J. Wykoff Piatt, the first son of Benjamin, was one of the noted men of Cincinnati, and many years ago did a good deed for that city. As in most towns, when "fire" was cried, men and boys from all points rushed to the scene of the fire, and oft-times, by their wild yells and free use of water and the axe, did more harm than good. Mr. Piatt saw this, and tried long to have the men who were to put out fires ever ready at a call, and paid well for their work.
But the old style had kind of Fourth-of-July fun and frolic in it which most of the young folks did not like to give up. Though Mr. Piatt lost many friends by this course, he at last gained his way; and now his worst foes, if they still live, would not go back to the old style if they could.
From "A History of Ohio in Words of One Syllable" written in 1888 by Annie Cole Cady, pages 137-141.-----------------------------------------------------
JACOB WYKOFF PIATT—This noted citi-zen of Cincinnati was born in Kentucky in 1801. Brought to Cincinnati when quite young, he grew to man’s estate in the home of his father, Benjamin N. PIATT, elder brother of the more famous John H. PIATT.Jacob WYKOFF became a successful lawyer, and accumulated quite a fortune in his practice, and successful operations in real estate.
The one event in his life was his success in establishing a paid fire department that is now known in every city of the civilized world. The old volunteer fire system, once the pride of the citizens, had fallen into dis-repute.
The better class had either neglected the companies to which they belonged, or had been shouldered out by the worse elements of a prosperous town. This evil was not confined to Cincinnati. Every city in the Union suffered from the same cause. The Mose of New York, the brazen-checked, red-shirted ruffian was duplicated in every municipality that possessed a fire department. Mr. PIATT returned to the city council at a time when the most reputable citizens con-sidered it an honor to be a councilman, opened war on the volunteers, by introducing an or-dinance providing for the se1ection of, and paying the firemen for their services.
There was scarcely a member of council that did not privately admit the necessity for such a reform, and yet when the vote was taken, in a chamber crowded by roughs, whose noisy demonstrations left no doubt as to their opposition, but one man was found brave enough to vote with Mr. PIATT in favor of this measure. This gentleman was Judge Timothy WALKER, the well-known author and jurist.
Nothing daunted Mr. PIATT continued his efforts. At every assembly of a new council, his ordinance was offered to be again voted down. But the minority grew slowly in spite of the brutal opposition. Mr. PIATT was wont to defy the crowd in the debate that preceded defeat, and the feeling got so intense, that it was dangerous for the bold reformer to go to and from the chamber. As it was a volunteer guard of Irish constituents accompanied representative. One night after a heated debate a mob assembled in front of Mr. PIATT’S residence and amid groans, hisses, howls and yells, he was burned in effigy.
This contest continued for years. A happy event, however, came to end it. This was the invention and building of the Latta fire-engine. After being tested by a commission of experts, the engine was accepted. What to do with it was the question. Turn it over to the volunteers was to insure its immediate destruction. It was resolved, at length, to organize a paid company to use and protect the machine. A committee was appointed having on it Messrs. PIATT, WALKER, KESSLER and LODER to organize a company. To the amusement of his associates Mr. PIATT nominated Miles GREENWOOD as the captain of the new company. Judge WALER remonstrated. It was, he said, putting the new engine in the hands of the enemy, for Miles GREENWOOD was the pet of the volunteers, and had been loud in his denunciation of what he called the degradation of the paid system. Mr. PIATT persisted and asserted that GREENWOOD was the only man in the city who would make the new machine a success.
From Historical Collections of Ohio: Pages 819-822--------------------------------------------------------
According to the federal census, beside his immediate family, the following people were in the 1850 household of Jacob W. Piatt:
Caroline C. Piatt, 19, F, New Jersey
John Curran, 25, M, servant, Ireland
Mary Drennan, 20, F, servant, Ireland
Mary Sullivan, 22, F, servant, Ireland
Will:
Name: Thomas Pyatt
Date: 15 Mar 1760
Location: Piscataway, Middlesex Co.
will of. Wife, Martha. Son, Asa, under age. Sister, Mary Veiland. Names also Jane Pyatt; brother-in-law, Joseph Drake, and his children; mother, Ruth Pyatt; First Day Baptist Church of Christ at Piscataway; brother, James Pyatt, who is residuary legatee of real and personal estate. Executors--the wife, said brother James, and Henry Sutton. Witnesses--Bouley Arnold, Michael Moore and Samuel Pelston. Proved April 17, 1760.
Lib. G, p. 173.
1760, Apr. 31 (?). Inventory, £163.3.2, by Isaac Steele and Nehemiah Dunham.