Jacob and Margaret Finley Pyeatt

Jacob Pyeatt was born in 1760 in Franklin County, Pennsylvania (or 1756 in Path Valley, Pennsylvania) to John and Jane Blair Pyeatt and died August 16, 1844, in Cane Hill, Washington County, Arkansas (some researchers have Pulaski County, Arkansas - however, he is known to have died in Cane Hill - See obit below). He was a Revolutionary War soldier and is buried in the Carnahan Cemetery, near Cane Hill, Washington County, Arkansas.
Some researchers have for Jacob a first wife and son who are not generally known to other researchers.

Jacob was married c1785 in Guilford County, North Carolina, to Rachal Tatum who was born c1763 and died September 12, 1789, in Guilford County, North Carolina.

Jacob and Rachel had the following known child:
Nathan Pyeatt b: c1787 Guilford Co, NC d: 4 Dec 1812 IL (War of 1812, 6th Regt, KY Militia - died in the service) m: Martha Ewing

Jacob married (possibly second) Margaret Finley March 8, 1791, in Guilford County, North Carolina. Margaret was born in the 1760s to Rev. Andrew and Katherine Paul Finley. Jacob's brother, James Pyeatt was married to Margaret's sister, Catherine Finley. Jacob's marriage bond in Guilford County, North Carolina is for Jacob Pyeatt and Margaret Findley.
According to a manuscript of L A Colquitt (original sources not known):

"After their apprenticeships were completed, James and Jacob Pyeatte became traders and cattle dealers, driving herds to market in Charleston. It was on these journeys that they stopped at the inn where the Finley sisters were working. Margaret and Catherine Finley, who married Jacob and James Pyeatte, were the eldest daughters of an Irish landlord of a small estate in North Ireland. As the family was large, the sisters came to America under a contract to pay steerage after arrival. Reaching Charleston, S. C., they found employment at an inn, where they met the two Pyeattes (now traders and cattle dealers), who subsequently paid the balance due on their steerage, and married them. Jacob and Margaret were married the third year after they met. As will have been noted, James and Catherine were united about a year later."

"It is also of special interest that Jacob joined the army of George Rogers Clark. It seems probable that he did this early in the Revolutionary War when Colonel, later General, Clark made a recruiting drive through the Carolinas. At any rate, records are preserved in the War Department of his service with Clark's Illinois Regiment. A payroll now in the possession of Miss Clara B. Eno, State Registrar D.A.R., Van Buren, Arkansas, lists the names of Jacob and James Pyeatte with the Clark Regiment. Although he was but sixteen years of age when the Declaration of Independence was signed, early Arkansas records speak of him as Major Jacob Pyeatte, which combined with family traditions and other evidence afford reasonable proof that he attained this rank. Taken into consideration with the hardships of Clark's Vincennes Campaign, which are traditional wherever severe military conditions are discussed, and his extreme youth, Jacob Pyeatte's attainment of the rank of a field officer is truly remarkable. It speaks more than crests and designs from the College of Heralds of his character and devotion to a great cause."

"Soon after their marriages the brothers took their wives to the frontier, settling for a time in what has since become Logan County, Kentucky. Accompanying them from the Carolinas were members of the Carnahan family and some others, including Buchanans, Shannons, Billingleys, Marrs, Porters, Prestons, Rankins, Drakes, and Blairs. These names are still prominent in Northwest Arkansas, and throughout the South and West. There is some evidence that his party of Carolinians remained together for more than a generation of pioneering, a large portion of which was spent under the actual, if not official, leadership of Jacob Pyeatte."

The children of Jacob and Margaret:
John Pyeatt b: 1792 d: Jan 28, 1823 m: Martha Carnahan
Peter Pyeatt b: 29 Aug 1793 Guilford Co, NC d: 26 Apr 1856 m: 31 Dec 1822, Independence Co, AR, M Mary (Polly) Miller b: 15 Nov 1804 KY d: 15 Dec 1858
Catherine Pyeatt b: 1795 d: ?TX m: ?Pulaski Co, AR, Samuel L Gates b: c1795
Mary Pyeatt b: 6 Feb 1795 (or 1797 or 1798) Warren Co, KY d: 3 May 1870 (or 1877) Washington Co, AR m: 10 Dec 1818 Arkansas Territory (later Crystal Hill, Pulaski County, AR) Samuel Carnahan (s/o John and Janet Billingsly Carnahan) b: 17 Jun 1796 d: 5 Jul 1867
Andrew Pyeatt b: 9 Jan 1800 Warren Co, KY d: 1803
Jane Pyeatt b: 6 Sep 1802 Warren Co, KY d: 9 Dec 1839 (or 1832) Pulaski Co, AR m: 17 Jul 1822 Pyeatt Township, Pulaski Co, AR M Smith Kellem
Jacob Pyeatt b: 1 Apr 1804 Warren Co, KY d: c1805 Warren Co, KY

Indications are that Jacob and family moved from Warren County, Kentucky, with the family of his brother, James, in about 1812. They next settled in Crystal Hill, Pyeatt Township, Pulaski County, Arkansas. It is said that Jacob and his brother James were bell makers and that some cow bells still exist in Washington County, Arkansas, which were made by one or the other of them. Jacob was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church.
A story about Jacob's first trip to Arkansas which was given in “Major Jacob’ s Trip to Arkansas" in "The Pyeatts and Carnahans of Old Cane Hill," by Rev. Alfred E. Carnahan and Susan Carnahan Cruse, Bulletin #8 of the Washington Co. [AR] Historical Society, p. 47 as follows:

"At a time previous to the coming of the Pyeatts to Arkansas, Jacob Pyeatt visited the region now included in the bounds of the state. The exact date of this visit is not known to us. Riding a good horse and carrying a fine gun, he left North Carolina, came through Kentucky to the site of Memphis in Tennessee. There was but one family living there. This settler had built a house, improved some land, and owned a large sized skiff. Pyeatt remained several days with this man. While preparing to leave, the man proposed to exchange his land, improvements, and boat for Mr. Pyeatt’s horse and gun. Mr.P. is reported to have replied that he would not give his horse for the property, much less his gun."

Another story from the same book was "Jacob Pyeatt’s Ferry Boat":

"Soon after the Crystal Hill settlement was effected, the tide of immigration set in, and to accommodate those who wished to cross the river, Jacob Pyeatt prepared to meet the need. At first he used a large skiff. If the traveler was horseback, the horse was made to swim on the downstream side of the boat. If the traveler had a vehicle, it was taken to pieces and carried across part at a time. Later Mr. Pyeatt constructed a boat large enough to carry wagons and teams. This boat had a drop leaf at each end and a walkway on each side. When ready to start, men on these walkways with long push poles, went upstream, staying close to the bank. When at a proper distance, the push poles were laid aside and the men, one at each end with oars, gave the boat the proper angle against the current, reached the opposite landing. This was probably the first ferry boat in the state owned by an American citizen.”

On the 1816 Tax List of Missouri Territory - Arkansas County are Jacob Pyatt; his son, John Pyatt; and his brother, James Pyatt which can be seen at 1816 Tax List on the US Genweb.

The following tracts of land in Pulaski County, AR, seem to belong to Jacob:
Jacob Pyeatt 01/10/1824; doc #132; SE sec 36 town 3N rang 14W 151.9 acres; AR0470_.070
Jacob Pyeatt 08/19/1826; doc #178; W1/2 sec 25 town 3N rang 14W 97.54 acres; AR0470_.203
Jacob Pyeatt 06/23/1842; doc #133; SW sec 31 town 3N rang 13W 155.83 acres; AR0500_.464 A different tract in the name of John Pyeatt, might have belonged to Jacob's son, John, if he had applied for the certificate before his death and it had not been signed until 1/10/1824.

Jacob appeared as follows on the 1830 census of Washington Co, AR:
Pyatt, Jacob 1m70-80 (pg 2 line 24)

A glowing tribute to Jacob Pyeatt was written by John Buchanan and was published in the "Banner & Advocate", Thursday, November 7, 1844 —

Another Revolutionary Father Gone
Died, near Cane Hill, in Washington Co, Arkansas, on the 16th of August last, Mr. Jacob Pyeatt, in the 84th year of his age. The deceased was born in the State of North Carolina, and in early life entered in the service of his country, served through one tour of enlistment, and was engaged in the second when peace was declared. He lived long to enjoy the blessings of that liberty for which, in youth, he periled his life. The rich boon of freedom purchased by the heroes of ‘76 causes the history of their departure to be read with deep emotion and sympathy by the sons of American freedom. But father Pyeatt was a Christian; his religious history, although briefly given, will be peculiarly interesting to the church in which he long lived a worthy member. He professed religion under the ministry of the venerable McGready, in the revival of 1800 in the State of Kentucky, joined the Cumberland Presbyterian church at its first organization, emigrated to Arkansas in 1811, and was one of the members constituting the first Cumberland Presbyterian church ever organized in the then territory of Arkansas. Although often deprived of a preached gospel and the benefits of the ordinances of the church, and surrounded with the wickedness so common in the first settlement of a new country, yet he always stood firm to this profession, honoring the cause of his divine Master. I was intimately acquainted with father P. for sixteen of the last years of his life. I never heard ought said against his character as a man or a Christian, by any friend or aquaintance. As to foes, I think I can safely say in truth, he had none in the entire circle of his acquaintance. He was a warm and liberal supporter of the gospel, particularly of the circuit rider, as almost everyone traveling through the church where he lived can testify. From his own hand have I received liberal contributions, every year since I have been laboring in the ministry. His seat was never vacant in the church, in time of public worship, unless prevented by some unavoidable providence and when at preaching, he always seated himself near the minister, often looking him in the face, saying, as plain as visage could speak, "0 Lord, help thy servant to preach and bless his labors this day!" He spent much of his time in reading the Bible, and was particularly fond of reading McGready’s sermons, having heard many of them, as they fell from the lips of the living speakers. Being present at the burial, and while gazing upon the pale corpse until closed forever from human vision, I could but say in my heart, farewell, father Pyeatt, until the morning of the resurrection! The ministers of God will have you no more by their side, in the church upon earth. No more will your tears and groans mingle with the penitent suppliants; nor your faltering voice, trembling, lisp the praises of Emmanuel. No, thy immortal spirit is gone to happier scenes! Instead of being seated near an earthly pulpit to listen to a worm of the dust, feebly pleading his Maker’s cause, methinks thou art seated near the throne of God, listening to the heavenly voice of the blessed Jesus. Instead of mingling thy tears and groans or faltering voice in prayer and praise with the church militant, thou art surrounded in triumph with the Angelic choir and redeemed throng, singing with high and melodious accents the immortal notes of LIFE, LIFE, ETERNAL LIFE! GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST! Being suddenly and violently attacked, while at a camp meeting, with the disease which carried him off, and every effort to procure relief having failed, his pious son said to him, "Father, nothing will relieve you; you will have to die." With a smiling countenance he looked his son in the face, saying, "Son, I am not afraid to die; for 84 years I have been trying to serve God. I am ready and willing to go, whenever he calls for me." Yes, he truly decided to depart and be with Christ. He lived some six or seven days after the first attack, suffering intensely, but bore it with Christian fortitude. He lost the power of speech, but retained his reason until the last, frequently giving evidence to surrounding friends of his happy state of mind. He has left children, grand-children, great-grandchildren, and many other relatives and friends to mourn their loss — But blessed be God; we sorrow not as those who have no hope. John Buchanan"

Sources:
North Carolina marriage records
Arkansas marriage records
1830 Washington Co, AR, census
Arkansas land records
Jacob Pyeatt obituary/tribute
L A Colquitt manuscript
Updated Oct 2006


About 1796, James & Catherine Peyatt, Jacob & Margaret Peyatt, and Michael & Sinai Finley moved to Logan Co, KY, part of which became Warren Co in 1797. James, Jacob and Michael are on the Warren Co tax lists for 1799, 1801-1803, 1805 and 1806.
About 1807, when Cherokee lands opened for settlement in northern Alabama near present-day Huntsville, the PYEATTs moved there and built settlements. The Choctaws still laid claim to that land, and in 1810, despite a petition to Congress, the settlers were forced to move.
According to tradition, Jacob PYEATT rode a good horse westward to Arkansas Post on the Arkansas River, looking for a "goodly land." He reported that this land, then Louisiana Territory, would do them well. In 1811, several settlers reached the Post on the west side of the Mississippi River. In 1812, they moved up the Arkansas River, about 15 miles past Little Rock, and established Pyeattstown. In 1812, this became Missouri Territory, Arkansas Co. Pulaski Co was created from Arkansas Co in 1818. In 1819, Arkansas Territory was created.


Pyeatte - Mason Historical CemeteryLocated at the corner of Lily Drive and Waterside in Maumelle, Pulaski County, Arkansas.Established 1818In January 1811 a group of families left Alabama for what was to become the Arkansas territory. They traveled by boat down the Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi rivers to Arkansas Post, a settlement at the mouth of the Arkansas River. This group was led by brothers, Jacob and James Pyeatte, fifth generation descendants of French Huguenots, and John Carnahan.In early 1812, the Pyeatte and Carnahand families continued up the Arkansas River disembarking at Crystal Hill, named for a prominent peak near the river that contained crystal rock formation. In March 1812 the Pyeatte brothers established a settlement just north of this peak, toward the mouth of Palarm Creek, on what is now part of the golf course of the Maumelle County Club. This settlement became known as Pyeattetown. The brothers farmed the land and operated a ferry across the Arkansas River.The Pyeattes and Carnahans were members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, an evangical branch of the Presbyterian Church of America. In late 1812 John Carnahan returned from Kentucky where he was received as a candidate for the ministry. Rev. Carnahand preached the first sermon bya protestant clergyman in the heart of Arkansas territory at the home of Jacob Pyeatte in 1812. A commemorative marker, relocated to this site, was erected in 1938 recognizing this service. In 1822 this pioneer preacher conducted the first camp meeting, a method of evangelism developed during the Great Revivial of 1800, in Arkansas at the home of James Pyeatt, "with good results for the cause of Christianity".The Pyeatte and Carnahan familes are among the area's first settlers, eventually Jacob Pyeatte moved to Northwest Arkansas, but James Pyeatte continued to operate the farm and ferry until his death in 1837. He is buried here along with his first wife, Katherine (Finley) Pyeatt; two daughterss Jemima (Pyeatte) Scott and Martha (Pyeatte) King; grandson Andrew E. scott, son of Jemima Scott; and three granddaughters Jane H. Scott, daughter of Jemima Scott, Nercisse Pyeatte and Martha Pyeatt, daughters of Henry Porter Pyeatte, son of James and Katherine Pyeatte, and husband to the daughter of Rev. John Carnahan.To date, no information pertaining to the Mason family buried in this historic cemetery has been discovered.This cemetery remains today as a visible sign of the early settlers and communities that were established in the heart of what would become the State of Arkansas. This cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in November 1996.The City of Maumelle wishes to thank the following agencies and individuals who were instrumental in the preservation and development of this historical site: The Arkansas Historical Preservation Program; Rev. Robert Monroe of the Arkansas Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church; and Mr. Bob Pyeatte, great, great, great grandson of James Pyeatte.