Dan; this is what ithink I know about Edward Gant Pile. Correct me if I am wrong. Doctor Richard Piles moved to Maryland in 1699 and married Mary Belt Fowler of London, England. He owned land in Prince George County once owned by Anthony Drane. Richard Pile named his estate "Something" and his descendents were William 2, William 3, and William 4. William 2 married Elizabeth Hutchinson and had three children, William, Richard and Mary. William 3 married Margaret Wright and their three children were Eleanor, Mary and William. William and Margaret's son William became Lt. William Pile III, He was born in Prince George, Maryland in 1755. He married Lucretia Keyes in Frederich, Virginia in 1784 and died on December 28, 1814. William served in the Continental Line from Virginia and received bounty land of 2000+ acres. He used Thomas Worthington as his agent during these transactions. Worthington was a lawyer who later became Governor of Ohio and the owner of William's bounty land. William is buried in the Pile Cemetery in Buras, Kentucky. He and Lucretia had the following children, Edward Gant Pile, Thomas Pile, Margaret Pile, Mary Wright Pile, Francis Henry Pile, Sally Pile, William Pile who died in his teens, Lucretia Pile, Henry G. Pile and Harrison Pile. After Lucretia died in 1806 William married her sister Nancy Keyes. William moved to Berkeley County, Virginia in 1774 and sold his Maryland property in 1775, listing his residence as Virginia. He enlisted as an ensign with the Continental Army in Shepardstown and participated in the longest march in Revolutionary War history from Shepardstown to Boston to fight the British. General Washington could not believe his eyes when he seen this column of soldiers, every one over six feet tall and dressed in identical uniforms. Washington leaped from his horse with tears streaming down his cheeks and shook hands with each soldier. The troops from this regiment were either captured or killed while William was standing guard at another location and he returned to Virginia to be promoted to lieutenant before returning to battle. He fought for two more years before he was captured and imprisoned. He was released from duty in 1783 and married Lucretia Keyes of Keyes Ferry on Virginia's Shanadoah River and was given 2000 acres of bounty land for his service. Following Lucretia's death, William married her sister Nancy in 1811. William Pile III was a slave owner and willed to his wife Nancy a black man named "Bill" so long as she remained single. If she remarried, "Bill" was to go to his son Harrison. To all his sons he gave a black boy "Limy" to share and to his daughter, a black girl "Philly." To daughter Sally, he gave a black girl "Mariah" and to his son Henry, the black boy "Jo." To Harrison, a black boy "Will" and the black woman and her two children were to be sold to cover expenses. "Moses" could go to the children of his choice for the rest his of his life and the black maid "Sally" is to be hired out to the highest bidder for eight years. Edward Gant Pile became associated with my great grandfather William and his brother Samuel Pyle after they arrived at Sutter's Fort in 1852. Edward was born in 1785 in Maryland and married Rosannah McMahon of Kentucky in 1807. Edward and Rosannah arrived in Sacramento, California in 1846 where she died a year later. Within nine months Edward moved into Sutter's Fort. Edward served in the War of 1812 as a soldier from Kentucky, but moved to Monroe County, Indiana in 1814 and later settled in Vermilion County, Illinois. Edward and Rosannah traveled overland to California with the Donner party which also included members of his mothers family, the Keyes. Edward was an experienced wagon master and separated from the Donner Party at Hasting's cut-off. Edward later moved to the Santa Clara Valley where he died on October 17, 1875 and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in San Jose, California. The Donner Party attempted to cross the Sierra above Truckee during the winter of 1846-47. The Stephen's party crossed at this location during the harsh winter of 1845, but the Donner Party was made up of farmers, women, children and elderly while the Stephens party consisted of experienced mountain men and included a physician. The Donners are legendary as an episode of the American dream becoming a nightmare. They left Illinois in April of 1846 and one-year later remnants of the group straggled into Sacramento. Lansford Hastings discovered a shortcut into California, suggesting that it was a quicker route through Utah and into Nevada. By using this route the Donner's lost precious time and found them selves facing the harshest of desert conditions. They arrived in the Sierra out of provisions and facing an early snowstorm. Without the strength to ascend the summit they returned to what was known as Truckee Lake. When the Stephen's party followed the Humboldt River into the Nevada Desert, they discovered that it disappeared at Beoawe, Nevada and enlisted the aid of Indians to direct them. By using sign language, and hieroglyphics drawn in the sand they determined a route into California. The Chief's name sounded like Truckee to them and as the Party entered California they named the Truckee River after the chief. The Donners lacked a will to survive after they lost their livestock and were without food. The stories of survival by boiling harnesses and resorting to cannibalism are legendary. Fifteen of them decided to cross the Sierra on foot, but only seven arrived at Sutter's Fort. James Reed stabbed another teamster enroute and was banished from the group, but he arrived at the fort to recruit a relief party. Four search parties went out and one of these reached the survivors in March of 1847. Edward Gant Pile was waiting for the Donners to arrive Sutter's Fort. When news came that they were stalled in the Sierra, he sent his son Thomas out to search for them. During the rescue Thomas met nineteen-year-old Mary Ann Graves, the daughter of Franklin Graves and Elizabeth Cooper. After arriving at Sutter's Fort they were married on May 16, 1847. The Pile's made their home in San Jose and one year later Thomas disappeared along the banks of Almaden Creek. Mary walked the banks searching for him, but his fate was not known for another year. His murderer was finally arrested and sentenced to death by hanging. Mary Graves Pile religiously cooked meals for him while he was waiting to be executed to ensure that he live long enough to be hanged. Edward and Rosannah Piles first child Sarah Riddle Pile was born on July 21, 1808 in Kentucky, marrying Jehu Cox when she was 16-years old. Jehu was the son of Thomas Cox and Rachel Carr. Sarah and Jehu became the parents of 16 children and joined the Mormon Church while living in Missouri. When Nauvoo became a gathering place for Mormons, they moved to Adams County, Illinois and then to Nauvoo in 1842 where they were forced to flee ahead of the angry mobs. The winter of 1848-49 was the worse ever for this family and starvation was a daily diet. When Spring came they moved to the tiny community of Little Cottonwood south of Salt Lake City where Martha Elizabeth Cox was born in August of 1849. Martha was the first white child born in Little Cottonwood and two years later their sixteenth child was born, but died the same day. Sarah Riddle Pile and Jehu Cox had 112 grandchildren and six hundred and four great grandchildren. Ron Pyle Angels Camp, Ca. "Home of the Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." ---------- : : : : ==== PYLE Mailing List ==== : Keep up activity,post queries/ replies to the list. : Copyright 2000-Author retains copyright :

Dear Ron, You are a wonderful historian and I just wish that Edward could be in my branch of the family tree because I would love to have this story be mine. Thank you. V. Graff -----Original Message----- From: Ron Pyle [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, July 30, 2000 11:20 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [PYLE] Edward Gant Pyle Dan; this is what ithink I know about Edward Gant Pile. Correct me if I am wrong. Doctor Richard Piles moved to Maryland in 1699 and married Mary Belt Fowler of London, England. He owned land in Prince George County once owned by Anthony Drane. Richard Pile named his estate "Something" and his descendents were William 2, William 3, and William 4. William 2 married Elizabeth Hutchinson and had three children, William, Richard and Mary. William 3 married Margaret Wright and their three children were Eleanor, Mary and William. William and Margaret's son William became Lt. William Pile III, He was born in Prince George, Maryland in 1755. He married Lucretia Keyes in Frederich, Virginia in 1784 and died on December 28, 1814. William served in the Continental Line from Virginia and received bounty land of 2000+ acres. He used Thomas Worthington as his agent during these transactions. Worthington was a lawyer who later became Governor of Ohio and the owner of William's bounty land. William is buried in the Pile Cemetery in Buras, Kentucky. He and Lucretia had the following children, Edward Gant Pile, Thomas Pile, Margaret Pile, Mary Wright Pile, Francis Henry Pile, Sally Pile, William Pile who died in his teens, Lucretia Pile, Henry G. Pile and Harrison Pile. After Lucretia died in 1806 William married her sister Nancy Keyes. William moved to Berkeley County, Virginia in 1774 and sold his Maryland property in 1775, listing his residence as Virginia. He enlisted as an ensign with the Continental Army in Shepardstown and participated in the longest march in Revolutionary War history from Shepardstown to Boston to fight the British. General Washington could not believe his eyes when he seen this column of soldiers, every one over six feet tall and dressed in identical uniforms. Washington leaped from his horse with tears streaming down his cheeks and shook hands with each soldier. The troops from this regiment were either captured or killed while William was standing guard at another location and he returned to Virginia to be promoted to lieutenant before returning to battle. He fought for two more years before he was captured and imprisoned. He was released from duty in 1783 and married Lucretia Keyes of Keyes Ferry on Virginia's Shanadoah River and was given 2000 acres of bounty land for his service. Following Lucretia's death, William married her sister Nancy in 1811. William Pile III was a slave owner and willed to his wife Nancy a black man named "Bill" so long as she remained single. If she remarried, "Bill" was to go to his son Harrison. To all his sons he gave a black boy "Limy" to share and to his daughter, a black girl "Philly." To daughter Sally, he gave a black girl "Mariah" and to his son Henry, the black boy "Jo." To Harrison, a black boy "Will" and the black woman and her two children were to be sold to cover expenses. "Moses" could go to the children of his choice for the rest his of his life and the black maid "Sally" is to be hired out to the highest bidder for eight years. Edward Gant Pile became associated with my great grandfather William and his brother Samuel Pyle after they arrived at Sutter's Fort in 1852. Edward was born in 1785 in Maryland and married Rosannah McMahon of Kentucky in 1807. Edward and Rosannah arrived in Sacramento, California in 1846 where she died a year later. Within nine months Edward moved into Sutter's Fort. Edward served in the War of 1812 as a soldier from Kentucky, but moved to Monroe County, Indiana in 1814 and later settled in Vermilion County, Illinois. Edward and Rosannah traveled overland to California with the Donner party which also included members of his mothers family, the Keyes. Edward was an experienced wagon master and separated from the Donner Party at Hasting's cut-off. Edward later moved to the Santa Clara Valley where he died on October 17, 1875 and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in San Jose, California. The Donner Party attempted to cross the Sierra above Truckee during the winter of 1846-47. The Stephen's party crossed at this location during the harsh winter of 1845, but the Donner Party was made up of farmers, women, children and elderly while the Stephens party consisted of experienced mountain men and included a physician. The Donners are legendary as an episode of the American dream becoming a nightmare. They left Illinois in April of 1846 and one-year later remnants of the group straggled into Sacramento. Lansford Hastings discovered a shortcut into California, suggesting that it was a quicker route through Utah and into Nevada. By using this route the Donner's lost precious time and found them selves facing the harshest of desert conditions. They arrived in the Sierra out of provisions and facing an early snowstorm. Without the strength to ascend the summit they returned to what was known as Truckee Lake. When the Stephen's party followed the Humboldt River into the Nevada Desert, they discovered that it disappeared at Beoawe, Nevada and enlisted the aid of Indians to direct them. By using sign language, and hieroglyphics drawn in the sand they determined a route into California. The Chief's name sounded like Truckee to them and as the Party entered California they named the Truckee River after the chief. The Donners lacked a will to survive after they lost their livestock and were without food. The stories of survival by boiling harnesses and resorting to cannibalism are legendary. Fifteen of them decided to cross the Sierra on foot, but only seven arrived at Sutter's Fort. James Reed stabbed another teamster enroute and was banished from the group, but he arrived at the fort to recruit a relief party. Four search parties went out and one of these reached the survivors in March of 1847. Edward Gant Pile was waiting for the Donners to arrive Sutter's Fort. When news came that they were stalled in the Sierra, he sent his son Thomas out to search for them. During the rescue Thomas met nineteen-year-old Mary Ann Graves, the daughter of Franklin Graves and Elizabeth Cooper. After arriving at Sutter's Fort they were married on May 16, 1847. The Pile's made their home in San Jose and one year later Thomas disappeared along the banks of Almaden Creek. Mary walked the banks searching for him, but his fate was not known for another year. His murderer was finally arrested and sentenced to death by hanging. Mary Graves Pile religiously cooked meals for him while he was waiting to be executed to ensure that he live long enough to be hanged. Edward and Rosannah Piles first child Sarah Riddle Pile was born on July 21, 1808 in Kentucky, marrying Jehu Cox when she was 16-years old. Jehu was the son of Thomas Cox and Rachel Carr. Sarah and Jehu became the parents of 16 children and joined the Mormon Church while living in Missouri. When Nauvoo became a gathering place for Mormons, they moved to Adams County, Illinois and then to Nauvoo in 1842 where they were forced to flee ahead of the angry mobs. The winter of 1848-49 was the worse ever for this family and starvation was a daily diet. When Spring came they moved to the tiny community of Little Cottonwood south of Salt Lake City where Martha Elizabeth Cox was born in August of 1849. Martha was the first white child born in Little Cottonwood and two years later their sixteenth child was born, but died the same day. Sarah Riddle Pile and Jehu Cox had 112 grandchildren and six hundred and four great grandchildren. Ron Pyle Angels Camp, Ca. "Home of the Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." ---------- : : : : ==== PYLE Mailing List ==== : Keep up activity,post queries/ replies to the list. : Copyright 2000-Author retains copyright : ==== PYLE Mailing List ==== Keep up activity,post queries/ replies to the list. Copyright 2000-Author retains copyright