John Wyatt (1788 - 1865)

Born 11 Mar 1788 in Bourbon, Virginia, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 16 Feb 1865 at age 76 in Warrensburg, Johnson, Missouri, United States

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Biography

John was born in Bourbon County, Virginia, United States in 1788, the son of Francis Wyatt. He was born in the part of the county that would become Montgomery County, Kentucky eighteen years later.

War of 1812

Twenty-five-year-old John joined Trotter's Regiment, Captain Matthews Flournoy's Company, Kentucky Mounted Volunteer Militia as the company lieutenant mustering at Newport, Bourbon County, Virginia at the confluence of the Ohio and Licking Rivers on 31 Aug 1813. John was later promoted to captain, making him a company commander.^[1] The regiment was organized for the Thames Campaign and led by Colonel George Trotter, consisting of seven companies of 437 citizen soldiers.^[2] This regiment was part of what was colloquially known as "Desha's Regiment".^[3] Joseph Desha^[4] was one of the Major Generals in command of Kentucky militia and volunteers, under the nominal command of future US President William Henry Harrison. Desha commanded the 2nd Division of Kentucky militia, consisting of the 2nd Brigade, the 5th Brigade, and the 11th Regiment.^[5] John was stationed on the Raisin River, Michigan Territory during the conflict.^[3] Subsequent military warrants for land patents show John also served as Lieutenant in Captain Moore's Company, 28th Regiment, United States Infantry.^[6]

Missouri Settler

After the war, John migrated to Warren County, Missouri in 1817, where he met and married Attossa Pinckney Sharp, a daughter of Benjamin Sharp (1762-1842) and Hannah (Fulkerson) Sharp. The couple settled in the town that carried her name - Pinckney, Warren County, Missouri.^[3][7] They had at least seven children over the next twenty years.

John was a farmer and merchant. In 1818, he became a judge in Montgomery County, Missouri. His father-in-law was one of the first three judges appointed when the government formed.^[8] John began acquiring land via land patents from the General Land Office in 1827, starting with 160 acres acquired with his brother Joseph Wyatt on 10 Dec 1827. Over the next 37 years, John acquired at least 525.25 acres in Missouri via land patent:

1 Acre = 0.40468564224ha

In 1830, the couple lived in Lower Loutre, Montgomery County, Missouri with their four daughters. This location is near where the Loutre River flows into the Missouri River near McKittrick, Missouri. It's 10 to 15 miles (16-24km) upstream from Pinkney on the same side of the Missouri River. John controlled one enslaved person, a woman between the ages of 9 and 24.

A different John Wyatt (b.1759-1855), possibly denoted as "Senior", lived in Charette, Montgomery County, Missouri adjacent to Attossa's father and brother in 1840.^[16]

Attossa died in 1840. John remained in Warren County for another 18 years. After his wife's death, the family was back in Pinckney Township, Warren County, Missouri.

Two unidentified men, one in his late teens and the other in his 30s are in the household, but every member of the family fits with the rest of the counts. Frazier Ward's presence in the 1850 household demonstrates that John was not adverse to having young males outside the family in the household, perhaps helping with the farming. There were no enslaved persons associated with the household.

In 1850, John lived with three daughters, his son John who is farming, and an 18-year-old farmer named Frazier Ward. His landholdings were valued at $1500.^[18] John controlled one enslaved person, a 19-year-old back female.^[19]

John's 16-year-old son, John Wyatt Jr., caught the gold bug and convinced his father to outfitted him to join the gold rush to California, which he did in later in 1850. He disappeared for nearly 10 years before showing up in 1858-1860 destitute, but welcomed back.

Civil War

Missouri was divided when the Civil War began in 1861 and so was John's family. His recently returned son supported the Confederacy and he was a Union man. By 1863, all John's daughters and their families left Missouri for Washington or Oregon except Mary Gentry and Lucy Gentry Trader. Lucy's husband, Dr. John W. Trader, was an army surgeon. John moved in with Lucy and John in Warrensburg, Johnson County, Missouri.

In Feb 1865, a erysipelas epidemic struck soldiers encamped in Warrensburg. John and Lucy both caught the disease. It was fatal for both of them. John died February 16, 1865, in Warrensburg, Johnson County, Missouri. He and his daughter Lucy Wyatt Trader both contracted erysipelas and it was fatal for both of the. John Wyatt died on 16 Feb 1865,^[3] four days after his daughter.^[20] The Civil War ended only a few months later. He is buried in the Machpelah Cemetery, in Lexington, Lafayette County, Missouri.^[21]

Noted Descendants

John's ggg-grandson is noted actor Bill Paxton.^[22]

Slaves

In 1830, the US census shows one enslaved person in John's control:^[15]

• A woman between the ages of 9 and 24

In 1850, US census shows one enslaved person in John's control:^[19]

• A 18-year-old black woman

Research Notes

Disambiguation

In 1830, there are five heads of households in Missouri named John Wyatt:

• Captain John Wyatt in Lower Loutre Township, Montgomery County
• John Wyatt in Cole County who acquired land there in the 1830s
• John Wyatt in Gasconade County, Missouri, across the river from Captain John Wyatt
• John Wyatt NOT living living adjacent to Attossa Sharp Gentry's father, but in Charette, Montgomery County
• John Wyatt living adjacent to Attossa Sharp Gentry's father and brother in Charette, Montgomery County

This final John Wyatt living next to the Sharps was still living in 1840 at the age of 81.^[23] He is identified as "Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services Included in the Forgoing". This means he can only be Private John Wyatt (1759-1855) of Halifax County, North Carolina, husband of Polly Pearle, who served under the command of Captains Golson and Duckworth. This makes it highly likely that Captain John Wyatt is related to Private John Wyatt, perhaps a grandfather.

There are three land patents for John Wyatt in Cole County, Missouri from 1836 to 1840. Since there is a different John Wyatt living in Cole County in 1830, the Cole County John Wyatt is more likely to be the person engaged in these transactions, not Captain John Wyatt. These transactions are as follows:

1 Acre = 0.40468564224ha

Other land patents purchased by John Wyatt are aligned with known movements, but the Cole County land patents are outliers. One of the Grundy acquisition is based on a military warrant from the War of 1812 and this John Wyatt is the only person by that name that served in the War of 1812.^[1] Knowing that one of the Grundy County acquisitions was unquestionably him, there is no reason to believe that the other two within a year were also him. The Linn County acquisition is almost certainly him as well as he is known to have left Warren County in about 1858 to move to Linn County. The 1852 purchase of 80 acres in Linn County is consistent with his known movements.^[3]

Benjamin Sharp

His wife's father, Benjamin Sharp, served at the Battle of Kings Mountain at age 18, and became a spy for the Continental Army. Benjamin was honored by the Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution as Ancestor #A102882, and applications for membership in the Society have been made by the descendants of John Wyatt and Attossa (Sharp) Wyatt. ^[27]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kentucky: Soldiers of the War of 1812, p. 122. Printed by Authority of the Legislature of Kentucky. (1891). United States: E. Polk Johnson, public printer. https://books.google.com/books?id=WOM_AQAAMAAJ&num=10
2. ↑ Quisenberry, A. C. (1912). Kentucky Troops in the War of 1812. Register of Kentucky State Historical Society, 10(30), 47–66. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23367236
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4} Gentry, Richard. "The Gentry Family in America, 1606 to 1909". The Grafton Press, 1909. (https://archive.org/details/gentryfamilyinam1909gent). Accessed on 31 December 2018.
4. ↑ Wikipedia contributors. (2021, December 28). Joseph Desha. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 10:29, May 13, 2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joseph_Desha&oldid=1062375665
5. ↑ Heidler, David Stephen; Jeanne T. Heidler (2004). "Desha, Joseph". Encyclopedia of the War of 1812. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-362-4.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} John Wyatt, John Wyatt (Milan County, Missouri) military warrant patent #8888; “Land Patent Search,” digital images, General Land Office Records (http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch : accessed 13 May 2022). https://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=0733-222&docClass=MW&sid=w3tqjvvs.d2g
7. ↑ Google (n.d.). [Pinkney, Pinkney Township, Warren County, Missouri circa 1820] (https://goo.gl/maps/te9ZkVTkAPp5xPdh6). Accessed 13 May 2022.
8. ↑ History of St. Charles, Montgomery, and Warren Counties, Missouri: Written and Comp. from the Most Authentic Official and Private Sources, Including a History of Their Townships, Towns and Villages .... (1969). United States: P.V. Cochrane. https://cdm16795.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/mocohist/id/25144
9. ↑ John Wyatt, Joseph Wyatt (St. Louis County, Missouri) credit volume patent #1244; “Land Patent Search,” digital images, General Land Office Records (http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch : accessed 13 May 2022). https://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=0104-334&docClass=CV&sid=1sor00u2.s2b
10. ↑ John Wyatt (St. Louis County, Missouri) credit volume patent #3669; “Land Patent Search,” digital images, General Land Office Records (http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch : accessed 13 May 2022). https://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=MO0080__.143&docClass=STA&sid=1sor00u2.s2b
11. ↑ John Wyatt (St. Louis County, Missouri) credit volume patent #3819; “Land Patent Search,” digital images, General Land Office Records (http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch : accessed 13 May 2022). https://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=MO0080__.291&docClass=STA&sid=1sor00u2.s2b
12. ↑ John Wyatt (Milan County, Missouri) credit volume patent #760; “Land Patent Search,” digital images, General Land Office Records (http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch : accessed 13 May 2022). https://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=MO4880__.188&docClass=STA&sid=w3tqjvvs.d2g
13. ↑ John Wyatt (Milan County, Missouri) state volume patent #1319; “Land Patent Search,” digital images, General Land Office Records (http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch : accessed 13 May 2022). https://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=MO4880__.188&docClass=STA&sid=w3tqjvvs.d2g
14. ↑ John Wyatt (Milan, Missouri) credit volume patent #2044; “Land Patent Search,” digital images, General Land Office Records (http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch : accessed 13 May 2022). https://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=MO4900__.377&docClass=STA&sid=w3tqjvvs.d2g
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1} "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHPS-VKD : 20 February 2021), John Wyatt, Lower Loutre, Montgomery, Missouri, United States; citing 207, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 72; FHL microfilm 14,853.
16. ↑ https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHPS-VN8 : 20 February 2021), John Wyatt, Charette, Montgomery, Missouri, United States; citing 211, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 72; FHL microfilm 14,853.
17. ↑ "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHY7-X6P : 30 September 2021), John Wyatt, United States; citing p. 155, NARA microfilm publication , (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll ; FHL microfilm .
18. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDZ5-YMD : 22 December 2020), John Wyatt, Warren, Missouri, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
19. ↑ ^{19.0 19.1} "United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1850 ", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HRWS-BQ2M : 23 February 2021), John Wyatt in entry for MM9.1.1/MVZZ-JV3:, 1850.
20. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #97142536
21. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #30791192
22. ↑ "Bill Paxton." Who Do You Think You Are (US) (Season 6 Episode 7). TLC. 19 April 2015.
23. ↑ "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHY7-F6R : 30 September 2021), John Wyatt, Missouri, United States; citing p. 158, NARA microfilm publication , (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll ; FHL microfilm.
24. ↑ John Wyatt (Fayette County, Missouri) state volume patent #7797; “Land Patent Search,” digital images, General Land Office Records (http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch : accessed 13 May 2022). https://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=MO0560__.292&docClass=STA&sid=w3tqjvvs.d2g
25. ↑ John Wyatt (Fayette County, Missouri) state volume patent #8129; “Land Patent Search,” digital images, General Land Office Records (http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch : accessed 13 May 2022). https://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=MO2640__.116&docClass=STA&sid=w3tqjvvs.d2g
26. ↑ John Wyatt (Fayettee County, Missouri) state volume patent #14542; “Land Patent Search,” digital images, General Land Office Records (http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch : accessed 13 May 2022). https://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=MO2760__.153&docClass=STA&sid=w3tqjvvs.d2g
27. ↑ National Numbers 40943 and 481311

Acknowlegements

Richard Gentry - wrote The Gentry Family in America, 1606 to 1909, the seminal genealogy text upon which this profile is built.