Donn Piatt was born in 1819, and Abram was born in 1821 to Benjamin and Elizabeth Piatt in Cincinnati. The Piatt family moved from Cincinnati to the West Liberty area around 1827.
Donn became a well-known poet, U.S. diplomat, soldier, newspaper correspondent, editor, social critic, magazine publisher, judge, and author. He was elected Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in Hamilton County in 1851. Donn then served as Secretary of Legation at Paris during the Pierce and Buchanan presidencies, eventually serving as Charge d’Affaires when the diplomat holding the position died. During their stay in France, Donn and his wife Louise Kirby Piatt, who was a writer in her own right, became well-known and well-received in Paris’ social circles.
Donn returned to the U.S. and, despite being a Democrat, actively campaigned for Abraham Lincoln. Piatt enlisted in the 13th O.V.I. when the Civil War began. He eventually rose to the rank of colonel and served with distinction.
After the war, Donn Piatt found his true calling as a writer. Primarily, as a political commentator, he wrote for several newspapers and magazines, including founding his own publication of the Washington Capitol.
Donn built a castle-like home on the family’s land near West Liberty that he named Mac-O-Chee. Donn Piatt died on November 22, 1891. Over a thousand people attended his funeral, including many dignitaries. One of the pallbearers was the former governor of Ohio, James E. Campbell.
Abram Piatt attended college at St. Xavier. After graduating from college, he returned home and studied law under his father, Benjamin, but chose agriculture instead of law for his career. He farmed the family land east of West Liberty. Abram had many interests and endeavors outside of farming. He was an accomplished poet and author. Abram and his brother Donn, along with their cousin John J. Piatt, founded the Mac-a-cheek Press newspaper. The three men performed all the tasks of writing, editing, and publishing the newspaper.
When the Civil War began, Abram Piatt enlisted in the Union Army and raised a company of men. Abram was named a colonel in the 13th Ohio Voluntary Infantry and later was transferred to the 34th O.V.I. Col. Abram was stationed in West Virginia guarding the rear of Gen. W.S. Rosencrans’ army during the first winter of the war and was promoted to brigadier general on April 30. 1862.
Gen. Piatt raised a company of Zouaves or light infantry called the Piatt Zouaves. Piatt led his brigade in the Second Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) and then the Battle of Fredericksburg. In both battles, Gen. Piatt was commended for his bravery and leadership. Due in part to a back injury he received when his horse fell, Gen. Piatt returned home to West Liberty and built a new castle-like home that he named Mac-A-Cheek. He remained at his beloved home until his death in 1908.
We will have a special exhibit at our open house on April 27th from local archeologist, Greg Shipley, who will be displaying some of Brigadier General Abram S. Piatt’s Civil War era possessions that he recently acquired from a museum in Fort Worth, Texas. After Gen Piatt passed away at his Mac-A-Cheek castle home in 1908, his daughter, Mary Arabella Piatt Worthington, took a trunk full of his military possessions to Washington DC. The items remained there until the mid-1990s, when they were donated to a museum in Texas.
To learn more about Donn and Abram Piatt and other Logan County Veterans, visit the Logan County History Center at 521 E. Columbus Ave., Bellefontaine, Ohio 43311.
The History Center is regularly open for tours Wednesday – Sunday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
