SIXTH GENERATION: DESCENDANTS OF GEORGE HIATT
(1900.) BENAJAH W. HIATT (721.) (192.) (28.) (3.) (1.):
b. 4-12mo-1824, NC.; d. 1910, Kansas; m. in Wayne Co., Indiana, l6-10mo- 1845, to MARTHA ANN WILSON, d/o John and Ann (---). Wilson; b. 18-2mo- 1827, Indiana; d. 1907, Kansas. 1850-60.
CH: (3819.) Edward; (3820.) Sarah; (3821.) Anne; (3822.) Oliver; (3823.) Mordecai; (3824.) Samira; (3825.) Richard; (3826.) Otis.1850 Census, Washington Two., Wayne Co., Indiana: Benajah Hiatt, 25, NC.; Martha, 23, Ind.; Edward, 2, Ind.; Sarah, ll/12.
In l942, Flora (Harvey). Kittle (see No. (3626.) wrote: “From a letter dated 25 years ago, from Mrs. Samira Dillon, of Lafontaine, Kansas, I am able to fill in some dates, and add the names of her two younger brothers, to what you have of the family of Benajah and Martha Hiatt. From memory and from other sources, I have some very interesting historical data, which, if you do not have a place for it, it will, at least be of interest to you. The Friends’ Shawnee mission in eastern part of Kansas Territory south of the Kaw, had been kept up for 20 years, when in 1854, three members of the committee on Indian affairs of Indiana Yearly Meeting, conceived the plan to take preliminary steps to establish a Friends’ settlement in the vicinity of the mission. These three men were Benajah Hiatt, William H. Coffin, (see Nos. (1893.) and (l900.) - editor), and Eli Wilson. They made the long arduous trip by train to Terre Haute, by stage to St. Louis, and by steamboat on the Missouri to Westport Landing, walking twelve miles west to the Mission.
“These were the days of John Brown. Claims were being taken by his anti slavery followers along the marais de Cygne, where the town of Osawatomie was founded, not a great distance away. The trio secured a guide an Indian chief, bought camping supplies and a pony, and made the trip to see the land. Border ruffians, wild and unfriendly Indians, rattlesnakes, wolves and etc., ended their hopes of a Friends’ settlement there. They had many harrowing experiences on that trip. Benajah’s family and ours were close friends, and little as I was. (less than five years old). I can remember the two families grouped about our big old fireplace, gazing into the glowing embers, listening to Benajah, as he told of these experiences. The three men then made another prospecting trip. Walking to Westport Landing (now Kansas City). They took passage on the riverboat, for about forty miles upstream, debarking at Fort Leave worth. They walked six miles west, and reached the home of Joel Hiatt (see No. (191.) - editor). I am not sure, but he may have been then proving a claim. This Joel was ‘Uncle Joel’ to Benajah and William H. (Coffin - editor). (I am wondering if Eli Wilson was a brother of Benajah’s wife.) Uncle Joel was a good one to show the three visitors about, and it happened that some valuable homesteads were held by settlers who were willing to sell, on account of the Missouri ruffians. William H. Coffin bought a fine acreage twelve miles west of Leavenworth, in Leavenworth Co. as later mapped. My parents with their two little girls had been helping out at the mission and, in 1857, my father bought this farm, planted on it a fine orchard, and built a gristmill. Here, on this farm I was born. It will amuse you to know that I was named after one of “Sade Hiatt’s canary birds. She had a pair named Frank and Flora. She left them at our house for a time, and when she came for them, a name was being considered for Mother’s new baby. Why not name her “Flora”, playfully suggested a neighbor, who was there. Well, Mother liked the name __ and I became a canary bird’s namesake! -- and have been that for 77 years next Sunday, Dec. 6.
“But more about the Hiatts. There was a Henry Hiatt I can’t place (see No. (764.) - editor.) But he used to come to our house when I was not yet five years old, and I have a pretty little lace edged card he gave me with a poem on it about an orphan girl. Maybe you can place him.
“I neglected to say that the three men returned to Indiana, and winter was over, a number of families of Friends out fitted conveyances and emigrated to Leavenworth Co., near Stranger Creek, and for me a time, these new comers held Friend’s meeting at the shack or cabin of Benjamin Hiatt. Later a meeting house was built - I can even remember how the cow-bells sounded outside when everybody was so still inside, and I was being ‘a good little girl’, sitting by the mother, eating a cookie made with sorghum molasses, my father, of course sat in the opposite end of the unpainted building - in the men’s side, as was the custom.
“…Back to Mrs. Dillon’s letter. Shortly after the death of her husband, she writes, she built on two rooms, and her parents and brother ‘Dick’ (Richard). came to live with her end and her young son, an only child. In July, 1907 her mother died, and four weeks later, 1907, her brother Oliver died; two years later Sarah, then a widow, came to help care for they agreed father, and in December 1909 she took pneumonia and died. In the following month, which was January 1910, the father, Benajah, died. Mrs. Dillon’s brother Richard continued to live with her and her young son, Hiatt, until 1914 when his health failed, and he died. Hiatt graduated with honors from high school at the age of 15, took two summer terms at state normal and held a state license to teach, but was a year too young. When she wrote the letter I have, he was assigned to teach the coming year. She mentioned Otis and his fine family as living in the vicinity of her home town.” (R83).
Sent by Amos Hiatt, Patricia Cain. Patricia has a picture of Benajah.
In Harmon Hiatt record, page 10; One of Benajah's dau. married a Clawson and they moved to Maury Co., Tenn. where he grew thousands of bushels of potatoes for the Chicago market, selling one season, 12 to 15 thousand bushels. She died there.
Sent by Patricia Cain, Amos Hiatt
D/o John Wilson and Anna Callaway
Patricia has a picture of her in her package.
(3819.) EDWARD HIATT (1900.) (721.) (192.) (28.) (3.) (1.):
B. 23-7MO-1847; to Kansas
Sent by Patricia Cain, and Amos Hiatt.
(3821.) ANNE HIATT (1900.) (721.) (192.) (28.) (3.) (1.):
b. 14-11mo-1852; d. 22-12mo-1852.
(3823.) MORDECAI HIATT (1900.) (721.) (192.) (28.) (3.) (1.):
b. 20-5mo-1856; m. ___ ___; Kansas.
Unmarried
sENT FROM PATRICIA CAIN(3825.) RICHARD HIATT (1900.) (721.) (192.) (28.) (3.) (1.):
d. 1915; unmarried.
Sent by Patricia Cain and Roger Boone. S/o David Hadley and Hannah T.
Turner.
(3824.) SAMIRA HIATT (1900.) (721.) (192.) (28.) (3.) (1.):
b. 1858; m. ___ DLLLON.
CH: (5800.) Hiatt.
(3826.) OTIS HIATT (1900.) (721.) (192.) (28.) (3.) (1.):
m. ___ ___.
(3826.) OTIS HIATT (1900.) (721.) (192.) (28.) (3.) (1.):
m. ___ ___.
(3822.) OLIVER HIATT (1900.) (721.) (192.) (28.) (3.) (1.): b. 24-8mo-1854; d. 1907; m. ___ ___.
SENT FROM PATRICIA CAIN
SENT FROM PATRICIA CAIN
(3822.) OLIVER HIATT (1900.) (721.) (192.) (28.) (3.) (1.): b. 24-8mo-1854; d. 1907; m. ___ ___.