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Welcome to the Pigate Home Page

If you would like to register for the web site feel free to do so. Eventually we will have it set up so that everyone can add pictures of the family or other events. Feel free to link to our website to share the content with family or friends.

We will also be adding a family tree to the website to keep up with the lineage. If you are a visitor to the site and feel you may have some information that may help in our documenting the family line. Please contact us. ********REUNION*******Would be nice for all family members to get together in 2006. Let us hear from you on this subject. Would like to know thoughts as to dates available and places to hold.

FINDAGRAVE.COM

Recommending a new link found on the internet, is helping to preserve our family history and connect.
http://www.findagrave.com/ I am in the process of entering pictures of our family graves, starting locally and would welcome anyone that would like to go to the site and enter family grave sites. If there is a family member local to me in the Olanta area, please let me know.

DNA testing

I submitted DNA testing in February, 2009, attempting to confirm the lineage of Lewis Pigate born c. 1808. There has and is a question as to his Father/Mother and I did this in an attempt to either connect him to the Pigot's from north of Lynches River or at least make a connection. This was done thru familytreedna.com that has Tom Howland as the administrator for our family results. I received the first 12 marker results 03/31/2009 and they have shown that there are no connections identified with those results only. I provided for a 37 marker test and hopefully the final 25 markers will provide some results/answers that we can work with. The results came back with somewhat of a surprise. They tend to show a strong, very strong link to the Burton/Hatcher lines. And these two lines are said to be very much linked. I have learned a lot since these results came in, mainly that this was a common happening during times of war. And while I had not seen the Hatcher name during my initial research, in going back through those records, the first one I picked up showed Isham Hatcher witnessing a sale of land from Sarah Pigott in 1806, so now here we go again trying to determine just who we are. In an effort to determine just when this "event" happened in our DNA, I have secured the testing of another individual on the 2nd known leg of our family. I am hoping that we will be able to determine if the "event" happened with/before the birth of Lewis or during the 1860 era. When results are received we will further update. In an effort to confirm our lineage, Y-DNA samples were submitted by Jimmy Pigate. He is a male member from the 2nd limb of our Family Tree coming from James N. Pigate. The results of his tests are back and are a duplicate of the results from my test. This proves to a reasonable acceptance point, that the event that occurred was pre-birth of Lewis Pigate, born C. 1808. Also a program has been ordered that hopefully will allow me to post the family tree information that has been determined. Pictures are supposedly easily shown as well.

Lewis Pigott/Pigate and beyond

The included information is an attempt to provide the ancestors of Lewis, born a Pigott, but died a Pigate with some information of the trip in life he and his family took. Attempts have been made to reduce and eliminate errors, but I am sure that they exist and I would request that any errors found be brought to my attention so a correction can be made. At some point, I hope to reduce this information into a book for all of our benefit.

At the present, this information is available for viewing on ANCESTRY.COM. If you would be interested in keeping up with changes made thru the internet, please advise me of your email address and I will be glad to include you on the setup to be notified of any changes made in the future.

In brief, the history of Lewis (unable at present to provide a Mother/Father) starts around 1808, believed to be his birth year. No mention of him is found until 1828, where in Williamsburg County SC a sale of 2 slaves is made to a William McKenzie. Also in 1828 it is felt that he marries into the Mott family. My findings indicate that Lewis' first wife was an Elinor Mott, daughter of Elizabeth Mott Murphy. But a book much used in this research, written by Gene Welch of the Welch Family History, indicates that Lewis first married a Sarah Mott. Information has come to the front, that the first wife of Lewis was Elinor Mott, it seems that her Mother was married to a Mott, name unknown, at her birth. Elizabeth would marry a Murphy soon after, giving birth to other girls. Lewis was apparently living in the area of Bethel Church, or at least held land in 1831 in the area where the Kelly home is today. In a Deed transfer of 1831 from a Stephen Floyd to Adam McElveen, reference is made to the Pigot's line and Back Swamp(known to run east and west behind now Bethel Baptist Church, and crossing now highway 301).

Following the trail of land transactions, I found that in 1835 Lewis and Millie Mott sold 100 acres to a Stephen Floyd. This fact indicates that there is a connection of the Mott and Pigate name. The Welch writing would indicate that the connection is Lewis' first marriage. I still feel that connection is possibly an indication of his Mother being either a Mott at birth, or married at one point to a Nathaniel Mott. To go on, also in 1835, Lewis gave to Bethel Church, 1 acre of land. Later in 1835 Lewis purchased from a Stephen Floyd a tract of land of 800 acres. The location of that land has been determined to be in a triangle shape roughly drawn from the corner of what was Camp Branch, now a ditch crossing Grainger Road, to a point near what is now the estate of Mr. Carlisle Smith, and running southward on either side of highway 301 in the direction of now Olanta. The westward boundary was called Burnt Branch that emerges on 301 near the old Lewis Motel.

In 1846, we receive the first indication as to the origin of Lewis. There is a transfer of 280 acres to the then youngest daughter of Lewis, Mary, by William McKenzie. In that deed or transfer, Lewis is recognized as the step-son of William McKenzie, indicating that Lewis' Mother is now or has been married to William. Later in 1863, Mary sold that tract of land to Lewis. William would later transfer slaves and other land to Lewis, to "better his position" before William McKenzie's death around 1854.

In 1859, Lewis indicates in a transfer of the Lewisville Academy to the then Clarendon County of South Carolina, that the reason is his impending move. This Academy was constructed on a lot of land purchased from a J.W.J. Floyd and is believed to be at the corner of now Jones Road and Main Street of Olanta. That 1/2 acre lot is now the eastern end of the Olanta Presbyterian Church Cemetery. In 1909 that lot, was returned to the family of Lewis, as the Olanta High School is now in use. The land was signed over by the family to J.L. Pigate and it appears that he almost immediately sells to a Mrs. Knight. By the name of "Lewisville" Academy, I have to believe that possibly Olanta was named Lewisville at some point in history, but was also called Beulah in early 1900's.

In 1863 there is a purchase of Lewis of 920 acres in then Sumter County, now Lee County, from W.H. Smith. It appears that by this time most of the property in Clarendon County was now either sold or left to his children. It appears that 920 acres of his almost 1700 acres to the Clarendon County area was sold to A.A. Solomon and then from A.A. Solomon to John Cole. A survey of that 920 acres is available showing that his son James N. Pigate was on the northern side of the plat.

The Civil War was full scale during the years of 1861-1865 and the four sons of Lewis were involved. They are of record as having joined the Clarendon Blues. James n. Pigate was finally dismissed from duty due to illness. Two sons, Pinkney L. and Ervin M. both died during the conflict due to illness. The youngest son W. C. Pigate returned to the family in then Lynchburg in 1865 having been wounded earlier in the conflict while in the Mississippi area. He was sent home in December of 1865 having just been thru a sickness.

From records available, it appears that Eleanor, wife of Lewis, died in 1868. The Bethel Records indicate that Elen'r, a daughter of Lewis, died in February, 1868, but since records on this daughter exist much later into the 20th Century, it is believed that the date is the death of Lewis' wife, Eleanor. Also in 1871 the Family of Lewis sells the estate of Eleanor Murphy to Rebecca Hicks. The Hicks Family still controls some of that property to this date.

As if the death of his wife, and the Mother of his children, and the death of two of his sons was not enough, in 1868 Lewis was apparently engulfed in unfamiliar financial tribulation. In 1868, due to a note given by Lewis to a Rogers Corp.,, and the non-payment of same, the Homestead Act was invoked against Lewis and his wealth was reduced to a total of 500+\- acres and a total value of $1000.00. Due to the wording of the sale, it appears that Lewis had divested some of the land, as only 51 acres were lost to the Sheriff Sale. There was an indication that his oldest son, James N., also experienced problems. Part of his land was being sold and also part of the prior Murphy Estate was lost, again to Rebecca Hicks, for taxes.

It appears that the health of Lewis could have been failing in the early 1870's as the remaining land of Lewis was either given to the remaining children, or sold. A record exists of the sale of 131 acres to a Stephen Miller in then Sumter County in 1873. The consummation of that transfer would later indicate the death of Lewis to be 1893-1894. At least everything was not negative during this time, as Lewis was to marry a Martha A. possibly Dubose, yet to be proven. As stated earlier a Welch record indicates that her name was Dubose, but to this date, this has not been proven by me. There was a Martha A. Murphy, sister of Elinor that lived with Lewis and his family as proven by the 1860 census.

In 1892, Martha issued a transfer of land to the youngest son of Lewis, W.C., for the purpose of "maintaining Lewis". By this being made by Martha, one has to assume that the health of Lewis was gone. And in 1894, Martha gives a document to the family of Stephen Miller for the payment of the prior sale, stating, "Lewis is deceased".

Lewis had a total of 10 children, 4 male, and 6 female. Only 1 male was to marry and produce children.
Thanks to James N., the Pigate family would continue to this date. Three of the females were to marry and produce families.

The oldest daughter, Millie, was to marry a George W. Truluck, and their offspring provide the largest portion of the family by name. There has been some confusion as to her name. I first located her presence in the graveyard at Bethel, being shown as "Lilly" on a small grave marker next to the grave of her husband and his 2nd wife. The marker indicates her birth in 1830 and death in 1864. The name Millie is proven by the census of 1860 and 1870 of her family. Also the name is confirmed in the land transfer of the Pigate Family to Rebecca Hicks in 1871, as it was signed by Milly A. and George W. Truluck. This also provided the answer as to her death in 1864. Bethel records indicate she died in 1876.

Another daughter, Maranda, married a John Henry Hill and this family has proven difficult to track. The 1880 census indicates the family lives near Lewis in Sumter county area of Lynchburg. There are five children (only 1 male) living with them at the time. But later records indicated a male child names Ralph Hill existed. In 1909, the family sold the old school property in Olanta and the land was released and signed by a Ralph Hill. I was able to find the death certificate of Ralph Hill in 1959. Ralph and his wife are both buried in Sumter. What little information that I have been able to gather on him indicates he moved to Sumter early in his life and, among other things, ran a bicycle shop. One of his Grandchildren indicated that he owned the first rubber tire business in South Carolina.

From the lack of information on John Henry and Maranda J Hill, I have to wonder if at some time they possibly left the state. I have not been able to find anything on the death or burial of this family. And the name Joseph that appeared in the 1880 census has not been found to this date.

More study and research is needed to determine the origin Mother and Father of Lewis. Prior studies of the Pigott families of this area indicate an existence of "John the Elder" Pigott in Cheraw District/Darlington County, now Florence County, and just north of Lynches River. A book written on this family indicates a family of 10 children including 5 males and 5 females. There was an intermingling of the Grandchildren of this family with Lewis. In particular, the son of Charles Pigott and his wife were members of Bethel for a brief period of time before leaving to go to Florida. The son John Ervin Pigott was a witness to one of the land transfers of Lewis and William McKenzie.

The family of "John the Elder" is all accounted for, with the exception of his oldest son Nathaniel. Nathaniel Apparently lost his first wife around 1800. The book of "John the Elder" indicates that he remarried a Margaret McCall. I found in my study what seems to me to be proof that Nathaniel did not marry Margaret, but the son of Nathaniel, Arthur, married her. In 1815-1821 guardianship files indicate that Arthur and Margaret were responsible for her children by Thomas McCall. This would provide the possibility that Nathaniel remarried and possibly was the father of Lewis around 1808. The census of 1800 has Nathaniel in Sumter County without wife, near the family of Stephen Mott.

The other family in the area was also a Nathniel, last name spelled at times Pygott. He was found in the Prince George area?Williamsburg in 1790 and 1800 census information. He has been referred to as Nathaniel "of Black River". His death is believed to be around 1804-1805. In his will, he mentions his three children, James, Henry, and daughter Sarah. Sarah would live to marry William McKenzie and give birth to 1 daughter of record. I have found no record of James to this point. But some believe that James could possibly be the father of Lewis, based on name of Lewis oldest son. He is not found by name in the census of South Carolina. There was a James Pickett found in Edgefield County, but the information found on him would indicate that he was the son of a Micajah Picket of Fairfield District. The family of Henry left South Carolina early and moved to Louisiana and Mississippi. But I have not been able to trace Lewis to him. And William McKenzie with Sarah only had 1 daughter in the household, no sons.

Based on one item, it would appear that William McKenzie married the Mother of Lewis between 1835 and 1840. I base my conclusion on the fact of census information: In 1830 the wife of William McKenzie was 10 years younger than his wife in 1840 would have been. And if this conclusion is correct, 3 possibilities of the Father of Lewis are present. 1. James Pygott-no information has been found on him. 2. Henry Pigott that went to Mississippi--I have not been able to determine his Family disposition. I will add that there are 2 Pigates of record found in Mississippi that I have not connected to the known Bethel Pigates. 3. Nathaniel Pigott of Darlington/Marion County, son of "John the Elder" ---Since Nathaniel's first wife died around 1800 and it was felt that he had remarried, but was living apart, I place him as a definite possibility. His death is felt to be around 1835. He was found in the 1830 census but not 1840. A slim possibility is an Elijah Pickett Family, or a relation thereof. He is found in the direct proximity of Mott's Crossroads in 1810 and 1820. He moved to Williamsburg County for the 1830 Census. His name lasts on the census until 1850, thus he lived past the time frame needed for the William McKenzie connection. He however, lived in the area, had the right name, and was directly adjacent to property associated with William McKenzie. I can only hope that other information will become available to help determine the Mother and Father and possibly bridge us into the 18th century.

Now, as for the name change from Pigott to Pigate, I present the following. The name was changed around 1853-1855. It was used on the writing of the deed from Lewis to Bethel Church, but Pigott was still most common until 1853-1855. Several things happened during that time. The clerk for Bethel Church changed from Hiram Smith to George W. Truluck. George was to become the son in law of Lewis and there is the possibility that he encouraged the change to represent the pronunciation of our last name. The Lewisville Acadamy was being formed and the possibility is that this encouraged the change. The spelling on the south side of Lynches River was Pygott for the most part. This fact is noted in the census of Nathaniel of Black River and also the Mills Map of 1825 noted Pygott Bridge on the south side of the river and Pigott on the north side, same bridge, same map, different spelling. For whatever reason, the spelling change was probably the result of trying to spell with the pronunciation. And one last thing happened around 1855, the last Pigott, John Ervin Pigott, son of Charles, grandson of "John the Elder" left and moved to Florida. Lewis was left alone for the time in the area.

And if the census information of 1850 is correct, the wife of William McKenzie in 1850 was named Sarah. If that information is correct, I feel that this would be the Mother of Lewis. A possibility of mention is that his mother was named Mary. I base this on the fact that William McKenzie gave to the youngest Daughter of Lewis, Mary, a tract of land. He did not give to any other child of Lewis. William McKenzie gave land in the early 1840's also to 2 Lee family children, both of them named William McKenzie Lee.

At some point, I hope to travel into the Mississippi/Louisiana area and try to confirm the family disposition of Henry Pigott, son of Nathaniel Pigott of Black River. I have tried to locate needed information thru channels available on the internet without meaningful success. Arkansas/Missouri is another possibility, because I have found Pigotts and Motts in the same area of Arkansas in the middle
1830's. But if anyone has information that might help, please advise.

Thanks to Jared Smith III of Bishopville for his information on the Smith/Truluck side. Thanks also to Jimmy Pigate of Timmonsville for his input with the John L. Pigate information. Thanks to Eva Dell Sims for her information on the Truluck/Tarte side. I am sure that the information is already in need of addition or correction. If anyone is aware of a correction needed, please advise. I would like to keep the record as updated and correct as possible.

Lewis Pigate (Lewisville Academy) memorial

Our information was presented to the Florence County/City Historical Commission on 03-13-06. It was met with a positive response. Our request was "adopted" and is to be sent forward. Unfortunately the powers that be in Columbia did not accept our application. Their reasoning seemed to be that we could not identify the location of the school from 1859-1908. And since it was shown on the deeds as being at the corner of Jones Rd. and Lynchburg Hwy. and that the Presbyterian Church records indicate that the church as originally built next to a school that had one corner resting on a stump, I personally feel that we know where it was. But what will be will be I guess.

Pigate vs Bethel

As a matter of information, information has been delivered to an attorney on behalf of the "Pigate" gift, made to Bethel Baptist Church, then the Baptist Meeting House, in 1835, requesting the possibility that
the 1 acre, more or less, of land be returned in value to the family of Lewis Pigate. The deed of 1835, plainly states, that Lewis defends the title of the land, "for as long as you shall see fit to use". The acre of land in question is located approximately 1/4 mile north of the now Bethel Location on the east side of highway 301, or N. Jones Rd. The church was asked by me for any information that would prove that this land was not the land given in 1835, but they to this date have not been able to provide. I will advise of any changes or the outcome in this matter.

If you have comments, please advise.
Don

11/23/04 -- I have received communication from the attorney for Bethel. The land being sold by Bethel
was apparently given to Bethel in 1885 by a N. H. Welch for the purpose of building a pastorium. I will
attempt to confirm the location of this. But within the documents provided, it is shown that the wife of John L. Pigate, was first married to this N. H. Welch, and after he died around 1885, she then married John L. Pigate and produced one of the two branches of the Pigate name. It would also aparently be the source of the Pigate land located along 301.

I will continue to update on findings.
Don

Olanta, place claim on the name.

In 1859, Lewis Pigate gave to the county, then Clarendon County, a tract of land totaling 1/2 acre located on the Northwest corner of now Hwy. 301 and W. Main St.(the eastern corner of the Presbyterian Church Cemetery). The land was returned as a part of the requirements of the new deed with the notation of "the school is no longer being used because the new Olanta School was in use". It was returned to the family in 1909 by then Florence County. Now the question, Olanta was going by the name of Beulah as late as 1908, according to records found. But the transfer indicates now Olanta in 1909. The history that I found in writing of Olanta, brief like the town, indicated no good reason for the name, but possibly, they pinned the tail on a map and it landed on Olanta, Pa. Well my inquiries found that Olanta, Pa. was not in existance in 1908/1909. The other possibility mentioned was for Atlanta, just changing the Spelling. My thought,,,,,,"Old Lewisville Acadamy" was the reason for Olanta. Think about it.

1859 DEED TO CLARENDON COUNTY FROM LEWIS PIGATE

CLICK on the Images below to view the deeds

Family releases to John L Pigate old Lewisville Acad property on March 23, 1909

CLICK on the Images below to view the deeds

Trustees of Olanta School District returns the property to John L. Pigat

CLICK on the Images below to view the deeds

Olanta Gym

For those of you that went to and departed from, we won't ask if you graduated, the Olanta School system, will remember the gymnasium and what it meant to your years there. It appears now that the "gym" is in need of repairs and planning to ensure its existance for the future years. If you are given the chance, please throw your support to PRESERVING THE FUTURE for the gym. It is a part of our history and deserves being a part of the future.

In the potential plans for the gym, is a community center, a meeting hall, and a concert hall. These are to name only 3 possibilities. If you have ideas or comments, please contact us or go to the one that is pushing the hardest, Ms. Betty Sims of Olanta.

Comments or suggestions will be appreciated.

*********Olanta High School********

In my recent research, I have located the provider of the property on which the Olanta High/Elementary school now is located. It appears that the 2nd wife of Millard C. Moore was one Ida Cunningham, 1st married to William Witherspoon then Millard Moore. She had purchased property from her brother Herbert Cunningham in the Olanta area. Now of interest to me was the fact that Herbert Cunningham had purchased 200 ac. in the area at a sheriff's sale in 1883, and in the deed, it mentions that it was known as Allen land formerly William McKenzie land. I am still looking into this Allen/McKenzie land, but briefly, Wm McKenzie originally shows ownership of the land in a plat of 1845. Before his death in 1853, he sold that 200 ac. to A. H. Thompson, And in 1855, A. H. Thompson sold that land to Lewis Pigate. Thru some court action in 1863 the 200 ac. was sold to a Sarah Rainsford Allen. I do not understand what went on, but am still trying to figure it out for the possible connection to the past of Lewis Pigate. A long story short, I am confident that most family members were told that the Pigate's owned Olanta in the early days, and this definitely is proof of that statement.

Formation of Olanta

Research of Olanta, in an attempt to gain a memorial for our family, has produced interesting facts. It appears that Lewis Pigate sold 200 ac. in 1863 to Andrew and Sarah Allen(formerly Rainsford). That 200 ac. appears to be along what is now hwy 341 thru Olanta. I found a court document that instructed the family to purchase the 200 ac. after selling their home in Sumter with 2 ac for $3,000. The purchase of the 200 ac of land in now Olanta was for $2,000. Just as a matter of possible interest, the family was instructed to invest some of the proceeds of the sale and $700 was taken to Columbia and invested in Confederate Conscript.

This land in Olanta was later sold in 1883 to T. J. Cunningham, and he broke the land down between several of his family members, one of which would be the 2nd wife of Millard C. Moore. This portion would be the area around where the Olanta School is today.

Henry Piggott Research

In attempting to locate/confirm the parents of Lewis Pigate, I recently employeed a person in Louisiana to research the name of Henry Piggott found in 1820-1830 in Feliciana Parish, La. I don't have what I had hoped to report, but she did locate a couple of documents that indicate he was there before 1810. The documents she located, did not confirm or disprove whethere he was the Father of Lewis.