Part of the American History & Genealogy Project

Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt 1836 ~ 1919

Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt

Born in Lexington, Kentucky, August 11, 1836. Her grandfather, Morgan Bryan, was a relative of Daniel Boone and one of the earliest settlers in the state of Kentucky. He emigrated from North Carolina with Boone's party and his "station," near Lexington, known as "Bryan's Station," was one of the principal points of attack by the Indians who invaded Kentucky from the Northwest in 1782.

Mrs. Piatt's early childhood was passed near Versailles, where her mother, Mary Speirs, who was related to the Stocktons and other early Kentucky families, died when Mrs. Piatt was but eight years of age. She was placed by her father in the care of her aunt, Mrs. Boone, in Newcastle, where she received her education.

George D. Prentice, the editor of the Louisville Journal, was an intimate friend of the family, and through his paper Mrs. Piatt's poems first received recognition.

On June 18, 1861, she became the wife of John James Piatt, and went with her husband to reside in Washington, D. C. In 1867 they removed to Ohio, and lived on a part of the old estate of General W. H. Harrison, in North Bend.

In 1886 she published a volume of poems in London, and others followed in the United States, among them "The Nests at Washington, and Other Poems," "A Woman's Poems," "A Voyage to the Fortunate Isles" etc. Mrs. Piatt contributed too many of the leading magazines of that time.

In 1882 Mr. Piatt was sent to Ireland as consul of the United States at Cork, and while residing there Mrs. Piatt brought out other volumes of poems, "In Primrose Time," "A New Irish Garland," "An Irish Wildflower." Her writings have been most complimentarily mentioned in both England and Ireland.

Women of America

Source: The Part Taken by Women in American History, By Mrs. John A. Logan, Published by The Perry-Nalle Publishing Company, Wilmington, Delaware, 1912.