Background
He was born on January 25, 1814 in Morgantown (then in Virginia), United States, was the son of Francis and Catherine (Weaver) Pierpoint. The name was spelled Pierpoint by the Virginia branch of the family until 1881 when Francis Harrison returned to the older spelling, Pierpont. His grandfather, John Pierpont, removed from New York State in 1770 and established a farm near Morgantown, Monongalia County, in western Virginia.
As the boy grew up he helped his father on the farm and in his tannery.