Died---In this county, the 9th inst., after a long illness, Christopher Hiatt, in the 64th year of his age. The deceased was a most worthy citizen. His whole life was illustrated by a character without reproach, and his death was a departure of peace, for he gave satisfactory evidence of preparation to meet the great charge which was to usher him into the presence of his Maker and Redeemer.
The obituary was probably a stock piece which was used for anyone. No particulars of his life are given.
His gravestone is square in shape and larger at the top, somewhat like a cross without the top piece. It bears his name with Sr. after the surname.Nearby is the grave of his son Christopher Jr.
The will of Christopher Hiatt was made September 21, 1849 less than a month before his death, October 9, 1849.
The Will of Christopher Hiatt
September 21, 1849
I, Christopher Hiatt of the State of North Carolina, and County of Guilford, being in full possession of my mental faculties, but considering the uncertainty of earthly existence, this 21st day of the ninth month, in the year of our Lord, 1849, make by last Will and Testament in the manner and form following:
Item 1st To my beloved wife, Sarah Hiatt, I will and bequeath my house where I now reside, the tract containing 272 acres, more or less, to have and hold during her natural life or widowhood, also in the same manner I bequeath to her
my farming toods, my wagon and carriage, my horses and sheep, household and kitchen furniture, my smith and saddler's tools, and any other personal property, all of which she is to hold during the time of her natural life or widowhood.
Item 2nd To my three daughters, Elizabeth, Mary Ann, and Letitia, I leave my house as a home, and they and each of them, so long as they remain single, are entitled to a support cojointly with and other property; and upon the death
or remarriage of my wife, the above tract of land and tenements, together with the above mentioned property shall be divided between my three daughters, the said Elizabeth, Mary Ann, and Letitia, the survivor or survivors and their
heirs.
Item 3rd All of the bonds due me, together with all the cash on hand and satisfying the other parts of my will, shall be equally divided between my wife, Sarah Hiatt, and my three daughter, Elizabeth, Mary Ann and Letitia.
Item 4th. I bequeath an acre of ground on which the public school district 22 stands for the use of the public school, as long as the school is kept up.I also grant to said school the privilege of using water from the spring near it.
Item 5th. To my grandson, Christopher Gilmer Hiatt, son of Joab, I bequeath 25 Dollars.
Item 6th. To my three sons, Nathan, John, and Joab I bequeath five dollards. I leave Cyrus Mendenhall and John A. Gilmer Executors of this esate.
Codicil:
My meaning as to the manner in which I wish the property on the death or remarriage of my wife, is that if either of my daughters dies before the time of division, then the property is to belong to the survivors, but should they died, leave children, the children are to stand in the name of the dead parent.
Christopher Hiatt
9th month, 22nd 1849
An analysis of the will shows that Christopher owned only 272 acres of the original tract 640 acres having given or sold pieces of the land to his sons John and Nathan. There is no record of Joab's ownign land in the area.
Perhaps Christopher disinherited Joab and remembered only Joab's son, Christopher Gilmer, by giving him $25.00 and excluding his other grandchildren.
Christopher's wife Sarah died at age 74 on August 20, 1859 during an epidemic of typhoid fever.
Two of Christopher's sons, John and Nathan, each received portions of land belonging to the original 640 acre tract when they married. Nathan's portion was northeast of Christopher's home in the section now called Pomona where he
built a house. on January 20, 1835 he married Mary W. Short, by hwom he had five children.
Three of Nathan's 5 children who died in August and September of 1859 all succumbed to typhoid fever, as did Nathan's mother Sarah, who died the same day as her grandson, William C. Hiatt.
The obituaries of William C. Hiatt and Letitia Jane Hiatt are listed in the Greensboro Patriot, August 1859. Nathan's other daughter Martha married a man with the surname Kellog.
Nathan planted an orchard on his farm and developed an interest in grafting and pruning. After his death in the 1870's his son Joseph G. Hiatt moved in 1878 to Indiana. The farm and the orchard were sold to the Lindley
Family which continued to develop the orchard that eventually became Lindley Nurseries. When Joseph G. Haitt moved to Indiana, he took plants, shrubs and fruit graftings.
There are many Hiatt families living in Indiana and the possibility exists that they are descendants of Joseph G. Hiatt.
Joab Caldwell Hiatt, Christopher's second son, married Thankful Gillespie in 1838. they lived in Greensboro in a large house at the intersection of Summit Avenue and Davie Street across from the Presbyterian Church ( nwo the Greensboro Historcial Museum). On January 24, 1839 twins were born to Thankful. One twin died at birth when Thankful died, and the other twin died February 1, 1839. The twins are buried in Thankful's arms in Buffalo Presbyterian Church cemetary. Joab Caldwell's second wife was Julia Ann (Surname unknown) who was born November 3, 1823 and died May 8, 1848 by whom Joab Caldwell had two children:
Christopher Gilmer Hiatt and Samuel Hiatt. On November 15, 1851 Joab Caldwell married his third wife, Mary Brent.FIFTH GENERATION: GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN OF GEORGE HIATT
(667.) CHRISTOPHER HIATT (168.) (26.) (3.) (1.):
b. 14-2mo-1786, Guilford Co., NC.; d. 9-10mo-1849, Guilford Co., NC.; m. 1808/9 in Guilford Co., NC., to SARAH ARMFIELD, d/o William and Elizabeth (Green). Armfield; b. 1786; d. 20-8mo-1859, age 74 years, 23 days.CH: (1752.) Nathan; (1753.) John Rufus; (1754.) Joab; (1755.) Elizabeth; (1756.) Mary Ann; (1757.) Letitia; (1758.) Christopher; (1759.) Sarah Jane.
New Garden Mo. Mtg., Guilford Co., NC.:
29-4mo-1809 - Sarah Hiatt (formerly Armfield). disowned for marriage out of unity.
27-5mo-1809 - Christopher Hiatt, of Sandy Spring, disowned for marriage out of unity. (R45).Guilford Co., NC.,
Deed Book 9, p. 523 - Solomon Hodgson to Christopher Hiatt - 157 acres - $300 - S. Buffalo - 6 February 1808.
Book 11, p. 181 - Obed Macy to Christopher Hiatt - 24 March 1813 - 15 acres - $75 - S. Buffalo.
Book 14, p. 106 - Joseph Lovett to Christopher Hiatt - 11 May 1819 - 100 acres - $265 - waters of N. & S. Buffalo - Jacob Armfield's line.
Book 19, p. 238 - Jacob and Alfred Armfield to Christopher Hiatt - 19 January 1831 - 100 acres - $225 - waters of S. Buffalo - Isaac Armfield, dec., corner - Nathan Hiatt and Isaac Armfield, witnesses.1850 Census, Guilford Co., NC.: Sally Hiatt, 64, NC.; Elizabeth, 33; Mary, 22; Letitia, 20.
(667.) CHRISTOPHER HIATT (168.) (26.) (3.) (1.):
b. 14-2mo-1786, Guilford Co., NC.; d. 9-10mo-1849, Guilford Co., NC.; m. 1808/9 in Guilford Co., NC., to SARAH ARMFIELD, d/o William and Elizabeth (Green). Armfield; b. 1786; d. 20-8mo-1859, age 74 years, 23 days.CH: (1752.) Nathan; (1753.) John Rufus; (1754.) Joab; (1755.) Elizabeth; (1756.) Mary Ann; (1757.) Letitia; (1758.) Christopher; (1759.) Sarah Jane.
New Garden Mo. Mtg., Guilford Co., NC.:
29-4mo-1809 - Sarah Hiatt (formerly Armfield). disowned for marriage out of unity.
27-5mo-1809 - Christopher Hiatt, of Sandy Spring, disowned for marriage out of unity. (R45).Guilford Co., NC.,
Deed Book 9, p. 523 - Solomon Hodgson to Christopher Hiatt - 157 acres - $300 - S. Buffalo - 6 February 1808.
Book 11, p. 181 - Obed Macy to Christopher Hiatt - 24 March 1813 - 15 acres - $75 - S. Buffalo.
Book 14, p. 106 - Joseph Lovett to Christopher Hiatt - 11 May 1819 - 100 acres - $265 - waters of N. & S. Buffalo - Jacob Armfield's line.
Book 19, p. 238 - Jacob and Alfred Armfield to Christopher Hiatt - 19 January 1831 - 100 acres - $225 - waters of S. Buffalo - Isaac Armfield, dec., corner - Nathan Hiatt and Isaac Armfield, witnesses.
1850 Census, Guilford Co., NC.: Sally Hiatt, 64, NC.; Elizabeth, 33; Mary, 22; Letitia, 20.
(1759.) SARAH JANE HIATT (667.) (168.) (26.) (3.) (1.):
d. 14-6mo-1841, aged 18 years, 1 month, 7 days, Guilford co., NC.
(1756.) MARY ANN HIATT (667.) (168.) (26.) (3.) (1.):
b. 1828; unmarried in 1861.
(1758.) CHRISTOPHER HIATT (667.) (168.) (26.) (3.) (1.):
d. 1-12mo-1841, Guilford Co., NC., aged 22 years, 1 month, 16 days.
(667.) CHRISTOPHER HIATT (168.) (26.) (3.) (1.):
b. 14-2mo-1786, Guilford Co., NC.; d. 9-10mo-1849, Guilford Co., NC.; m. 1808/9 in Guilford Co., NC., to SARAH ARMFIELD, d/o William and Elizabeth (Green). Armfield; b. 1786; d. 20-8mo-1859, age 74 years, 23 days.CH: (1752.) Nathan; (1753.) John Rufus; (1754.) Joab; (1755.) Elizabeth; (1756.) Mary Ann; (1757.) Letitia; (1758.) Christopher; (1759.) Sarah Jane.
New Garden Mo. Mtg., Guilford Co., NC.:
29-4mo-1809 - Sarah Hiatt (formerly Armfield). disowned for marriage out of unity.
27-5mo-1809 - Christopher Hiatt, of Sandy Spring, disowned for marriage out of unity. (R45).Guilford Co., NC.,
Deed Book 9, p. 523 - Solomon Hodgson to Christopher Hiatt - 157 acres - $300 - S. Buffalo - 6 February 1808.
Book 11, p. 181 - Obed Macy to Christopher Hiatt - 24 March 1813 - 15 acres - $75 - S. Buffalo.
Book 14, p. 106 - Joseph Lovett to Christopher Hiatt - 11 May 1819 - 100 acres - $265 - waters of N. & S. Buffalo - Jacob Armfield's line.
Book 19, p. 238 - Jacob and Alfred Armfield to Christopher Hiatt - 19 January 1831 - 100 acres - $225 - waters of S. Buffalo - Isaac Armfield, dec., corner - Nathan Hiatt and Isaac Armfield, witnesses.
1850 Census, Guilford Co., NC.: Sally Hiatt, 64, NC.; Elizabeth, 33; Mary, 22; Letitia, 20.
Hiatt Hiett History Volume I, page 419
(1753.) JOHN RUFUS HIATT (667.) (168.) (26.) (3.) (1.):
b. c1813, Guilford Co., NC.; m. 30-7mo-1833, in Guilford Co., NC., to LEONELLO CUMMINGS; d. c1873, Guilford Co., NC.CH: (3633.) Rufus C.; (3634.) Philander F.; (3635.) Elizabeth; (3636.) Thomas C.; (3637.) John Cyrus.
1850 Census, Guilford Co., NC.; John Hiatt, 38 NC., Horsedealer; Leonilla, 36; Elizabeth, 8; Thomas, 3.
Philander Hiatt, 16, NC., Student.
Rufus Hiatt, 13, NC., Student.
John's son Thomas Christopher Hiatt lived in the house until his death in 1912. The land was then sold to Lindley Osborn. A 1908 map of Guilford County lists the hosue as T.C. Hiatt's residence. It is not known who was living in the
house when the 1938 article was written. Sometiem after 1938, the house was torn down. In the year following World War II, the South Drive-In Theatre was built on the site.
John, having learned the trade of saddlemaking from his father and grandfather, built a saddle shop across the road from his home. He also built a slave quarters along both sides of the Pomona Road. Above each cabin door, the name of the occupant was placed. Near the main house he built a carriage house, barns for his saddle horses, granaries, and a blacksmith shop. He erected a white picket fence around the main house. It was the duty of one slave to care for the fence and the kitchen garden. John became a dealer in horses liniment. He also supplied fresh horses for the stage coach which stopped at the farm.
John and Leonilla lived a prosperous life with he income from John's farm and livery stable. They had 8 children.
When the Civil War began in 1861, John was 50 years and because of his age he did not serve in the war. Mr. Louis Manarin, editor of the Roster of Confederate Soldiers, had located pay vouchers indicating that John and his brother Joab were paid for hauling supplies for the Confederate Army.
Leonilla died at age 66 in 1871, and John died 10 years later at age 70 in 1881. Both are probably buried in New Garden Cemetary but their graves have never been located.
John and Leonilla's second child and son, Rufus Cummings Hiatt, never married and died of tuberculosis on January 28, 1851 at age 22. he was a graduate of Guilford College (then called New Gardne Boarding School) in law.
He is buried in New Garden Cemetary and his stone bears a Masonic emblem and the following inscription:
Stop blooming youth
As you pass by
As you are now
So once was I
As I am now
So you will be
Prepare for death and follow me.
During the Civil War, raiders supposedly hid articles under the stone which now stands in a tilted position.
Thomas Christopher Kirkman, (1845 or 1847) John's fifth son, married Jenny Lynn Kirkman, duaghter of a neighbor, and lived on his father's estate until his death in 1912. Thomas Christopher and Jenny Lynn had seven children.