approximately age 20, not yet married. The children's ages suggest that Amos Piatt had 5 daughters and 1 son by 1810. One more daughter (Harriet) was born in 1812, in Ohio. Harriet's older siblings were all born in Virginia.

If this was Amos (and Stephen) in Virginia in 1810, then they must have moved to Ohio soon after 1810.

In 1820 in Muskingum County, Ohio only Stephen Piatt, in Hopewell Township, appears as a head of household. Since Amos had died before 1815, his family may have been living with another family from 1820-1840 census'.

After their appearance on the 1820 census for Muskingum County, they moved to Marion County, Ohio and remained there as shown by subsequent census records.

I find that in Marion County, Ohio, in 1821 land was patented to Martin Piatt.

Stephen Piatt fought in the War of 1812 in the 3rd (Cass') Regiment, Ohio Volunteers and Militia. Other Piatts in this same regiment were a John N. Piatt, Peter Piatt, and Robert Piatt. It is likely that these were all brothers or at least relatives. Not long after Stephen married in Muskingum County, a Robert "PEAT" married Deborah Burch on September 16, 1814, in Muskingum County, Ohio. Could this be the same Robert Piatt who fought with the others in the War of 1812?

According to the THE ZANESVILLE SIGNAL (Zanesville, Ohio newspaper), December 11, 1949:
"Historian T. W. Lewis in his biographical sketches has brought to light some interesting and unusual incidents in the lives of our citizens and the past of our city......THE PIATTS WERE OF QUAKER STOCK AND CAME FROM VIRGINIA."

The Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy confirms that the children of Amos Piatt in Muskingum County, Ohio were Quakers. Four Piatt females were disowned for marrying out of the faith.

I do not have abstracts for these entries, but, the heads of households that I have for 1840 Marion County, Ohio are as follows:

On the 1850 census of Prospect Township, Marion County, Ohio, are found:

Also in Prospect Township was the Henry and Mary Berry family (at #223/225) with 10 children including 24 year old Peter who later married Tabitha Piatt.

In Marion County, Ohio, there is a sealed incompetency file for a Stephen Piatt. If it could be unsealed, it may shed light on the family situation at the time the documents were drafted.

On the 1860 census of Prospect Township, Marion County, Ohio, Mary McConnell Piatt appeared with her daughter as follows:

This family was enumerated #1319/1320. John Dorn was the son of Mary's daughter, Susan Piatt Dorn. I have to wonder if either Mary or Elias Jones were also one of Mary's grandchildren. Next door was:

It would be logical to me that this is Alexander Doren, another son of Susan Piatt Dorn living with his aunt, Sarah Piatt. Mary M Thomas might be another neice, daughter of Hannah Piatt Thomas. Having not seen the handwritten census, I have to wonder if Josiah and Margaret were actually 'Thomas' instead of 'Tunis' (or the census taker heard wrong).

In Marion County, Ohio, death records we find:
Hannah Thomas died 18 Sep 1872, aged 42 years, 4 months, 8 days; married; cause of death - lung disease; place of death - Prospect twp; residence - Prospect twp, Marion Co, OH; place of birth - Muskingum Co OH; parents - Stephen Piatt and Mary McConnell

From this information I have calculated Hannah's date of birth and we know that she was only married once.

Sources:

Updated Jul 2010

Back to Home

Email: pyeattm@excite.com