Their marriage license reads as follows:
The State of Texas
County of San Saba
To any regularly ordained minister of the Gospel Chief Justice or Justice of the Peace in said County, Greeting:
You are hereby authorized to celebrate the rites of matrimony between A M Pyeatt and Mary Burchett both of said County and make
due witness thereof as the law directs
Given under my hand and seal of the County Court of said County at office in the Town of San Saba this 7th day of October A D 1861 J Hudson? CCCSSC
I hereby certify that the above was duly executed by me on the 10th day of October 1861. John Hudson M G
Filed and recorded Decr 5th 1861 at 11 oclock A M. J Hudson? CCCSSC
Mary 'Molly' Birchett was born March 16, 1845, in Missouri and died December 30, 1919, in Payson, Gila County, Arizona. She is buried in the Payson Pioneer Cemetery, Payson, Gila County, Arizona. Molly's brother, Joseph Sampson Birchett was the Great Grandfather of Don Birchett dbirchett@excite.com. He remembers getting together with cousins from this side of the family, the Chilsons, Armers and such but has lost track of them over the years.
The children of Andrew and Molly:
This bible which is currently in the possession of Wanda Lena ? WandaLena11@aol.com, also has the birth of Mae Pyeatt on December 10, 1903 (Wanda's grandmother). According to Wanda, Mae was born out of wedlock (possibly to Minnie May Pyeatt) and was raised by her grandmother, Molly Birchett Pyeatt, until she finished high school after which time she went to live with her Aunt Olive Cooper (Marguareta Olive Pyeatt). Mae Pyeatt never had any children of her own, but, was 'Nana' to her husband's children from his first marriage.
Andrew came to Texas from Missouri with his parents sometime between 1849-1853. The family was in Williamson County by 1853 when Jacob and Olivia made a deed filed in Jefferson County, Missouri, and where they appeared on the 1854 tax list. Andrew is said to have moved to the Rough Creek area of San Saba County, Texas, in 1855 with his brother, James Benton Pyeatt, and their father. In 1860 Andrew is living with James Benton Pyeatt and his family in San Saba County, Texas. I have been told that Andrew and his brother, James Benton Pyeatt, both served stints in the Texas Rangers while living in San Saba County.
San Saba County, Texas, Tax Records 1856-1896 [Roll 552 series 1]
1856 (first year of existance of San Saba County; tax list very difficult to read)
1857 pg 4 (duplicates)
As can be seen, Andrew continued to live in (and pay taxes in) San Saba County through 1865 at which time he and his father both disappear from the San Saba County tax rolls - we can presume they started their treck to California at that time as Andrew and family can be found in Los Nientos Twp, Los Angelos County, California, by the 1870 census where they appeared as follows:
They were enumerated 10 Aug 1870 #161/165 pg 581B Los Nietos Twp, Los Angeles County (ancestry images pg 264/398). Neighbors were #151 John Kline, #152 Julius Swanson, #153 Frank Stout, #154 Alfred Averill, #155 John C Ardis, #156 William Keller, #157 John K Dickson and Ann E Laburthon, #158 James H Buske, #159 Daniel McCarty, #160 James Maloney, #162 James Stewart, #163 George W Cole, #164 Samuel J Thompson, #165 Samuel C Reynolds, #166 James ?Slanther, #167 Henry Owens, #168 John F McKee. I viewed pages 1-21 printed pg 573-583 (ancestry images 249-268) of the Los Nietos Twp enumertion with no additional known family found.
If the places of birth are accurate on this census entry, we can conclude that Andrew had arrived in California by 1867 when their son, William, was born. It also appears that Andrew's father, Jacob, had died between 1865 and 1870 as Olivia is now living with the family as a widow.
The family had removed to Miami District, Pinal County, Arizona, by the 1880 census where they appeared as follows:
They were enumerated #3/2 on pg 1 (387) of Miami District, Pinal County. Their neighbors were E L and M A Chilson, Frank Howell, H A and Sarah Bramlett, M B Chilson, Sam McReynolds, N W and Edith Aylsworth, William Tucker, J F and Georgie Gerald, and N Palmer.
Note here that all of the children are listed as having been born in Arizona. However, it seems more likely that William and James were born in California as indicated on the 1870 census which fits their residence at that time. If I were to hazard a quess, I would think that the census taker may not have even asked where the children were born and left it blank or filled in Arizona as an assumption.
An accident, in which Andrew's horse fell on him, cost him his life on July 22, 1898, in Payson, Gila County, Arizona. He is buried in the Payson Pioneer Cemetery, Payson, Gila County, Arizona.
I find an Andrew Pyeatt who filed for a Confederate Pension in Jones County, Texas, file number 17938 which would have been claimed between 1899 and 1975 (available at Texas State Archives in Austin). This is a different Andrew Pyeatt.
After his death, Andrew's family appeared as follows on the 1900 census of ED #16, Gila County, Arizona:
This family enumerated #3/3 2nd June 1900 ED #16; pg 2/31 ancestry images. There were few neighbors and most were single males. There was no township listed.
Then in 1910 Payson District, Gila County, Arizona:
This family enumerated ED 27 #2/2 East Yards Road May 1910 (ancestry pg 5/29). Neighbors were #1 Emanda Gladdin, #3 Jas Solomon, #4 Benjamin Butter. These families were the only ones on the entire page. Of most importance is the '7 children/4 living' which is a tremendous departure from the 1900 answer of '11 children/4 living' given in 1900. We have a list of 8 children (all born after the marriage date) which refutes the answer 7/4. I note that Mae Pyeatt was not living with Molly at this time. Was she already with her aunt, Olive Cooper?
I have requested a copy of the Pyeatt headstone inscriptions from a Cemetery Book. Donna Gorrels (928-474-3804) sells the books for $35.00 and gave me some information over the phone. These were the names and some of the information:
In May of 2003 I was contacted by WandaLena11@aol.com who offered to give me the family bible of Andrew and Mary Vina Pyeatt. It contains their birth information, wedding, and the births of nine children. Wanda's grandfather's second wife gave the bible to her. Her name when born was Mae Pyeatt and was raised by Andrew and Mary, then by her Aunt, Marguarita Olive Pyeatt. She is thought to be the daughter of Minnie May Pyeatt born out of wed lock. She was the last entry in this bible. She told Wanda she was raised by her grandparents and aunt but never had any contact with her birth parents. I responded to Wanda with great interest in the bible and told her that while not a direct descendant - I would make sure that one of the direct descendants received it (after I made copies, of course). Alas, she must have determined that I was unworthy and never contacted me again or returned my emails.
Sources:
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