Henry Porter Pyeatt son of James and Catherine Finley Pyeatt was born September 29, 1793, in Guilford County, North Carolina, and died May 1, 1850, by drowning in the American River in California. He married February 10, 1820, in Big Rock Township, Pulaski County, Arkansas, Scye Icyphena Carnahan who was born 1803 and died in 1852 in Washington County, Arkansas. She was the daughter of John and Janet Billingsly Carnahan and was not the only Carnahan who married into the Pyeatts. Her brother, Samuel Carnahan married Mary Pyeatt and her sister, Martha Carnahan married John P Pyeatt. Both Mary and John P Pyeatt were the children of Jacob and Margaret Finley Pyeatt. Margaret Finley was the sister of Catharine Finley (Henry's mother) and John P Pyeatt was the brother of James Pyeatt (Henry's father). Confused yet?
In 1827 the Pyeatts along with the Carnahans and others moved to a settlement at Cane Hill in Washington County, Arkansas. Among the Pyeatts who moved from Pulaski County were several of James Pyeatt's children including his son, Henry Porter Pyeatt.
b: 6 Apr 1821 Washington Co, AR d: 25 Feb 1892 Bethlehem, Washington Co, AR m: 15 Apr 1847 Washington Co, AR, Mary May Johnson b: 1824 d: 1881
Narcissa Pyeatt b: 6 Dec 1822 AR d: bef 1830
Martha Jane Pyeatt b: 8 Mar 1824 Washington Co AR d: 7 Jan 1913 Washington Co, AR (Bethlehem Cemetery, Morrow, Washington Co, AR) m: Bef 1846 Samuel Blake
John Blake b: c1846 AR
Kesiah Blake b: c1849 AR
Catherine Ann Pyeatt b: 14 Oct 1826 Washington Co, AR m: 14 Mar 1861 Fannin Co, TX, Henry T Chapine
b: 13 Mar 1836 Washington Co, AR d: 3 Apr 1913 Pueblo, Pueblo Co, CO m: 14 Mar 1861 Bonham, Fannin Co, TX, Elizabeth Frances Tucker b: 25 Mar 1848 Vineyard Township, Washington Co, AR
Mary Lorene Pyeatt b: 26 Dec 1838 Washington Co, AR d: bef 1870 m:? Murray
John Fowler Pyeatt b: 1841 or 1846 Washington Co AR d: 20 Nov 1862 (was at seige of Arkansas Post during the Civil War)
According to BLM records, Henry P Pyeatt received an original land patent in Pulaski County, AR in 1839 for the NW sec 36 town 14N rang 33W for 160 acres; AR0870_.394.
The Henry P Pyeatt family on the 1830 federal census of Washington County, Arkansas, shows 1m <5; 1m 10-15; 1m 30-40; 2f <5; 1f 20-30. We know that Narcissa died young, so, I have listed her death as before 1830. By comparison, on the 1840 federal census of Washington County, Arkansas, Henry P Pyeatt had 1m <5; 1m 10-15; 1m 15-20; 1m 30-40; 1f<5; 1f 10-15; 1f 15-20; 1f 30-40. Either the abstractor of the census data or the enumerator of same, listed Henry P in the wrong category (he should have been in the 40-50 age bracket) however, all other members fit the dates of birth and death as enumerated.
Henry Porter Pyeatt and his brother John Rankin Pyeatt joined the Forty-niners in the quest for gold in California. Henry Porter drowned in 1850 attempting to run the rapids on the American River. Their party had discovered gold in the bed of the river and dug a ditch and was building a dam to clear the river bed. They were in need of a boat and had constructed several in the mountains above the river, but none of them made it through the rapids undamaged. Henry Porter attempted to guide the boat through the rapids, but was drowned. His body was never found. This information was posted on the Pyeatt message board by Joe Burns.
According to some family researchers, By the 1850 federal census Henry P and Syce Pyeatt and their younger children had moved to California where the parents both died. However, I find on the 1850 census of Vineyard Township, Washington County, Arkansas, the following 'matching' family:
Pyeatt, Ursephena age 47 / f / born KY
Pyeatt, Catharine age 23 / f / born AR
Pyeatt, Lemuel age 14 / m / born AR
Pyeatt, Mary age 11 / f / born AR
Pyeatt, John age 4 / m / born AR
Blake, Saml age 31 / m / born England / farmer
Blake,
Martha age 26 / f / born AR
Blake, John age 4 / born AR / male / Student
Blake, Kesiah age 1 / born AR / f (enumerated #8 on page #420B)
click here for page 18 of the 1850 Washington County, Arkansas federal census
It appears as though the census taken might have had a little trouble with spelling "Icyphena", or this may be a version of her name. Also, it look s like the abstractor read "Samuel" as "Lemuel". However, if the above family group information is correct, this must be Icyphena and several of her children who either never went with Henry to California, or, who returned to Arkansas immediately after his death in May of 1850. Icyphena died in 1852.
Sources:
Information supplied by Niler Pyeatt, 1 Jun 1996
Information by Sharolynne Pyeatt 2 Dec 1993
1830-1850 federal census Washington County, Arkansas
