Riley Hiatt

From: History of Wayne County, Indiana : together with sketches of its cities, villages and towns, educational, religious, civil, mil… p. 1585 (http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=19939)

Riley Hiatt, youngest son of John and Margaret (Nichols) Hiatt, was born in Wayne County, Ind., in 1824. His father died when he was ten months old. He obtained a common-school education, and when fourteen years old learned the cabinet-maker’s trade, which he followed in Fountain City, Ind., for four years. The following eight years he followed the wagon-maker’s trade during the winter, and in the summer he worked at the carpenter’s trade. He was married at the age of twenty-four years to Hannah A. Coburn, who died in the year 1849, leaving one daughter – Hannah A., wife of Dunham Hampton, of Wayne County. In 1852 Mr. Hiatt was again married to Elizabeth P. Stidham, of Wayne County. To them have been born seven children – George R., Mary E. (deceased), Ellen N. (deceased), John I., Joseph P., Albert C. and Lena M. Mr. Hiatt began life empty-handed, but by industry and good management he has become the largest land-owner in the settlement. He now owns 324 acres of well-improved land, and has some of the best springs of water in the township, the best of which is at his residence. Mr. Hiatt also makes a specialty of stock-raising and dealing in fine stock. He is politically a Republican. Mr. Hiatt’s ancestors came from Germany to the United States with William Penn. His parents were born, reared and married in Guilford County, N.C., and in 1809 they came to Wayne County, Ind., where his father entered land near Cox’s Mills. His father was a hatter and blacksmith by trade, which he followed in connection with agricultural pursuits. They belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church till their death. To them were born nine children – Ruth, wife of Jonathan Hiatt, had fifteen children; Caleb, of Oregon, had seven children; Leah, deceased, wife of Robert Barr, had three children; Mary, wife of Joseph Unthank, residing in Oregon, had two children; Marue, deceased, wife fo Eli L. Davis, of Jay County, Ind., had six children; Phares, of Randolph County, Ind., had nine; and Esther, wife of James Sweney, of Kansas, has five children.