Two years passed before he married Elizabeth Daughtery in 1826. It is after this marriage that Hiram first appears in the court records of Columbia County, Georgia. Elizabeth was the sixteen year old daughter of Neail Daughtery whose estate settlement prompted Hiram to petition the court on behalf of his young wife.
Court records show that Hiram's Hearing of the Petition took place on Monday, September 3, 1827. He signed a receipt approximately six months later on February 23, 1828 for one fifth of the estate which included one lot of land valued at $660.67, negro slaves Betty, Peter, Tom, Sally and her three children, Peggy and Chebra with a value of $1900. In addition Hiram and Elizabeth received $161.86 from the sale of personal property belonging to the estate. By this time Elizabeth had given birth to their first child, John M. born December 18, 1826.
John M. Pittman became one of the largest landowners in Gwinnett County with as much as 500 acres in the Pinkneyville area. Some of his holdings were from land inherited from his father Hiram who died in 1839 when John was 13 years old. He and his younger siblings Joseph, Emily and Louisa along with their mother Elizabeth (29 yrs.) appear in the 1840 Gwinnett County Census as living on the estate of Hiram Pittman along with 36 slaves. One year later a notice releasing Administration of the Estate from young John and Elizabeth was published in the newspaper.
In November 1841, Peter F. Hoyle gave Bond in Gwinnett Inferior Court as Guardian for John,Joseph, Emily and Louisa Pittman, orphans and minors of Hiram Pittman. Peter Hoyle was a wealthy and highly respected physician in Decatur and had a large estate of lands, Mills, and Negros. In the DeKalb County 1850 Census he has listed the widowed Elizabeth as his wife and her children as members of his household. Emily and Louisa were listed with real estate holdings of $800 and John M. now 24 yrs. old as a farmer with $1200 in real estate. Son Joseph Hiram Pittman, migrated to Texas where during the 1880's he was elected District Clerk of Goliad, Texas.
The cause of Hiram's early demise is not known. The inscription on his tomb suggests that perhaps he died of a sudden illness. The tomb also is inscribed...In Memory of Hiram Pittman who died in the 42nd year of his age AD 1839. Erected by Mrs. Elizabeth H. Pittman, His wife, AD 1841. The inscription date is after Dr. Peter Hoyle was awarded guardianship of the estate and Hirams children.
Elizabeth and Dr. Hoyle had three daughters together. They lived in Decatur for many years where he was a practicing physican and planter until he suffered a heart attack. They moved to Jacksonville, Florida and lived with their daughter Fredonia and husband Doctor William Haddock. Dr. Hoyle died in January 1871 and Elizabeth in February 1882. They are buried in Jacksonville, Florida.
Hiram and Elizabeth's son John M. died at age 52 in Gwinnett, Georgia and is buried in a nearby cemetery to his father Hiram and his grandparents John Ichabod and Lucy Eunice Marshall Pittman.Emily died in August 1852 at age 21 and is buried in Decatur's Old Cemetery. Her Tomb, much like her father's is surrounded by a decorative iron fence and is inscribed with words from a poem by L.H. Sigourney published in 1842...
Gone where no dark sin is cherished
Where no woes nor fears invade.
Gone are youth first bud had perished
To a youth that ne'er can fade.
Louisa Susan Pittman married William Augustine Green in 1853, had four children and last appeared in the 1860 Census with wealthy land owner husband listing his real estates value as $30,000 and personal estate of $12,000. It is indicated that her husband died not long after the 1860 Census leaving Louisa a wealthy young widow. It is likely she remarried and due to a change in her last name, the rest of her life and death can not be researched at this time.
Hiram and Elizabeth's youngest child and son Joseph Hiram Pittman as mentioned earlier migrated to Goliad, Texas where another branch of the Pittman Family has prospered. Joseph died in February 1898 and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Goliad, Texas. He married Laura Word in Cass County Georgia and they had six children who became citizens of Goliad County, Texas.
Hiram Pittman
1789~1839
Mount Carmel United Methodist Church Cemetery
As You this Mausaleum view
Think that a home as small awaiteth you.
Time hurry's on, nor long will death delay
To take the life and leave nothing but clay.
Oh Hiram, you left so much more than Elizabeth could possibly have known on that day!
