Notes |
- "Birth: ABT 7 MAR 1745 in Abson, Gloucester, England 1
Military Service: 1776 Served in the Revolutionary War in the MarylandLine under Capt. Price.
Note: Copies of documents relating to Henry's military service andlife in America are on file at the DAR library in Washington, D.C.
The following was taken from "The Biographical and Portrait Album ofSedgewick Co., Kansas" printed in 1888. The biography is about theRev. George Gay who was the son of William who was the son of Henry.
"The boyhood years of Mr. Gay (George) were spent in HuntingtonCounty, Pennsylvania. He was born on the site of Altoona, on thePennsylvania railroad, where his birth took place on the 8th of March,1816. He was the second in a family of six children born to Williamand Margaret (Schmidt) Gay, the father a native of Maryland and themother of German extraction, her ancestors having lived along theclassic Rhine. The paternal grandfather, Henry Gay, who married MissHannah Hendricks in his early manhood, was an Englishman by birth andpatentage, and emigrated to the United States in time to carry amusket during the Revolutionary War: later he served in the War of1812 as a member of a calvary regiment. He was quite well advanced inyears, and was one-hundred-and-nine at the time of his death, whichtook place in Muskingum County, Ohio. Grandmother Gay was of Irishextraction, and born in the City of Cork. She survived her husband afew years and also died in Muskingum County, Ohio. "
The following information is contributed by Dr. H. Thomas Chandler:"My information about Henry's life before America moves backward fromthe information that (per Public Record Office, London) Henry wassentenced to be transported to the American Colonies for a period of 7years. The trial took place in Berkshire Co., England in the summer of1764. In a listing from "The Complete Book of Emigrants 1607-1776 asfound on FTM CD #350, it says "Gay, Henry. Sentenced to transportation1764. Gloucestershire."
The Vital Records Index-British Isles (1538-1888) FHL #1596177, listsa Henry Gay as being christened on March 7, 1745 in Abson, Gloucester,England. In Revolutionary War pension papers filed in Muskingum Co. in1833 by Henry Gay, Sr. he states his age as being 92 as near as he canrecollect, which would have him born in 1741. Given Henry's advancedage at the time of the filing, it would seem likely that the Henry Gayfound in the Vital Records index is the same.
I have been unable to find a listing for Henry's death in MuskingumCo., which obviously occured after 1833, or any listing for agravestone. If we believe the Biographical account above and given abirth year of 1845, Henry would have died about 1854 and his wifeseveral years later. No documentation can be found to support this.
There have been several references by other researchers stating thatHenry, Sr. served in the War of 1812. I beleive this inaccuracy maystem from Henry's Revolutionary War pension papers where he statesthat he was "discharged the first time I enlisted at Philadelphia byCapt. Price. I was Discharged the last time by Capt. Josua Ceoc atBaltimore." I beleive that both of these discharges are in relation tothe Revolutionary War and do not indicate service in both theRevolutionay and the War of 1812. Again, if we beleive the birth yearof 1745, Henry would have been 67 in 1812. Although it is possiblethat he may have seved at that age, I find it highly unlikely. I alsobelieve that there may be some confusion in that Henry Sr.'s son HenryJr. served in the War of 1812 as is evidenced from the pension papersfiled by Henry Jr. in 1871 in Muskingum Co., Ohio." Source: KandaceRichardson, direct descendant. [Transcribed 18 July 2006, SLJuhl,compiler]
From: Hubert Chandler
Date: 7/26/2008 8:33:04 AM
To: gsjuhl@peoplepc.com
Subject: Elmer Blackson Family
"Hi Sandy,
I only have one connection to the Blackson line - the marriage of JohnAllen Blackson to Betsy Elizabeth Gay 16 May 1861 in Muskingum Co, OH.Betsy is not in my direct lineage, but her grandfather Henry Gay bornin Abson, Gloucerster England is direct ancestor to both of us. OldHenry had 2 sons that we know of. One was George Gay - my directancestor and brother of Henry Gay, Jr., - Betsy?s father and directancestor. If you have not read about - I call him (old) Henry Gay, Isuggest you look at my GEDCOM at the URL listed in my signature blockbelow. It is a World connect URL and is searchable. The notes sectionsof some names contains an interesting background. Old Henry wastransported from England (do not know why) and fought in theRevolution against the British. He was wounded, was taken prisoner andlater escaped to fight again. He also fought in the War of 1812. Muchof his history is found in his file at the DAR library in Washington,D.C. Your son is a direct descendant of old Henry.
My data base also contains some interesting background notes aboutMary Derwater, Betsy?s mother.
My GEDCOM tells me (I do not remember the source, but probably censusdata) that Betsy was married to John Allen Blackson and they had a son(one of 9 children) named Elmer Elsworth Blackson, b. 25 March 1871.I hope I have helped. If you spot anything of interest in my GEDCOMand want a copy, let me know.
I am called Tom, but that is from my middle name Thomas. I am listedin my data base as Hubert Thomas Chandler.
Dr. H. Thomas Chandler
E-Mail htchandler@earthlink.net
World Connect/Rootsweb data base:
http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~htchandler" [Transcribed26 July 2008, SLJuhl, Compiler, sljuhl1234@yahoo.com]
http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~htchandler; Informationgathered: 26 July 2008.
"Henry Gay arrived in America after 1764. Information about Henry'slife before America moves backward from the information that (perPublic Record Office, London) Henry was sentenced to be transported tothe American Colonies for a period of 7 years. The trial took place inBerkshire Co., England in the summer of 1764. In a listing from theThe Complete Book of Emigrants 1607-1776" as found on FTM CD #350, itsays of Gay, Henry. Sentenced to transportation 1764.Gloucestershire".
The CD set of Vital Records Index British Isles (1538-1888) which ispublished by the LDS Church, shows a listing for a Henry Gay (the onlyHenry listed in the CD for 5 years before and after 1745) and hisChristening. It was dated 7 Mar 1745 in Abson, Gloucester, England,and his father was Robert Gay and his mother was Betty. The Source waslisted as FLH Number 1596177 dates 1600-1812.
Henry Gay was sentenced to be transported to the American Colonies fora period of seven years. The trial took place in the summer of 1764;Berkshire Co., England. Other records show his transportation was fromGloucester in 1764.
Henry Gay applied for a benefit based on his military service and theprovisions of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. Henry appliedfor the benefit from his home in Muskingum County, Ohio in 1833. Itshould be noted that Henry was over 90 years old and illiterate. Thefacts recorded in support of his application were written by a countyclerk as Henry told them. There can be little doubt that the facts maybe somewhat distorted by time and memory, but they do serve as aframework to guide fact confirmation from other records.
In his deposition, Henry said that at that time (18 Nov 1833), to thebest of his recollection, he was born in 1741 and that he was 92 yearsold. He said that he enlisted in the army of the United States in 1776for a period of 3 years and eight months. He entered the army fromFrederick, MD and was discharged in Philadelphia. He was at the battleof Brandywine, and was taken prisoner at the battle of German town andtransported to NY where he escaped. He was later in the battle ofMonmoth. He was wounded during the War.
Henry further stated that he enlisted a second time from Frederick MD(War of 1812) and was discharged from Baltimore.
At the time (1833) of his deposition, Henry said it had been 32 or 33years since he moved from Frederick Maryland to a place called theCove near McConnelstown (he thought it was in Bedford County, PA). Helived there for 18 years. He moved from the Cove to the State of Ohioin to Salt Creek Township and had at that time of the deposition livedthere for 12 or 13 years. One of the witnesses in support of Henry's(Sr.) application was his son Henry, Jr." [Transcribed 26 July 2008,SLJuhl, Compiler, sljuhl1234@yahoo.com]
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