Huguenot exiled from France; immigrated as late as 1677.
Appears in NJ records with alias attached: "Rene Piatt, alias LaFleur".
Note about Rene PIATT and his wife-It is presumed that Rene was born near Dauphine in the Rhone Region of France. The Piatts were Huguenots and with their friends, the Pauls, engaged in the making of silk and the operation of vinyards. It is believed that they were people of substance, members of nobility. It is also presumed that, with the change in the Monarchy from Henry IV to Louis XIV, it was necessary to flee the country. A group of Huguenots, including the Piatts and one or more of the Paul family, fled first to Holland, and from there to America by way of England. It is assumed that he landed in Charleston, SC. In 1680, Rene purchased 55 acres from Jabez Hendricks at Piscataway, NJ. In 1688 Rene was granted a Letter Patent Denization (naturalization) issued from England. In 1694 he purchased 250 acres along Cheesequake Creek from Miles Forster. After his death, Elizabeth was granted administration of his estate by Lord Cornbury at Perth Amboy.
AKA Thomas Fleurison, Renipiat, Thomas LaFleur.
The following information was provided by Laverne Ingram Piatt.
Also know through these various aliases:
Reune Piatt, alias La Flower
Reyneer (Regnier) Peatt, alias La Flure
La Fflower alias Reni Piat
Laflore alisa renipate
La Flower alias Rene Piat
Rene Piat
Rene Piat, alias Laflower
Lafflower, alias Rene Piat
Laflower, alias Renipiat
LaFlour, alias Reni Piat
Leflore
LaFlower, alias Reni-Piat
Reune Peeat, alias LeFlouer
Reni Papa, alias LaFlouer
Laflower, alias Reni Peat
Leflooer, alias Renne Peeat
Reynier Peatt alias leFlureBased on the New Jersey records, either name was used on either side of the alias. The New Jersey marriage record lists Rene Piat (no alias) and Elizabeth Sheffields (sic). The Denization lists do not list a Piat at all. However several men by the name of Fleury and Fleurisson are listed for several years, including Renatus Fleury and Peter Fleurisson on January 5, 1687/88. Also a Renatus Fleurisson appears on the list for March 21, 1687/88.
A Laflower, alias Renipiat, is listed as owing an unspecified amount to the estate of Francis Duke in the Calendar of New Jersey Wills, 1670-1750, page 144.
Page: 357
Name: Reyneer (Regnier) Peatt, alias Le Flure,1
Date: 16 Oct 1705
Location: Piscataway
Letters of administration on the estate of, granted to his widow Elizabeth Peatt.
Middlesex Wills
1705 Oct. 18. Inventory of the personal estate (£156.1, incl. an Indian man and woman, one negro and two children, £70); made by Thomas Grub. Sworn to by his widow Elizabeth Peatt.
1705 Oct. 24. Bond of the widow Elizabeth Peatt as administratrix of the estate. John Drake and Josyas Merlet fellow bondsmen.
Lib. 1, p. 121
From FIRST SETTLERS OF PISCATAWAY AND WOODBRIDGE; (p.225) by Monnette; the following paragraph is copied:
"The PYATTS or PIATTS or PIATS (the name is variously spelled) are probably of French origin. In "A Catalogue of ye names of ye Inhabitants of ye Towne of Piscataway," in the old 'Town Book', entered there about 1690, is found that of 'La Fflower, alias Reni Piat'. And in a list of the Freeholders, of about the same date, 'Laflore alias renipate'; and in another list, of a little later date, 'La Flower alias Rene Piat'. It would seem that he first resided in Woodbridge, where in 1677 he was granted a license to marry Elizabeth Sheffield of Flushing, Long Island, NY. Immediately after their marriage, they moved to nearby Piscataway; joined the Baptist Church; and there their children, Jacob, Thomas, James and Joan, were born (Piscataway Town Records).
The following is from Volume 10 of the Piatt Family Newsletter, published in 1990, written by Larry L. Piatt.
"Orra Eugene Monnette in his MONNET FAMILY GENEALOGY, published in 1911 identified RENATUS FLEURISSON of the London denization lists as the same man as RENE PIATT alias LAFLEUR (etc) of Woodbridge-Piscataway NJ. On the surface this identification appears both plausible and likely."Denization was meted out to individials by letters-patent from the King (or his representative) or by private acts of Parliament. In the first process the procedure began with the Kings' Letter addressed to the Attorney-General or to the Solicitor-General containing the name (or names) of the person(s) in whose favor the Grant of Denization was to be drawn out. The Grant was then recorded on a Patent-Roll in the Latin language.
"It is clear that the lists of those naturalized by royal letters-patent included both those French Protestants residing in England and those residing "within her dominions," including America. Several thousand Franch Protestant exiles were accepted by England in the time period just before and after Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. Lists of the French refugees exist in the form of Letters of Denization.
"Although Piat is a name of high frequency in some area of France, no Piat or equivalent names appear on the lists. However, FLEURY and FLEURISSON appear on lists under the dates:
# 08 Mar 1862 - Louis Fleurisson; Daniel Fleury; Daniel Fleury and sons; Daniel and James Jeanne
# 15 Apr 1678 - Louis Fleury (clerk) and wife, Esther; son, Philip-Amaury; daughters, Esther and Mary
# 05 Jan 1678/8 - Renatus Fleury; Peter Fleurisson
# 21 Mar 1687/8 - Renatus Fleurisson
# 10 Oct 1688 - Daniel Fleurisson and wife, Jane"The two occurrences of the name Renatus Fleury or Fleurisson raise the question of whether they refer to two individuals, or if his name inadvertently appeared twice.
"Louis Fleurrison of the 1682 list may be the man of that name, age 26 in 1681, a surgeon from Roian en Santonge.
"Daniel Fleurisson and wife Jane of the 1688 list appear to be the Daniel and Jane (Bernard) Flury who appear as parents of the following children on the LDS International Genealogical Index for Great Britain: Jeanne Fleury, chr 30 Apr 1676 Walloon or Strangers Church, Canterbury, Kent; Jacob Fleury, chr 25 Aug 1678, same church as above; Abraham Fleury, chr 16 Apr 1682, Threadneedle Street French Huguenot Church, London Judit(h) Fleury, chr 27 May 1683, Threadneedle St etc; Jane Judith Fleury, chr 24 Jun 1686, Threadneedle St etc; (For the last 2 children the mother is listed as Marie Bernard.)"
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The Transcribed Inventory of the Moveable Estate of Leflure is given in its entirety:
(Unrecorded Wills, Vol. 10, page 229)A true and Perfect Inventory of all the Moveable Estate of Leflure Deceased late of the town of Piscataway in the province of New Jersey as falows Vizt:
Imps To his pursl Apparill and Armer 18-13-06
To 4 Axes 4 hows Carpenters tools 01-10-03
To plow Irons Chains Cart and Yoak 02-10-00
To 4 hoops 4 Iron Potts 1 Skillett 02-00-00
To Pewter 4 old chests 1 Trunck 01-15-00
To 1 Smoothing Iron frying pan churn & pails 00-12-00
To bedding 1 sadle bridle 3 chears 1 Table 02-05-03
To 1 Indian Man 1 Woman 1 Negro 2 Children 70-00-00
To 15 Cattle and Two horses 5 Swine 46-05-00
To Wheat and Indian Corn 10-00-00
To 2 ?.....nell? 00-10-00
156-01-00Appraised before me whose names are under written the 18th day of Octobr 1705, /s/Thomas Grub
Perth Amboy the 19th 8br - 1705Personally Appeared before me Edward Viscount Cornbury Capt. Generall and Governor in Chief in and Over the provinceof New Jersey & etc, Elizabeth Peat and Made Oath that the Above Written is a true Innventory of the Estate of her Deceased Husband Reynier Peatt Als Le Fluere. Jurat Coran me Cornbury
He was also called "Thomas LeFLEUR", "Reynier PYATT" and "Thomas La FLOWER."
Film# US/CAN 946001, Notes & extracts from Woodbridge Town Book: He is listed among the founders & freeholders of Piscataway in the Woodbridge town records as "Laflore alias Renipiat," (date at the top of the page, Nov 25, 1682)
His age at death was 55 years, 10 months, 16 days.
BIRTH-MARR-DEATH: Monnette, Orra Eugene; First settlers of ye plantations of Piscataway & Woodbridge; Los Angeles : LeRoy Caman Press; 1930-33; Volumes 3:431 & 5:878.
BIRTH-MARR-DEATH: Proceedings of Huguenot Society of Pennsylvania; vol. 27; Philadelphia; Historical Soc. of Pennsylvania; Baltimore; Genealogical Pub. Co.; 1964.
Rene' and Elizabeth Sheffield Piatt
Rene Piatt aka Reni, Regnier, Reyneer, aka Thomas Fleurison, aka Renatus Fleurisson aka Renipiat aka Thomas La Fleur born c1652 in France (probably near Dauphine in the Rhone Region). The Piatts were Huguenots and with their friends, the Pauls, engaged in the making of silk and the operation of vineyards. Certain it is that they were people of substance, members of the nobility who prospered under the beneficial rule of Henri IV, King of France and Navarre. It was this monarch who issued the famous Edict of Nantes in 1598, giving to the French Protestants equal political rights with the Catholic majority as well as freedom of worship. Also, the were people of principle. For when Louis XIV, who regretably shared neither the wisdom not the tolerance of the last Henry, revoked the Edict in 1685, with the swiftness and cruelty of a whip's lash, the Piatts did not hesitate. The revocation came at the time of great financial stress, the inevitable result of the extravagant and selfish policies of a monarch who ruled solely to gratify his own luxurious tastes. The common people and the lesser nobles were reduced to a condition of want unknown before even to the Europe of that day. At such times, a wealthy minority can expect little generosity from a hard-pressed majority from whom all restraint of law and decency has been removed. The Huguenot Piatts were forced to choose one of three courses of action: They could renounce their faith and by becoming Catholics, retain their wealth and position; they could submit to intolerable persecution and pillage; they could flee to a more tolerant land. To a people of principal and spirit, only the third course was possible. We know that the party of fleeing Huguenots included one or more members of the Paul family. The fugitive went first to Holland, and from the Netherlands to America by way of England. Rene married December 13, 1677 in Woodbridge, New Jersey, Elizabeth Sheffield born c1654 of Flushing, New York, on December 13, 1677 in Woodbridge, Middlesex, New Jersey. In 1680, Rene bought 55 acres from Jabez Hendricks at Piscataway, New Jersey. In 1688 Rene was granted a Letter Patent of Denization (naturalization) issued from England. In 1694, he purchased 250 acres along Cheesequake Creek from Miles Forster. Rene' died Oct 1705 in Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey, at which time Elizabeth was still living. After Rene's death in 1705, Elizabeth was granted administation of his estate by Lord Cornbury at Perth Amboy: "Perth Amboy October ye 16th 1705 - There appeared before me Edward Viscount Cornbury Captaine Generall & Governor in Chief in and over her majestys provinces of New Jersey New Yorke etc Elizabeth Peatt widdow of Reyneer Peatt commonly known by the name of LeFlure late of the Towne of Piscattaway Deceased and praying for administration of the Goods Chattles and Creditts of the Said Deceased itt was Granted Accordingly She being duly Sworne upon the holy Evangelists of Almighty God faithfully to administer the Said estate and to returne an inventory thereof Accordingly." This document was signed "Cornbury".
Their children:Jacob Piatt b: 31 Oct 1678 Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey d: aft 1750 in Cumberland Valley, Pennsylvania (or Woodbridge, Middlesex County, NJ) m: 6 (or 7) Jun 1703 in Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey Mary Hull b: 04 Feb 1680/81 in Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey d: c1750 Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey
Rene Piatt b: c1679 Woodbridge (or Piscataway), Middlesex, New Jersey
Thomas Piatt b: 11 May 1681 Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey d: 1706 Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey (or 20 Mar 1699/00) m: 1 Feb 1698/1699/1700 Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey, Mercy Hull b: 22 Jun 1683 Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey d: 21 Dec 1746 Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey
James Piatt b: 1683 Woodbridge (or Piscataway), Middlesex, New Jersey d: c1704? Woodbridge, Middlesex, New Jersey m: c1708? Woodbridge, Middlesex, New Jersey, Elizabeth ? (James was apprenticed to James Many in 1701 for 6 years)
Francis Piatt b: 1685 Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey (or Flushing, New York) d: aft 1701
Samuel Piatt b: 1687 Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey (or Flushing, New York)
Ann Piatt (thought to be twin of James) m: Joseph Drake (this child not listed by most researchers)
unknown child
Jane/Joan Piatt b: 15 Sep 1695 Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey (or Flushing, New York) d: 15 Sep 1779 Stelton, New Jersey (buried Dunham Burial Ground, Piscataway, NJ) m: 15 Aug 1714 in Piscataway, New Jersey, Rev. Jonathan Dunham of Piscataway, New Jersey (one researcher has Jane and Joan as twins)Rene and Elizabeth Sheffield are believed to have had two other children, names unknown, between Samuel and the last child, Jane (Joan). (Monnette) From FIRST SETTLERS OF PISCATAWAY AND WOODBRIDGE; (p.225) by Monnette; the following paragraph is copied: "The PYATTS or PIATTS or PIATS (the name is variously spelled) are probably of French origin. In "A Catalogue of ye names of ye Inhabitants of ye Towne of Piscataway," in the old 'Town Book', entered there about 1690, is found that of 'La Fflower, alias Reni Piat'. And in a list of the Freeholders, of about the same date, 'Laflore alias renipate'; and in another list, of a little later date, 'La Flower alias Rene Piat'. It would seem that he first resided in Woodbridge, where in 1677 he was granted a license to marry Elizabeth Sheffield of Flushing, Long Island, NY. Immediately after their marriage, they moved to nearby Piscataway; joined the Baptist Church; and there their children, Jacob, Thomas, James and Joan, were born (Piscataway Town Records).
The children of Thomas usually used the spelling "Pyatt". Those of Jacob used both "Pyatt" and "Piatt". The last known child, Jane/Joan may have been born on the property purchased from Miles Forster.Sources:
Joe Kearney, "Ye Colonial Kinsmen", 1978
Orra E. Monnette, "First Settlers of Ye Plantations of Piscataway and Woodbridge, Olde East New Jersey", 1664-1714.
Ruth Thayer Ravenscroft, "Family of Piatt, Pyatt, Pyeatte, Etc." 1958
Joseph W. Dally, "Vital Records of Woodbridge, N.J.", 1983"Two Hundred American Ancestors, The Progenitors of Richard William Loveless"
Much of this information is compliments of Laura Glass [email protected] and some is from a Pyeatt family manuscript written by Randolph Pyeatt of Memphis, TN in 1907.Updated March 1999
Email: [email protected]
Alia: Rene/LaFleu/Reynier Piatt, Thomas Fleurison
Birt Abt: 1650 in Dauphing, Fance
Death: 1705 in Piscataway, New Jersey
Religion: Baptist/Reformed
Note: Huguenot exiled from France; immigrated as late as 1677.
Appears in NJ records with alias attached: "Rene Piatt, alias LaFleur"
Note about Rene PIATT and his wife--It is presumed that Rene was born near Dauphine in the Rone Region of France. The Piatts were Huguenots and with their friends, the Pauls, engaged in the making of silk and the operation of vinyards It is believed that they were people of substance, members of nobility. It is also presumed that, with the change in the Monarchy from Henry IV to Louis XIV, it was necessary to flee the country. A group of Huguenots, including the Piatts and one or more of the Paul family, fled first to Holland, and from there to America by way of England. It is assumed that he landed in Charlestin, SC. In 1680, Rene purchased 55 acres from Jabez Hendricks at Piscataway, NJ. In 1688 Rene was granted a Letter Patent Denization (naturalization) issued from England. In 1694 he purchased 250 acres along Cheesequake Creek from Miles Forster. After his death, Elizabeth was granted administration of his estate by Lord Cornbury at Perth Amboy.
Also know through thes various aliases:
Reune Piatt, alias LaFlower
Reyneer (Regnier) Peatt, alias LaFlure
LaFflower alias Reni Piat
Laflore alisa renipate
LaFlower alias Rene Piat
Rene Piat
Rene Piat, alias Laflower
Lafflower, alias Rene Piat
Laflower, alias Renipiat
Laflour, alias Reni Piat
Leflore
LaFlower, alias Reni-Piat
Reune Peeat, alias LeFlouer
Reni Papa, alias LaFlouer
Laflower, alias Reni Peat
Leflooer, alias Renne Peeat
Reynier Peatt alias leFlureBased on New Jersey records, either name was used on either side of the alias. The New Jersey marriage record lists Rene Piat (no alias) Elizabeth Sheffields (sic). The Denization lists do not list a Piat at all. However several men by the name of Fleury and Fleurisson are listed for several years, including Renatus Fleury and Peter Fleurisson on January 5, 1687/88. Also a Renatus Fleurisson appears on the list for March 21, 1687/88.
Marriage 1 Elizabeth Sheffield born Abt 1654 in Flushing, Long Island, New York
Married 12-13-1677 Woodbridge, New Jersey
Children
Jacob Pyeatt b 10-31-1678 in Woodbridge, New Jersey
Thomas b 5-11-1681
James Pyeatt b Abt 1683
Pranis Piat Pyeatt b 1685
Samuel Pyeatt b Abt 1687
Joan Pyeatt b Abt 1695Sources:
Title: Friedman-Bonner Family Tree. FTW
This child does not appear in Ravenscroft's book.
One of the earliest Settlers of Manhattan Island. Had a Bakery near Wall Street.
This family is in the Chesterhill, Morgan County, OH 1930 Census
WW1 draft registration Morgan Co, OH 1917 lists him having a wife and two children