(2596.) MARY HIATT (919.) (257.) (43.) (6.) (2.) (1.):
b. 1858, Indiana; m. in Grant Co., Indiana, 10-10mo-1875, to JOHN S. BAKER.
(4598.) ---- dau. ----- BAKER (2596.) (919.) (257.) (43.) (6.) (2.) (1.):
m. ---- CONRAD.
(4600.) LOLITA BAKER (2596.) (919.) (257.) (43.) (6.) (2.) (1.):
unmarried.
Tragedy
After Silas was grown and married, he had a son, Bill. Silas had worked
and gotten a good peice of land on his own to clear and farm. He had cleared a lot of trees, but the stumps were left standing in the hay field.
When hay mowing time came, he had Bill go with him to the hay field and
lift the horse-drawn mower over the stumps. Bill was twelve years old at the
time. When Silas came to one stump, he stopped so Bill could fit the mower bar over. The horses bolted, throwing Bill up in the air and in front of the
mower. The mower bar cut off his right leg. Silas carried Bill home. His
mother took the rest of the children about a miles into the woods where they
could not hear him screaming - Silas and some other men took an ordinary saw
and cut another piece of the bone so they could pull the flesh and skin over
the bone so it would heal up.
Bill complained for a few days afterwards that the toes on the leg that was gone felt like they were turned under and hurting. Someone told Silas to dig up the leg and straighten the toes out. He did, and Bill never complained after that.
Bill had a livery stable in Darlington and he had a bunch of race horses. His greatest love was the sulky race and he entered every one within miles around. One race he was in, (Frankfort) there was a big pile-up. Bill's sulky was upset, which sprawled Bill on the ground, tore the straps to his wooden leg loose and his leg flipped around and backwards. Not knowing the leg was artificial, men got sick and the women screamed and fainted.
Bill's leg was his lifetime companion. It was made of wood, handcarved in the shape of a leg and foot. It had two air holes in it, one one each side, both about the size of a quarter. It fitted on with two straps that came up from the leg and buckled on above the knee. Two more straps came up and buckled around the waist and from that there was a sort of harness that went up and across both shoulders like suspenders.Stories (Dad told me this in 1975 and I came home and wrote it down, by Marion Hiatt Johnson)
Bill and Flora Hiatt (my Grandparents) went to housekeeping out at the
what we call the east 80 (because my Dad later owned it and that is the name we gave it). It was about one half mile east on the same road from where Bill's parents, Silas and Elzira live. Uncle Bert was born there.
Aunt Nelle was born in a little house that stood on a cornner a mile west of McClaskey's corner on the other side of the road on old state road 47. Dad was born on the cement road- first house on the west side where Frank and Iva Custer lived. I think he said that at the time it was a log house and you got to it by going down the street past Him Peterson's house which has since been closed off.
They then lived on High Street in Crawfordsville where Grandpa drove a
coal oil wagon and worked on the police force. Also ran for sheriff and was
degeated by one vote. And in the country east of O'ville on state road 136- on top of hill across road from Rosa Pennock, Flora's niece. Then to Lebanon
where they had a livery stable, dray line, and taxi service. (Aunt Florence
was telling me in 1982 - Bert was the oldest and they put him on the dray line. (Incidently he was 19, so that must have been when he met and married Aunt Mollie as they were married when he was 20). Nelle was 15 and they put her in the office. Dad was 12 and they put him to driving a taxi. Dad only went to the sixth grade of school so apparently when they moved to Lebanon is when he dropped out. Aunt Florence said that was not uncommon back in those days, not many children went on to high school. Only she and Aunt Dorothy graduated from high school.
On with Dad's story From Lebanon they moved back to Garfield neightbor
hood on the Dobb's place. Dad and Aunt Dorothy jointed church at Garfield when he was 19 and she was 12. Living 2 years there and moved back to Darlington where Grandpa had a Livery Stable and dray line. They bought a house that stood on the corner where Lori Booher lived. This is where Grandma got sick. Grandpa had sold the house and had to give possession. While Grandma was in the hospital they moved catty-cornered across the street from the Metzger Lumber Co., (House still there in 1982) This is where Grandma came home to from the hospital. They brought her home same day so she wouldn't die in the hospital. They brought her home on the train from O'ville and carried her the block from the depot to the house.
They lived there from 1913-1915 and moved down to where the folks lived out home place. Grandma died in 1920. They folks moved to the home place in 1922. (He did not tell me where Dorothy and Florence were born).
My folks went to housekeeping in little house up by school. Moved over
one block to a house that stood where Floyd Wells lives now, Norman born there in 1920. Dad then traded that place with Aunt Nelel for the home place. Don, Me and Dorthy born in little bedroom downstairs.Wm. Hiatt and Sons
(Taken from newspaper "The Darlington Herald" April 13, 1917)
Prominent Horsemen of Montgomery County
The breeding stables of William Hiatt and Sons in Darlington long ago
attained celebrity in this section for theri superior breed of horses. There
is in Montgomery county today, no man who is better posted on fine breeding
stock, and one who has owned and managed horses of world-wide reputation, than is Wm. Hiatt. For forty three years of this period he had been located in Darlington; fifteehn years he was in Crawfordsville, and eight years in
Lebanon. In later years his sons, Harry L. and Bert, have been associated with the father, and they too are fast becoming leading horsemen of this section. Harry Hiatt is a graduate of the Graham Scientific Breeding School, Kansas City, Mo., the only school of the kind in the world, and both in other ways have studied the business of breeding and training horses.
The breeding stables of Hiatt and Sons are stocked with horses known only for those qualities which produce the best. For the season of 1917, they offer as fine a collection of breeding stallions as was ever assembled in their barns, all registered stock, including Percherons, Coach stallion, trotter and jacks.....
All members of the firm are experienced horsemen, and Mr. Hiatt wishes it understood that every member of the firm is there to transact business. When you see one you see all, so to speak. Bert Hiatt is also in the junk buying business, also buying poultry, etc., and if you have anything in this line, call the firm, and he will be there to get the stuff, and pays the top prices.
Mr. Hiatt was born in Montgomery county in 1856, and his long life devoted to the dreeding of fine horses, has meant much to this section. He has always had the interest of the horsemen at heart. He has always been a progressive citizen, and a man ready at all time to assist any worthy cause. Mr. Hiatt is a member of the Booster club.
Things I remember about Grandpa Bill Hiatt
By the time I remember Grandpa, he was older and I only remember seeing him in a suit, white shirt and black bow tie. His hair was gray. He always had lots of hair and kept it cut in a crew cut, the same way your Grandpa Hiatt kept his cut.
Sometimes Grandpa Bill, if it was very hot summer would take his suit coat off and roll his sleeves up one or two turns, but never took his tie off. He always were suspenders.
I remember when he stayed at our house he slept upstairs in the northeast bedroom and I would stand around and watch him take his leg off, his right one. He always word BVD's. His leg was off halfway between the ankle and the knee. The leg fit up to right below the knee, so there was no knee joint or ankle joint either for that matter. The leg was painted white with a black sock and a black dress high top tie shoe on it. Around the top of the leg, it was edged in brown leather. There were straps of leather that came up and buckled around his leg above the knee, more straps that came up and buckled around his waist and more straps that went up and around his shoulders liek suspenders.
He put his BVD's on and then strapped his harness for his leg on top of
them. When he unbuckled all of his straps and set his leg aside, he slept in
his BVD's.
Back then when we all were little, we slept with our bedroon doors open
with a night light burning in the bathroom that shined down the hall. I
remember waking up in the middle of the night one night and seeing Grandpa Bill crawling through the hall to the bathroom. I was so little and yet I remember feeling so bad that Grandpa had to get down on his hands and knees and crawl.
Whenever he was around, us kids used to flock around him and I remember
one time all of us were out in the backyard. Grandpa always walked with a
cane. He would get real excited and point with his cane there would be a dime in the grass. He would point with his cane again and there would be a nickle or a quarter. Pretty soon we would find enough and we would, Grandpa and us kids, walk uptown to the pool room and get a quart of brick ice cream, Chocolate, Strawberry and Vanilla, quite a treat back then. Us kids used to search for hours when he wasn't there trying to find more money in the back yard and it wasn't until years later that I realized that Grandpa had dropped the money in the grass as a game for us.
Mrs. Hiatt's maiden name was Grimes and she was born in Boone county, June 2, 1862. At the time of her death her age was 58 years, 4 months and 6 days.
On Dec 25, 1881 she was united in marriage to William Hiatt. After their marriage they continued to reside in Boone county and twenty one years ago moved to Lebanon where they resided for eight years. Thirteen years ago they
moved to Darlington where they have since lived.Mrs. Hiatt was a member of the South Christian Church and was actively engaged in its work when her health would permit. She was a fond mother, a wonderful neighbor and a true friend. Her cheery disposition and her many deeds of kindness have made a place in the hearts of her friends that will not soon be filled.
Besides the husband she is survived by two sons, Bert and Harry, both residing at Darlington, and three daughters, Miss Nell Hiatt of Lebanon, Mrs. Dorothy Whitson of Rushville and Miss Florence Hiatt at home. She is also
survived by three brothers, Bloomfield and John Grimes of Boone county and Dudley Grimes of Indianapolis and two sisters, Mrs. Wm. Clarke of Montgomery county, and Mrs. Sarilda Shepheard of Dover.The funeral was held at the South Christian church Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock and was attended by a large number of relatives and friends. Rev. Guerney Woody, a life long friend of Mr. and Mrs. Hiatt gave the address and a
double quartette of ladies from the Calender Society sang.The pall bearers were Claude Mullen, Carl Clark, John Lynch, Lester Mullen, Frank Nolan and Emory Moffitt. The flower bearers were ten ladies of the Calender Society of which Mrs. Hiatt was a member and ten members of the Senior Class of the High School, of which Miss Florence Hiatt is a member.
Burial was made at Greenlawn.Things I have heard about Flora Grimes Hiatt
By Marion Hiatt JohnsonGrandma died before I was born so I do not remember her. When I was younger I never thought to ask and now it is too late. I have heard that when they moved back to Darlington in 1909 or 1910, they
bought the house on the corner where Lori Booher later lived. That is where they lived when Grandma took sick. The doctor said she had cancer of the colon and they would operate on her. At that time Culver Hospital was just new and
they couldn't take a chance of anyonbe dying there because it would give the hospital a bad name. This was about 1913. Somehow, (I never got this part very plainly) Grandpa had sole the house and had to give possession, so while
Grandma was in the hospital, he moved down to the west end of Darlington just a block from the depot and this is where Grandma came home to. Immediately after her operation, they took her to the train station at Crawfordsville and put her
on the train to Darlington (can you imagine, the trains then were not like the train today, no cushion ride) She came to Darington on the train to the depot. From there they carried her on a stretcher to her different house.After she was operated on, she got a lot better, gained weight and had roses in her cheeks and they moved down hom in 1915. She got along fine until 1920 and took sick again. This time they took her to the Lebanon Hospital ( I suppose because Aunt Nelle lived in Lebanon) and operated on her again. When she came to from the antesthetic, Grandpa and her kids told her that she was going to be alright and she said she knew that she wasn't because when they
were operating on her she heard the doctors sayd that her intestines wouldn't hold the thread, that it kept pulling out and there was no hope for her. They had said that but nobody knew who she had heard it. She also told them that she
had to leave them because Jesus came to the door and motioned for her to come. She said she told him that she didn't want to leave Papa and the children but she knew she had to go. She died shortly after. She was 58 years old.My dad said when Grandma had to make a decision, she would put her finger on her lips and they always teased her about it. Like when she would go to but material and the clerk would ask her what color, she would put her finger to
her lips, think awhile and say "blue". Dad always laughed when he told this.Grandma was very neighborly and belonged to several organizations in town. When dad and Mom were marrid she tried to get Mom out and go to different clubs, My mother was not made up that way and did not enjoy things like that.
Gramda said if she didn't get out and go some, people would stop asking her, Mom said good, she wished they would.When Dad and Mom were married, they were married down home in the living room, shame place your dad and mon were married, and Grandma Hiatt hung a big white paper bell for them to stand under. Mom said Grandma was crying, she said she had something in her eye, but Mom said she knew it was because Dad was marrying a girl with two kids, didn't have any money, no place to live and no job. He was just helping Grandpa in the Livery Barn. They stayed with them for a short while and then moved up to the little house by the school. Mom also said Grandma was a neat dresser and she had heard her say many times that she may be poor but she had her pride. From what I have heard Aunt Florence say, Dad was also real finicky when he was a young man, said if Grandma slip showed the least bit he would have a fit. Hard for me to believe because from when I can remember him, (of course, this was the time of the
depression and he was raising 6 kids) he could care less about clothes and Mom had a hard time trying to get him to put on something to be presentable.The big flu epidemic was in 1918-1919 and people around Darlington was dying like flies with the flu. People were scared, nobody would go anyplace or associated with anyobne for fear of getting it. Mom and Glenn came down with
the flu and Mom said Grandma Hiatt came every day and took care of them. She was the only one that would come around.