Byrnesville, Barnesboro, Northern Cambria, Cambria County, Pennsylvania

by Jane Tripp

How he learned of his great grandfather John Platt is a mystery -- perhaps some family stories of Revolutionary War soldiers, as both his grandfathers were soldiers in the War of the Revolution.

Valentine's sister's son, Charles Vignos, was approaching 30 when the reply came from the Bureau of Pensions. Later, in the 1930's and 40's, Charles would visit Cambria County in reference to his American Mine Door Company. Charles' Platt family research was done in person in the libraries, courthouses and church offices, mainly in Pennsylvania.

He walked many a cemetery and interviewed many a relative and any old timer he met who would talk to him of days past. When gas rationing in the 1940's slowed down his trips to Cambria he corresponded by letter to many, including Clair Bearer who knew many members of his Platt family. Charles' secretary typed his notes.

Years later, after his death, copies in the form of five binders were donated by his grandson Joe Wagner to the Cambria County Historical Society in Ebensburg. Joe Wagner certainly expanded on his grandfather's research and is the author of many Platt and related family papers. I do not know if the binders at Ebensburg are the original Vignos binders or contain some of his grandson Wagner's expanded research.

With a bucket filled from the stream and soap to make suds you'd slather up the vehicle and then rinse it by throwing water on it from the bucket dipped in the creek. You'd then dry the auto with a chamois if you had it or an old towel if you didn't.

 Once dry you would Simonize your ride with paste wax applied in careful circles using a small piece of rag. When the wax was dry and chalky you would buff off the wax leaving a shine at least three inches deep.

The John Platt Family Tree
by Charles Vignos

There exists a wonderful John Platt Family Tree on paper; it is a drawn tree with family names representing the branches and limbs. It was created by Charles Vignos in 1950. Charles Vignos lived in Canton, Ohio and so does at least one of his grandsons, Joe Wagner. I met Joe Wagner and family in 1979, Joe has continued John Platt (1747-1850) research and has written several excellent papers about the life and Revolution War travels of John Platt.

John Platt was born in 1747 in Littlestown, Pennsylvania. In the spring of 1775 at a tavern in Gettysburg John Platt volunteered for duty in the Pennsylvania Militia and served in the Revolutionary War. Five years later John Platt was living in a part of Huntington County, Pennsylvania which later became a part of Cambria County. It follows that many of the individuals on this tree are from Cambria County, Pennsylvania. See the Surname List below.

The grandson of Charles Vignos, Joe Wagner showed me a great photograph and as I remember, it was of Charles Vignos working on the original tree. A standing person would have had to reach up to touch the top branches of the nine foot tall tree. The completed tree was photographed and Mr. Vignos sent copies to many relatives.

Click HERE to go to the searchable pages of the John Platt Family Tree. Continue below for notes on using the web version of the tree.