Henry M. Cist and Piatt family connections

I have had speculative ideas that the Cist family and Piatt families knew each other and did business dealings together as well. Some of the connections have been that Charles Cist from Philadelphia taught his offspring to continue the ideas of freedom, liberty, study natural sciences, and the American dream.
My notes includes that Charles E. Cist, editor and librarian from Cincinnati knew the Piatts because the Cists moved to College Hill (suburb of Cincinnati) and Donn Piatt married Ella Kirby. The Kirby family is a very well known College Hill name. I have visited Piatt Castles in West Liberty, Ohio. I can image the parties on the front lawn of Mac-O- Cheek castle.
Henry M. Cist was a lawyer and secretary of many alumni meetings at Chickamauga after the Civil War.
I have read excellent proof of more connections from Donn Piatt Gadfly of the Gilded Age ,by Peter Bridges. I did not know that Henry M. Cist was Ella and Donn Piatts lawyer who handled the Piatts real estate and family legal issues. On pages 176-178 the book talks about the different promotions to brevet brigadier general to Henry M. Cist, real estate dealing with Piatt, and the collaboration of the biography of George H. Thomas. I thought that Cist wrote his own book about George H. Thomas and Donn Piatt wrote his own book about Thomas. Either way it is more proof that Cist and Piatt worked together on preserving history about the Civil War. Henry M. Cist was also the author of The Army of the Cumberland.
In Donn Piatt Gadfly to the Gilded Age , Mr. Bridges writes that Cist and Piatt traveled to Chickamauga together by train for reunion visits. During my personal visit to the battle site of Chickamauga I asked the tour guide "How long did it take for soldiers to travel from Cincinnati to Chickamauga" The guide's response was about a week, by foot, by horses, by train. This part is speculation, but with more research I can find proof that Henry M. Cist's brother, Lewis J. Cist (also from Cincinnati) used this connections with Donn Piatt to gather more autographs for Lewis J. Cist world renowned autograph collection. The reunions of the Grand Rebellion (Civil War) was an idea place to gather letters and autographs of soldiers both famous and not so famous. One aspect of the Cist autograph collection was that Lewis was all inclusive by including different individuals levels of accomplishments, both men and women. Cist also had Sarah Bryan Piatt and John J. Piatt autographs, both well-known poets. Lewis J. Cist was a published poet himself.
In conclusion, it is a goal to leave the reader with questions on how your life can have meaning and value. The after math of  Civil War battles are still influencing lives and shaping influences with families today.
What "Civil War battles" are you having with yourself as an individual in today's society, work relationships, family relationships, volunteer relationships, marriage relationships. In church services through the years I have learned about physical bondage, spiritual bondage, financial slavery. If you do not like the way your "quilt of life design" is going, you have the right to change the pattern of the quilt design in your life. We all have value and meaning. I hope you find more positive connections in your life.
Andrew C. Allen
pewabic34@gmail.com