Christopher Hiatt

Christopher Hiatt and family were mentioned in the census of Randoph Co., IN for 1820. He had entered land (S. E. Sec. 19, T 20 R 14) on Sep. 17, 1817, the same day as his brother Jonathan. From that fact, one would conclude that the family arrived here about the same time as the Jonathan Hiatt family or in 1817. Thus making them one of the earliest families to settle on the White River.

In the Clerks office at Winchester, is recorded the Will of Christopher Hiatt, on page 75 of Will Record Book A. is Will mentions sons, John, Jesse, Soloman, Jonathan, Elisha of Grayson Co., Va. Jether, of Clinton Co., Ohio, Daughters, Rachel Hiatt, Sarah Montgomery, Elizabeth Edwards, and Lavina Hiatt. Administrators were his wife, Elizabeth and Jonathan Edwards. The will was dated June 30th, 1826, and recorded July 30th, 1827.

Among the earliest settlers in the White River Settlement of Friends were two brothers Jonathan and Christopher and a cousin, Zachariah Hiatt. Jonathan and his wife, Rachel were charter members of the White River Monthly Meeting. Records fail to disclose any close affiliation of Zachariah and his family with the meeting, several of his children, however, were disowned for marrying contrary to the discipline. So from these meager references in the minutes of the meeting it is to be assumed that the family still held in spirit if not in action to the teachings of their forefathers.

In the case of the family of Christopher Hiatt no mention of him or any member of his family is to be found in the minutes. Although Christopher Hiatt did not seem to carry the convictions of Fox deeply in his heart, he and his descendents have the same Quaker heritage as those that hewed closer to the line. In that respect, it is interesting to point out that practically all the Hiatts broke with the orthodox and joined the Hicksites during the upheaveal of Quakerdom in the late 1820's.