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From my book "Line of Descent of George Roger Gilbert"
THE PYATT FAMILY
From my notes:
Saturday, January 27, 1973
From "First Settlers of Piscataway and Woodbridge, New Jersey" by Monnette LN46, P673 B Onondaga County Library, Syracuse,NY.
on page 225 -- under Genealogies - Pyaats
The Pyatts or Piatts or Piat ( 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 free holders of about the same date, " La flore 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. Where his children were born is uncertain, but probably not at Piscataway, nor at Woodbridge, but more likely at New York or Flushing.
Saturday, February 3, 1973
from part 3 page 431 of the six-volume "First Settlers of Piscataway and Woodbridge":
Pyatt - Fleurisson Family
This has been a most engaging determination because of it's Hugenot flavor and of being illustrative of name variation (see Part two, pg 141 and Part three page 307)
Piatt and Pyatt were the same variable forms in New Jersey a common English habit of doubling the letter "t" of french patronymics. The name revolves around the First Settler at Piscataway, Rene' Pyatt, who is entered in the records, ina great variety of ways;
"Thomas La Flower", "Thomas La Fleur", "Rene' Piatt", "Alias La Flower" and "Reni Peatt".
Some excellent work has been done, genealogically, concerning this family, except, the insistance that there were two separate origins, in New Jersey.(See Piatt and Pyatt in Bibliograph, ante p. 322). There was only one N.J. family, of common origin.
Just why Rene' Piat changed his name so often, remains a mystery. He is on the marriage records of New Jersey under the name "Thomas Fleurisson" and during the time of Dr. Henry Greenland, he is mentioned in the History of Princeton as "Thomas La Flower", one of the wealthy and prominent citizens and still later, he is know as Rene' Piat, and his children spelled their name "Pyatt".
Consult various references in the New Jersey Archives and this name variation of Rene' Pyatt, as Thomas La Fleur, is manifestly clear.
His real name was Renatus Fleurisson, the surname being from the french "Fleur" meaning a flower. The name is frequently in French records, as well as that of Piat" and Piet", the same.
Renatus Fleurisson was denizated * as a French Protestant, as "Rene Fleurisson" in London, 1688, March 25, at the same time as were "Isaac Monnet (Monet) and Peter Monnet (Monet), Catharine, his wife, and Peter, their son, (Hugenot Society Publications, London Vol. XVIII, pp. 206 and 207).
(See also New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volumn 35 page 249). In the latter authority, clearly referring to the same person under date of 1688 "Letter Patent of Denization" is presented "Rene' FFleury," and other Hugenot names, finally coming together on Staten Island and in New Jersey, as Baillergean, Bonum, Billiou, Boye, Crocheron, Fountain, Garon, Le Febvre, Mannett, Martineau, Perreau, Pillot, et al.
When Rene' Pyatt married; Flushing, Long Island, he selected Elizabeth Sheffield, of English descent, who survived his death in 1705 and administered his estate.
*part two, page 146
Some Hugenots came to America under "Patents of Denization" which were comparable to Naturilization. "Denization", rather restricted in meaning, included the thought of "making one a denizen" i.e. "to admit to residence, with certain rights and priviledges", so that the denizated person possessed the right "to sit down" at ease, free and unmolested. "Renatus Fleurisson"denizated in 1688, who was there in New Jersey, where as "La Fleur," with shorter name, "Rene'Piat", he became the well known progenitor of a large descendancy.
and in part 5, page 878of the six-volume "First Settlers of Piscataway and Woodbridge":
Rene Pyatt, The Premier
F.S. "Thomas Le Fleur " b. ca. 1650, changed his name to Rene Piat (Reynier-Reune(Pyatt)) died 1705," O.B.L.
He married 13 Dec. 1677 Elizabeth Sheffield, of Flushing, Long Island, (Recs. 138 - sec. of State, Trenton, N.J.).
They came to Piscataway ca. 1680, and son, Thomas - and "Alias Reyneir Pyatt" took out patent for land in Pisc. May 25, 1681.
Issue:
1. Jacob, b. Oct 31, 1678 at Woodbridge; died after 1750, married June 7, 1703, Mary Hull (dau. of Samuel Hull and wife Mary Manning). They had at least eight children, among whom John Piatt, of six mile run was either a son or grandson.
2. Rene 2nd, or (Thomas), b. 1679/80
3. Thomas b. May 11, 1681; d. 1706/7, m. Feb. 1 1699 Mercy Hull, sister of Mary Hull (above). Upon his death, his widow, Mercy Pyatt, m (2) Rev. Benjamin Stelle. He had at least four children, among whom that posthumous Samuel Pyatt, of the church in 1722.
4. James, called Peat, b. ca. 1683, apprenticed to James Many, Mariner, 1701.
5. Francis b. ca. 1685, living 1701.
6. Samuel. b. ca. 1687.
7. others born before the following (?)
8. Joan (Jane) b. Sept. 15, 1695 d. Sept. 15, 1779; m. Aug. 15, 1714 Rev. Jonathan Dunham of Pisc. b. March 4 1693 d. March 10, 1777.
It is said there was an earlier Francis Pyatt in Westchester, N.Y. in 1670.
and in part 6 page 1210
Jacob Pyatt ( son of Rene Pyatt, The Premiere)
In John Reading's surveying journal of 1715 "Jacob Peatt " is frequently mentioned and as having a "place upon the Raritan". He appears in other records but soon left N.J. and settled in Penn. where the following record, "Jacob Pyatt and Jacob Pyatt, Jr. in the year 1750 (coll. Rec.s, Penna, Vol V. p 444.)
He had at least eight children and probably more, born outside of New Jersey.
1. Dinah b. Feb. 3, 1703/4.
2. Jacob b. Jan. 14, 1705.
3. Pierre (Peter) b. Jan. 19, 1707/8.
4. Rachael b. Sept. 25, 1709.
5. Thomas, b. ca. 1712 not to be confused with his uncle of the same name, as the former settled in Elizabethtown, Essex Co., and was there at two dates 1737/8 and 1745 ( Arch. vol. XXX pp330 and 386).
6. John, "of Six Mile Run", b. ca. 1710/3.
7. William b. ca. 1716, called "William Peat" in the recs., and may have been the one who removed to Westchester and Ulster County, N.Y., ancestor of the Peet family.
8. Samuel b. ca. 1718 named for his grandfather Samuel Hull, but no further record.
Jacob Pyatt, the father, as above, was proprietor and a First Settler of Pisc. and received conveyance of land from his brother, Thomas Pyatt, Aug. 22, 1701, which ties in perfectly.