>From the History of North Idaho 1903 Pg. 830 – 831
Although the subject of this article has not been in this section of
Kootenai
County as long as some, still, he has performed excellent labors of
development
while here, and his achievements with his personal worth entitle him
to
representation in the history of this county.
Martin Piatt was born in Washington County, Ohio, on December 4, 1866,
being the
son of William and Ann V. (Truax) Piatt, natives of Ohio, but pioneers
of
Wisconsin. They farmed for many years in Wisconsin and there the father
died in
1884. The mother still lives in Knapp, Wisconsin, aged sixty-five.
There ten
children are mentioned elsewhere in this volume. Our subject was educated
in the
schools of Wisconsin and when eighteen he started in the battle of
life on his
own responsibility. Various occupations engaged him for two years and
then he
went to Cloquet, Minnesota, in the lumber woods for a time. Then he
returned to
Wisconsin and remained until 1897, when he determined to try the west,
and
accordingly came to northern Idaho. He selected Sandpoint as the place
of his
operations and soon began logging, taking contracts from the different
millmen.
He has a fine outfit for this purpose and is one of the most expert
men at the
business in these woods. Mr. Piatt has one team that weighs thirty-three
hundred
and forty pounds. They are doubtless the finest span of draft horses
in the
county. Mr. Piatt has his headquarters one mile west from Kootenai
and is well
known over the country in his line of business as a faithful man, an
excellent
hand to accomplish his undertakings and possessed of skill, wisdom,
and executive
ability, while he stands well with all.
In 1890, Mr. Piatt married Miss Emma, daughter of Henry and Catherine
(Clingman)
Humprey, natives of Indiana, and pioneers to Wisconsin. They settled
in Dunn
County and there remained until their death, the mother’s occurring
in 1883, and
the father passing away in 1895. The happy union of Mr. Piatt and his
estimable
wife has been blessed by the advent of seven children, James, Julia
A., William
H., Martin Luther, Elizabeth C., Virginia and Benjamin. Mr. Piatt takes
an
intelligent interest in the political questions of the day and local
matters
being allied with the Democrats in principle. He is a charter member
of the
Sandpoint Lodge, No. 59, I. O. O. F., and also belongs to Panhandle
Lodge, No.
22, of the Encampment. Mrs. Piatt is a member of the R. N. of A., of
Sandpoint.
Mr. Piatt is a man of business enterprise and ability and his staunch
character
and reliability have made him a host of friends.
*****
submitted by Laverne Ingram Piatt