Sunday, July 22, 2012

William Thatcher Hiatt 1821-1885 (11000)




William Thatcher Hiatt was born 11 May 1821 in Fleming County, Kentucky. He was the first of two sons born to Thatcher Hiatt and his wife Esther (Hunt) Hiatt. William's father, Thatcher, was in Fleming Kentucky for the 1820 & 1830 Federal Censuses. In the mid-1830s, William's father abandoned his family, and divorced his wife Esther. He left their two sons with her, and moved to Ohio. Shortly afterward, Thatcher remarried and started a second family in Ohio.


William Thatcher Hiatt is one of the two boys between 15 and 19 who were enumerated with their mother in the 1840 Federal Census.  By the 1850 Federal Census, twenty nine year old William T. Hiatt and his brother, the 25 year old Josiah A. Hiatt, can be found in their own households. Esther was enumerated in the home of her son by a previous marriage, Joel Markwell.




In 1841, William Thatcher Hiatt fell in love and married Lavina Hedges. A Fleming County, Kentucky marriage record was recorded for them:

William Thatcher met and married Lavina Hedges in Fleming County KY:
Marriage Records of Fleming County, Kentucky 1798-1851
Name: William Hyatt
Spouse: Lavina Hedges
Marriage Date: 24 Jun 1841

William Thatcher and Lavina (Hedges) Hiatt had the following children:
1) Nancy Ellen Hyatt b. 13 Jul 1842 Fleming, KY; m. ? Gillespie
2) George Washington Hyatt b. 13 Feb 1844 Fleming, KY; m. Georgia Ann LNU
3) Rosannah W. Hyatt b. 1845 Fleming, KY
4) William Wallace Hyatt b. 1847 Fleming, KY; d. 7 May 1919 Fleming, KY; m. Rosa Carolina Roberts
5) Mary Elizabeth Hyatt b. 1849 Fleming, KY
6) Ann Eliza Hyatt b. 1851 Fleming, KY
7) Sarah Hyatt b. 13 May 1853 Hillsboro, Fleming, KY (twin)
8) Jonathan Edgar Hyatt b. 13 May 1853 Hillsboro, Fleming, KY (twin); d. 1910 Bath, KY; m. Matilda Jane Hawkins
9) Loran Ernest Hyatt b. 12 Jun 1855 Fleming, KY; d. 6 Jun 1914 Fleming, KY; m. Joyce Roberts
10) Richard Thurston Hyatt b. 3 Jun 1857 Fleming, KY; d. 17 Jan 1935 Akron, Summit, Ohio; m. Hadassah Jane May
11) Robert A. Hyatt b. 4 Oct 1859 Fleming, KY; d. 17 Feb 1931 Fleming, KY
12) Lavina Jane Hyatt b. 15 Oct 1861 Mason, KY; d. 17 Dec 1915; m. Robert Hawkins
13) Jennie Hyatt b. 1862 KY

The 1850 Census Record says his occupation was "Shoe Maker." Later census records identify him as a farmer. It was not uncommon in early American history for a man to hold down several occupations, particularly among those who migrated into the great frontier. A variety of skills were necessary in order to prosper in the wilderness. William and Lavina show up with their growing family in the 1850, 1860 & 1870 Census in District 2, Fleming County, KY.


Name:
William T Hiatt
Age:
29
Birth Year:
abt 1821
Birthplace:
Kentucky
Home in 1850:
Division 2, Fleming, Kentucky
Gender:
Male
Family Number:
504
Household Members:
Name
Age
William T Hiatt
29
Lavina T Hiatt
28
Nancy E Hiatt
7
George W Hiatt
6
Rosana H Hiatt
4
William W Hiatt
3
Mary E Hiatt
0
Sarah Jane Gilkison
17


Name:
William T Hyatt
Age in 1860:
39
Birth Year:
abt 1821
Birthplace:
Kentucky
Home in 1860:
District 2, Fleming, Kentucky
Gender:
Male
Post Office:
Flemingsburg
Household Members:
Name
Age
William T Hyatt
39
Lavina J Hyatt
39
Nancy E Hyatt
18
George W Hyatt
16
Rosannah H Hyatt
15
William W Hyatt
13
Mary E Hyatt
11
Ann E Hyatt
9
Johithan E Hyatt
8
Loran E Hyatt
6
Richard T Hyatt
4
Robert A Hyatt
10/12

William Hiatt served during the Civil War, on the Union side, as a Saddler in the 10th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry.


Name:
William Hyatt
Side:
Union
Regiment State/Origin:
West Virginia
Regiment Name:
10 W. Va. Inf.
Regiment Name Expanded:
10th Regiment, West Virginia Infantry
Company:
F
Rank In:
Private
Rank In Expanded:
Private
Rank Out:
Private
Rank Out Expanded:
Private
Alternate Name:
William/Wyatt
Film Number:
M507 roll 6

It is recorded on the official Civil War site for the National Park Service that William T. Hiatt was  a Saddler in the 10th Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry. As a leather worker, who was familiar with the process of tanning, and sewing heavy leather boots and shoes, it would have been a relatively easy transition to become a saddle and harness maker.

Hiatt, William T.

Side: Union:
Company: C
Soldier's Rank In: Saddler
Soldier's Rank Out: Saddler
Alternate name:
Film Number: M386 roll 13

A brief history of the 10th Regiment on that site gives the following curt description:

"Duty about Mt. Sterling, Ky., and in the District of Central Kentucky, scouting and operating against guerrillas and protecting that part of the State, till September, 1863. Skirmish near Florence, Ky., September 8, 1862. Expedition to East Tennessee December 24, 1862, to January 1, 1863. Parker's Mills, on Elk Fork, December 28, 1862. Operations against Cluke's forces February 18-March 5, 1863. Coomb's Ferry February 22. Slate Creek, near Mt. Sterling, and Stoner's Bridge, February 24. Slate Creek, near Mt. Sterling, March 2. Operations against Pegram March 22-April 1. Mt. Sterling March 22. Operations against Everett's Raid in Eastern Kentucky June 13-23. Triplett's Bridge, Flemming County, June 16. Operations against Scott's forces July 25-August 6. Richmond July 28. Lancaster and Paint Creek Bridge July 31-August 1. Smith's Shoals, Cumberland River, August 1. Duty at Mt. Sterling till September. (2nd Battalion served detached in District Eastern Kentucky. Expedition from Beaver Creek into Southwest Virginia July 3-11, 1863. Gladesville, Va., July 7.) Regiment mustered out September 17, 1863.

"Regiment lost during service 13 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 61 Enlisted men by disease. Total 75."
[http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/index.htm]


Name:
William T Hiatt
Enlistment Date:
8 Aug 1862
Rank at enlistment:
Saddler
Enlistment Place:
Covington, KY
State Served:
Kentucky
Service Record:
Enlisted in Company C, Kentucky 10th Cavalry Regiment on 09 Sep 1862.
Sources:
Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kentucky

Ancestry.com gives the following history of the regiment:
Regimental History
Tenth Cavalry
KENTUCKY
(3-YEARS)
Tenth Cavalry. -- Cols., Joshua Tevis, Charles J. Walker;
Lieut.Col. Ralph R. Maltby; Majs., James L. Foley, William A.
Doniphan, John Mason Brown, James M. Taylor.

This regiment was raised by Col. Tevis and organized at Maysville during the summer of 1862. In July, August and September it was at Covington, but did not encounter the enemy until the battle of Perryville.

The 10th Cavalry remained in Kentucky during the principal part of its service, though in the work of driving the enemy from the state it once entered Tennessee and was once in Virginia. On December 25, 1862, one battalion under Maj. Brown went on an expedition through London and Barboursville to Big Creek gap, and engaged numerous skirmishes. Another battalion proceeded on to Perkins' Mill, Tennessee, where it encountered the enemy. They had a sharp fight, which resulted in complete success. They captured 51 prisoners, 80 horses and 200 muskets.

The courthouse at Mt. Sterling, under encampment during the Civil War. William Thatcher Hiatt may have been among the troops in the camp at this time. [Massachusetts Commandery Military Order of the Loyal Legion and the US Army Military History Institute,vol. 95, p. 4877].
In March, 1863, Col. Cluke's command crossed Cumberland River at Stigall's ferry below Somerset and made its way to Richmond, Winchester, Mt. Sterling and other points. The 10th Cavalry engaged in opposing Col. Cluke's men. They advanced from Crab Orchard and skirmished at Lancaster. Then, pursuing on, they encountered Cluke's men at a great many points, among them a fight about half way from Winchester to Mt. Sterling, where Maj. Brown checked a fierce attack, and the 44th Ohio coming up, the enemy fled.
The maps shows where the Battle of Perryville was fought.

Col. Cluke was charged and driven out of Winchester, then by feigning to go to Paris he directed the Federal forces in that direction, and returned to Mt. Sterling where he fell upon a portion of the 10th under Capt. Ratcliffe, who defended themselves from houses. Cluke resorted to the torch, and after
Showing the vicinity of Mt. Sterling in
reference to Fleming County, home of W. T. Hiatt.

burning the place captured Ratcliffe and paroled him and his men. Finally the regiment cooperating with a force under Col. Sanders, of the 5th KY Cavalry succeeded in driving Cluke to Virginia.

It was a portion of the 10th under Maj. Brown, which captured Gen. Humphrey Marshall's "artillery". The regiment was mustered out Sept. 17 1863, at Maysville Ky.
[Source: The Union Army, vol. 4, p. 352]

Battles Fought
Fought on 17 Sep 1862.
Fought on 22 Mar 1863 at Mount Sterling, KY.
Fought on 16 Jun 1863 at Triplett's Bridge, KY.
Fought on 3 Jul 1863.
Fought on 28 Jul 1863 at Richmond, KY.

We can see from this that William spent the war years patrolling and engaging in skirmishes in Kentucky, not far from his home. Fighting battles so near to home would have made it clear to the men that they were fighting to protect their families and neighbors. How much more sympathetic we can feel to realize how personal the war had become for our ancestors.

One interesting record gives a little color to William's history:
"Hiatt, William T. Saddler C under arrest for shooting a citizen"

This was undoubtedly an accidental shooting during one of the many skirmishes that William's regiment fought. The unfortunate incident must have been resolved, or his widow would not likely have been given a pension. We know that Lavina did file for a widow's pension, and that it was approved by 1891 (see below).

In the 1870 Census, we find William with his family near Mt. Carmel, in Fleming County, Kentucky. 


Name:
W T Hyatt
Age in 1870:
49
Birth Year:
abt 1821
Birthplace:
Kentucky
Home in 1870:
MT Carmell, Fleming, Kentucky
Race:
White
Gender:
Male
Post Office:
MT Carmell
Household Members:
Name
Age
W T Hyatt
49
Lavin Hyatt
48
William Hyatt
23
Rosanna Hyatt
20
Jno E Hyatt
18
Loran Hyatt
15
Richard Hyatt
13
Robert Hyatt
12
Carter Asbury
19
Martin Hicks
18
Gustavus Foudray
17
Wallace Foudray
23

After William's family names are listed, there were four more names listed in the household. These four men were boarders who were staying with the Hyatts while working on the turnpike road. William, himself, was also working on the turnpike road. The "turnpike road" was the name given for an "artificial road"--a constructed roadway, as opposed to the natural dirt roads that were the most common road surface of the time.

Typical Turnpike Road of the period
Turnpike roads were paid for by private investors, and in part by the state government, who were investing in the future. Road surfaces were notoriously bad in the early 1800s, with ruts, stumps and pools of mud that could become several feet deep. Getting crops and manufactured goods to market was a ridiculously difficult process, causing constant delays. Those who invested in the turnpike companies hoped the reliable roads would increase business and profits.

They would recoup their costs, and receive a return on their investment through tolls that would be charged for use of the new road. Included in the construction were tollhouses built at intervals of about five miles along the roadway, which included a gate across the road. Toll keepers resided in these houses, and collected tolls from those passing by on the road. Those who attempted to avoid the tolls by detouring through neighboring farmland were given steep fines, for that day, of $15 plus court costs.

The turnpike roads were built and later repaired by teams of trained workers, among which were William Thatcher Hiatt and his three eldest sons (George, William and Jonathan E.). The workers leveled any hills, and built up any depressions to make as level a surface and as straight a path as possible. They also built bridges over the watercourses. The road was built twenty one feet wide, of a convex surface that was about three inches higher in the middle than on either side. The surface consisted of stones no bigger than two and a half inches wide.

In order to achieve a uniformity of size for these stones, a large iron sieve was placed above the road surface. This sieve had holes two and a half inches in diameter. Locally quarried stones were thrown into the sieve, then beaten with three pound hammers to break them down to size. When enough stone had been added to the surface in one place, the sieve would be moved to the next, until the entire road was covered several inches deep.

By the 1870 census, the turnpike road from Mt. Carmel, where the Hiatt family lived, to Flemingsburg, which was the heart of Fleming County, had already been in use for over a decade. At this point, workers would have been employed repairing sections of the road that had washed out, or had developed potholes through weather and heavy use. It would have been hard work, but would have paid well. William was undoubtedly earning a seasonal wage that would have supplemented his farm production to help support the family after the difficult loses during the Civil War.

By 1880, the family had moved, and can be found in the Census in Bethel, Bath County, KY. Once again, William is listed as a farmer.


Name:
William Hiatt
Age:
59
Birth Year:
abt 1821
Birthplace:
Kentucky
Home in 1880:
Bethel, Bath, Kentucky
Race:
White
Gender:
Male
Relation to Head of House:
Self (Head)
Marital Status:
Married
Spouse's Name:
Lavina Hiatt
Father's Birthplace:
Kentucky
Mother's Birthplace:
Kentucky
Occupation:
Farmer
Household Members:
Name
Age
William Hiatt
59
Lavina Hiatt
58
Richard Hiatt
22
Robert A. Hiatt
20
Jennie Hiatt
18
Edgar Hiatt
27
Matilda Hiatt
17
William W. Hiatt
31
Rosa Hiatt
26
Lavina Hiatt
8
Ella Hiatt
1
William Hiatt
5
Robert Hiatt
4
William Campbell
6



William Thatcher Hiatt's gravestone gives both his birth (11 May 1821) and death (18 Mar 1885) dates. Lavina was left a widow for several years after his death. There is an 1890 Veterans Schedule Record for "Lovinia Hiatt", widow of William T. Hiatt which shows that she was a pensioner as a widow of a soldier who served during the Civil War. Another record shows that "Louvine J. Hiatt" received a widow's pension on 2 Dec 1891. Since this was several months after her death, it is likely that her children received this final installment. William and Lavina (Hedges) Hiatt are both buried in Gilead Cemetery in Bath County, Kentucky.





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