He married first Ella E Campbell of Ohio Post Office, St. Clair County, Missouri, on June 27, June 1885 or 1888 at a young age and she died soon thereafter. We know no details of her death but there were no children.
Herschel Pyeatt then married Belle Francis Wilson who was born January 30, 1877, and died in May 1899.
They had three children:
Belle went to the well on the family farm, slipped and had a bad fall and never recovered. She died on May 18, 1899. Rebecca Pyeatt Cumins has a partially written letter from Belle to a friend saying that they got their first snowfall, the letter is not finished and it is assumed she died before finishing it. Rebecca and her brother still own the farm in Osceola, St. Clair County, Missouri, approximately 59 acres with the foundation of the house and the infamous well still on the property. The farm had been a marriage gift from her father to Herschel and Belle and it went to the three children when she died.
Herschel appears with his parents and two of his children (who are listed as George's grandson and granddaughter) on the 1900 federal census for St. Clair County, Missouri. Herschel was unable to keep the children by himself and sent Fay and Elsie with George Y and Teresa Wells to Santa Ana, California, to be raised. For whatever reason, Donald, the baby was sent to the Harley and Alverta Elizabeth Pyeatt Hinkley family in Springfield, Greene County, Missouri - called Aunt Liz - (info provided by Donald's half-sister Virginia Pyeatt Offield.)
Donald was killed during WW1 - he was in training to go overseas, they pulled a tooth, infection set in and he died. The body got home before the notice that he had died. As far as we know, he is buried in Springfield, Greene County, Missouri.
In 1905, Herschel married Mattie Virginia Henry who was born in Missouri in 1885 and who died in 1957. They had four children. Herschel and Mattie are buried together in Osceola Cemetery, St Clair County, Missouri.
Herschel was a handsome man, a farmer and an electrician. Rebecca's dad remembers Mattie "as the nicest person" you would ever want to meet and liked her very much.
Herschel and Mattie's children:
This family was enumerated #145/164 on page 144.
Herschel's son, Fay, was living with Herschel, Mattie and their children on the 1920 census of St. Clair Co, Missouri.
It is Rebecca's belief that Elsie Pyeatt Johnson was the keeper of the family heirlooms, pictures and keepsakes. Rebecca was a teenager when Elsie died and she remembers that some of Elsie's siblings went through the stuff and threw most of it away. Rebecca's grandmother did get the silver, some pictures and some Masonic rings, medals and books. She remembers her grandmother not liking it that they threw so much away, said she saved what she could.
Herschel and Fay's families appeared as follows on the 1930 census of Osceola (Dist 15), St. Clair County, Missouri:
Herschel's obituary appeared as follows:
Herschel S. Pyeatt the son of George Y. and Teresa Pyeatt, one of six children, was born July 3, 1869, at Duquoin, Ill., and passed away in Osceola, August 3, 1952 at the age of 83 years and one month. As a child of eight years he came with his parents to Missouri and settled near Appleton City and later moved to the Ohio community. In early life he made a profession and united with the Presbyterian church. He was united in marriage to Belle Wilson. To this union three children were born: Fay of Santa Monica, Calif., Elsie of Costa Mesa, Calif., and Donald, who preceded him in death. His wife later passed away. In 1905 he was united in marriage to Miss Mattie Henry to which union four children were born: Frank of Venice, Calif., Murrell of the home, George of Osceola and Mrs. Virginia Offield of Montgomery City, all of whom with his wife survive him, also one brother Virgil W. Pyeatt of Costa Mesa, Calif., and eight grandchildren. Funeral services were held at the Goodrich Chapel Wednesday at 3:00 PM with Reverend Seldon Blackburn and Charles E. Higgins officiating. Burial was in the Osceola Cemetery under the direction of the Goodrich Funeral Home.
Other Sources:
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