John S. Peyatt was born about 16 June 1840 in Nicholas County, Virginia [West Virginia], according to his marriage license, or in 1841. The microfilm of Nicholas County births for the period 1820-1899 did not include a record of his birth, but census records also list Virginia [West Virginia] as his birthplace and tend to show his age as born in 1841. His death record lists his age as 54 in February 1896 (i.e., born in 1841).

His parents were William Peyatt and Margaret [Smith] Peyatt according to his marriage license, both born in Virginia [West Virginia] and described in more detail in Chapters 17 and 18. John is listed as age 8 in the 1850 census of Nicholas County in his mother’s household with his brothers William (age 23) and Andrew (age 21), and their sister, Dinah (age 18). The family lived next door to the James Koontz household. Their father, William Ross Peyatt, was apparently deceased.

John is also listed in the 1860 federal census at age 19 in Nicholas County, West Virginia, but some indexes show the named spelled as "Pyater". John Pyatte or Pyater was listed as a laborer in that census in the household of James Koontz with a William Pyatte (or Pyater), laborer, of age 31. Both Peyatt parents may have been deceased by 1860, or Mary Margaret may have been living with one of the other children, such as Dinah after Dinah married. The brothers were apparently serving as laborers at another family’s farm.

Variant Surname Spellings

The "Pyatt" spelling of this surname among my direct line ancestors has only been used since about 1898. Earlier ancestors, including the subject of this chapter, were recorded using a variety of other spellings. Variant spellings in records that I have reviewed include the following: Peatt, Peyatt, Piat, Piatt, Pyat, Pyater, Pyatte. As an example, several of the children of Edward William Pyatt are entered in birth records of Jackson County, West Virginia, under both "Pyatt" and "Piatt" spellings.

Marriage

John S. Peyatt [sic Pyatt] and Mary C. Snider [sic Mary Katherine Snyder] were married 18 September 1864 (license dated 16 September 1864) in Mason County, West Virginia, by Reverend Isaac E. Smith, at the home of Thomas Snyder, her father.

Military Service

Research to date has not identified any military service for John

Children and Other Residences

In 1870 John and Mary were listed in the census in Union Township of Mason County, West Virginia (Arbuckle post office). John and Mary eventually had 13 children, 8 of them living in 1910, according to the 1910 federal census in which Mary was listed as a widow living with one of her children, Edward William Pyatt. Combining census data from 1870 and 1880, the last extant census for which John was enumerated, with information from the Piatt Family Newsletter, the following brief information is outlined for each of the children. As other reference sources are obtained the information will be so annotated. For simplicity, the "Pyatt" spelling is used for these children, although a variety of spellings were found in records used.

After John Pyatt died his widow, Mary, and her sons built a log house where she raised all the children.

Occupation, Education, and Other Notes

John was a member of the Mt. Hope Church of God.

Death and Burial

John did not die 13 February 1896 in Cuba, Jackson County, West Virginia, of a stomach disease. The John listed for this death is the John that married Mary Truex.

Some researchers report that he was buried next to his wife at Mt. Hope Church of God Cemetery in Jackson County, West Virginia. However, such a grave is not marked, and his grandson, Lawrence Elmer Pyatt reported in 1999 that John was buried in a smaller cemetery of a few gravesites off of and halfway up Trace Fork Road near the cemetery where his wife Mary is buried. This information was agreed to by Lawrence’s sister, Evalene, in October 2001.

Lawrence Pyatt showed the author the site of the grave site in October 2001. It was not marked with a headstone. Only one of the few graves located in the burial site (about 100 yards off the road up a steep hill) remains marked. There is a headstone there for H.J. Hawk of Co. F, 4^th WV Cavalry (Civil War). The stone appears to be a government-issued stone with the outline of a shield around the wording on the stone. The stone stands about 3 feet high and 1 foot wide.

Other Research Completed

The subject of this chapter is not the John who served in the U.S. Army during the Civil War in Co. D of the 7^th West Virginia Infantry [that John was married to Mary Truex based on a review of the original pension file at the National Archives]. This same John married to Mary Truex was listed in the 1890 special census of veterans for Jackson County, West Virginia.

The John Piatt listed as a Private in Co. I of the 13^th West Virginia Infantry died at the hospital in Barboursville, West Virginia, 29 March 1864, and was the nephew of John S. Peyatt (i.e., the son of Andrew J. Peyatt). The John Piatt of Co. I is buried in the Old Hartford (or Cunningham) Cemetery in the Waggener District of Mason County, West Virginia, on Hartford Hill at the site of the old Welsh Baptist Church (1850-1865).

Future Research Projects
Determine if the John Piatt of Co. K of the 141^st Ohio Infantry and of Co. G? of the 182^nd Ohio Infantry recorded in microfilm T288, roll 371, is the subject of this chapter. Invalid pension filed 12 Jun 1880 – Application #377002 – Cert. #286290. [National Archives – Washington, DC]

Mary Margaret Katherine Snyder was born in the 1840s. Dates used include 05 January 1845 (and 01 May 1845) in Jackson County, Virginia [now West Virginia]. The birth year is 1845 based on the 1850 census for Jackson County, Virginia, and study by a family researcher. The 1900 census later lists her birth in May 1848. Her marriage license shows her as age 18 on 16 September 1864 (i.e., born 1846) and that her parents were Thomas and Elizabeth Snider. Her parents were Thomas Snyder and Elizabeth Butler Snyder according to family researchers. Chapters 19 and 20 provide information on her parents.

Mary was living in her early teens with her parents in Roane County, Virginia [West Virginia], near the Leroy post office in the 1860 census.

Marriage

John S. Peyatt [sic Pyatt] and Mary C. Snider [sic Mary Katherine Snyder] were married 18 September 1864 (license dated 16 September 1864) in Mason County, West Virginia, by Isaac E. Smith, Minister, at the home of Thomas Snyder, her father.

Children and Other Residences

See the previous chapter for details of her children and her residences while married. After her husband’s death she is listed in the 1900 census at age 52 in Ravenswood, Jackson County, West Virginia, and in the same county in 1910 at age 60 living with her son’s family (Edward William Pyatt). Her home in the 1920 census has not been determined to date, but it was not with Edward’s family.

After John Pyatt died Mary and her sons built a log house where she raised all the children.

Occupation, Education, and Other Notes

Mary could not read or write. She was a housewife.

Death and Burial

Mary died 11 October 1929 in Jackson County, West Virginia, and was buried in Ripley, Jackson County, at the Mt. Hope Church of God Cemetery on Trace Fork Road. Her headstone is a small white marker about 18 inches high. The oval curve making up the top half of the headstone includes the engraving of a hand holding what appears to be a rose bud. The wording engraved on the stone in 1999 was barely legible; however, the name "MARY" and part of the name Pyatt (P TT) could still be read. No dates were legible if there ever were any.

Other Research Completed

None.

Future Research Projects
Locate the 1920 residence of Mary in the U.S. census. She was probably living with one of her daughters.

Thomas Throckmorton was born 27 June 1851 in Vinton County, Ohio. His parents were Daniel Throckmorton and Catherine Carpenter and they are described in Chapters 21 and 22. Thomas is last listed with his parents in the 1870 census of Meigs County, Ohio. They lived in Columbia Township and were listed with the Lee post office. Thomas was working on his father’s farm which was valued at $1,000. I have not yet researched the 1860 census that would list Thomas at age 9.

When Thomas was born Zachary Taylor was President of the United States and there were 31 states in the union with a population of about 23 million.

Variant Surname Spellings

The "Throckmorton" spelling of this surname among my direct line ancestors has been used since prior to the 1300s. However, the name has been recorded using a variety of other spellings. Variant spellings in records that I have reviewed include the following: Thogmartin, Throgmorton, Throckmorten, Thormorton, and Krokmorton.

Marriage

Thomas married Nancy Wilcox on 04 November 1871 in Meigs County, Ohio. Daniel Throckmorton was listed as the applicant for the marriage.

Military Service

Any military service is unknown to date.

Children and Other Residences

Their seven children as listed in the 1880 census of Lee Township, Athens County, Ohio, and the 1900 census of Washington District, Jackson County, West Virginia (where their mortgaged farm was located), and miscellaneous information about them as supplemented by other family researchers were as follows:

The 1910 census lists his family in Jackson County.

Occupation, Education, and Other Notes

Thomas was a farmer in the 1880 census and could not read or write as late as the 1870 census. However he is listed as able to read in the 1910 census. He may have been of the Baptist religion since he was buried in the Meadow Dale Baptist Church Cemetery. The church was built in 1883.

Death and Burial

He died 04 April 1913 in Duncan, Jackson County, West Virginia, and was buried at the Meadow Dale Baptist Church Cemetery in Sandyville, Jackson County, West Virginia. Thomas shares a headstone in common with his wife. The gray marble headstone lies flat to the ground and reads as follows:

Adjacent to their gravesite stands an obelisk style stone of dark gray that may be that of his sister or of a sister-in-law that reads:

Other Research Completed

None.

Future Research Projects
(none listed)

Nancy Wilcox was born 28 July 1851 in Vinton County, Ohio, which was created in 1850 from parts of Athens, Gallia, Hocking, Jackson, and Ross Counties. Nancy was age 9 in the 1860 census in Vinton County, Ohio, with her parents Hiram Willcox and Elizabeth Jenks Willcox, both born in Ohio. She appears to be enumerated in the 1870 census of Athens County, Ohio, in a Lynch family household at age 20 as a domestic servant. At her birth the family name tended to be spelled with a double "L", but in later years her mother’s records use a single "L" in spelling the last name Wilcox.

Marriage

Nancy married Thomas Throckmorton on 04 November 1871 in Meigs County, Ohio.

Children and Other Residences

See Chapter 11 for information on their children and residences while married. After her husband’s death she remained in her son Clayton’s household, and is listed in the 1920 census in the Ravenswood District, Leroy Precinct, Jackson County, West Virginia, in his rented home. She was enumerated as a widow. By 1930 Nancy was living in her daughter Amy Pyatt’s home on Trace Fork Road in Ravenswood District of Jackson County.

Occupation, Education, and Other Notes

Nancy could read and write according to the 1870 census. She may have been of the Baptist religion since she was buried in the Meadow Dale Baptist Church Cemetery. The church was built in 1883.

Death and Burial

Nancy died 03 November 1942 of senility in Jackson County, West Virginia, and was buried at the Meadowdale Church Cemetery in Sandyville, Jackson County. Nancy shares a headstone in common with her husband. The gray marble headstone lies flat to the ground and reads as follows:

Other Research Completed

None.

Future Research Projects
(none listed)

continue to chapter 17
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