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John and Milicent Riddell Piatt

John Piatt was born March 30, 1803, (or 30 Apr) in Boone County, Kentucky, to Robert and Nancy Jones Piatt. He died November 15, 1863, (or 1868) and is buried in the East Bend Baptist Church Cemetery in Boone County, Kentucky, along with his wife Millicent Riddell who was born August 7, 1810, to Lewis and Ann Chambers Riddell and who died September 24, 1844. 'Milicent Piatt wife of John' is on her headstone at East Bend Baptist Church Cemetery.

John and Melicent were married in Boone County, Kentucky, May 25, 1826, by Christopher Wilson. Their marriage bond was signed by Lewis Riddell (Book A page 90).

It is said that John was also married August 6, 1840, in Dearborn County, Indiana, to the twice-widowed Anne Stevenson Tousley who was born 1798 in New Jersey. However, on the 1850 census abstract given below, an Anne is listed after Robert Sr and is listed as wife (she is also proven as such by Robert's will). This is also borne out by the DAR records listing Nancy as Roberts "1st wife". After Robert's death in 1857, Anne probably went to live with other relatives (possibly a grown child) and does not appear with John and family in 1860. The only other alternative is that John was also married to an Anne who died between their marriage in 1840 and the census in 1850.

The known children of John and Millicent:

Millicent's father wrote the following will in 1837:
Town of Burlington, County of Boone, and State of Kentucky: I, Lewis Riddell, being weak in body . . .make my last will and testament First, all of my debts to be paid . . . Second, Whereas I have advanced to my daughter Miliscent Piatt property consisting of one Negro girl named Jane and other articles, the whole of which I estimate at $500 . . .as my other children come of age or marry a sum equal to that advanced to Miliscent Piatt . . .be given them Third, It is my will that my family should continue to reside together under the control of my wife Ann Riddell . . .until they are of age or marry Fourth, to wife Ann Piatt [line or lines missing] . .sd. 1/3 part of estate to be held by other executors should she remarry; she and her husband to have no control over any of my estate Fifth, to my children Millicent Piatt, Ann Riddell, Medaline Riddell, Charles Riddell, Lafayett Riddell and Mary Jane Riddell [?remainder] of my estate both real and personal Sixth, to my son Charles Riddell my silver patent (?) watch and to Ann Riddell my gold watch Seventh, his freedom to my old Negro man provided he leave the State of Kentucky immediately and not return Eighth, should any of my children die without heirs, their portion to be divided equally among the remaining children Ninth, my wife Ann Ridell, guardian of my children, who I wish to have an opportunity to have as good an education as my estate and their abilities will admit of Tenth, I authorize my executors to manage all my estate, renting and caring for land and houses Eleventh, children's portion to be distributed before wife's portion laid off to her Twelveth, appoint my wife Ann Riddell Executrix, my son-in-law John Piatt and brother-in-law Charles Chambers, executors 15 Nov 1827 /s/ Lewis Riddell Wit. Jas. M. Preston Edmond F. Vawter John (mark) Ross Boone County Court, January Term, 1828; proven before Willis Graves, Clerk.

If anyone has an abstract of John on the 1840 Boone County, KY, census, we would know if he had any other living children at that time. I suspect that he was probably married shortly before 1830 when son Robert was born and that he might have had another child or two between son John born 1838 and 1844 when Milicent died. However, it appears that his only children that survived their childhood are the three listed above.

John Piatt and family appeared as follows on the 1850 census of Boone County, Kentucky - District 1:

John and family appeared as follows on the 1860 census of Boone County, Kentucky: I belive that Caleb Lodge was the son of Laban and Catherine Sherrod Piatt Lodge. Catherine was John's sister.

Because John died in 1863, I have to question whether he was involved in the Civil War. Does anyone have the answer to that question?

Sources:

Updated Jul 2003

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