1 NAME Elizebeth Bland /Blair/
1 NAME William /Gay/
It is still being debated as to whether or not this William Gay is the father of Henry.
Also whether or not this is the William that married Margaret Walkup.
Educated at Scotland School of Medicine, Edenborough, Scotland.From the Kentucky Explorer, September, 1996, Page 109:
GAY
Mr. Wyndham Robertson is his book "Pocahontas and Her Descendants" says that Dr. William Gay married Elizabeth Bolling (who was a daughter of Col. John Bolling of "Cobbs"), and that they left two sons and three daughters. Nelson Gay Sr., born in 1813, who lives in Perry County, Kentucky was a son of Henry Gay Sr., and a grandson of the said William Gay. He has a son William Gay, whom he named after his grandfather Dr. William Gay. It is natural to presume that Mr. Gay would know the name of his grandfather.
Henry Gay Sr. was twice married, his second wife being a Miss Margaret Russell of Hawkins County, Tennessee. He died in Perry County, , Kentucky in 1830 and was a first cousin of the Rev. Jesse Bolling who was at that time one of the most prominent Baptist ministers in Eastern Kentucky. There are a large generation of Bollings, Gays, Johnsons,Borgers, Begleys, etc., living in the counties of Breathitt, Clay, Jackson, Laurel, Leslie, Owsley and Perry, who from time immemorial have always recognized their relationship through the Bollings. Mr. Robertson, in his book, says that Maj. John Bolling (a son of Col. John Bolling) left nineteen sons....whom it is natural to assume that Rev. Jesse Bolling was one. Maj. John Bolling had another son, William Bolling who married Miss Martha Jefferson, a sister of President Jefferson. Desire any further information that Dr. William Gay was the son of Thomas Gay, who, with John Gay and another brother came from England and landed at Boston, Massachusetts, in the 1600's. The said John Gay settled in Dedham, Massachusetts and Thomas Gay went to Virginia.From the Kentucky Explorer, January, 1997, Page 103:
GAY-RUSSELL
My great grandfather, Henry Gay, Sr. was born in August County, Viginia, and died in Perry County, Kentucky, in 1830. His grandfather and two brothers came from England and landed at Boston in 1630. Henery Gay, Sr., was a soldier of the Revolution, present at Yorktown in 1781. His second wife was Margaret Russell, of Hawkins County, Tennessee. She was a member of the Grant family, from which General U.S. Grant descended. Henry Gay, Sr., was a son of Dr. William gay who married Elizabeth Bolling, a daughter of Colonel John Bolling, of Cobbs, who was fourth in descent from Pocahontas. Her sister, Jane Bolling, married C. Richard Randolph, and from that branch have descended John Randolph, of Roanoke; Benjamin Harrison, the signer; General William Henry Harrison,
ex-President Harrison; Hon. John C. Breckinridge; and Mrs John Young Brown.From the Breathitt County, Journal, Summer, 1988, Page 51:
Editor's Note: Readers will probably enjoy learning that a few Breathitt County, families are, in fact, related to some very historic figures. In this old article, which first appeared some 96 years ago, the JACKSON HUSTLER gives an interesting account of some worthwhile genealogy.
From the JACKSON HUSTLER June 17, 1892: John J. Dickie, EditorIt seems that we have, living right here in our midst, some of the descendants of Pocahontas. They are Joseph Gay, George W. Johnson, Mrs Judge Blanton, and James M. Leath. Their lineage is as follows: John Rolfe and Pocahontas, his wife left one son, Thomas Rolfe, who married Jane Poythress. They left one daughter Mary Kenyon, who married Colonel Robert Bolling of Cobbs. To them were born one son and five daughters. One of their daughters, Elizabeth, married Dr. William Gay. Henry Gay, their son, settled in Perry County, Kentucky and died therein 1830. Gay's Creek of Perry County, was named for him. He was a Revolutionary War soldier and was present at the surrender of Yorktown. His second wife was Margaret Russell of Tennessee, to whom General U.S. Grant was closely related. To them were born eleven children. One of these children, Maragret Gay, married James Johnson, and was the grandmother of George Johnson, our fellow townsman. Another of Henry and Margaret's children, Mary Gay, married Rev. Robert Burton and is the mother of Mrs. Judge Blanton. Henry Gay Jr. was the grandfather of J.M. Leath. Joseph Gay, son of Henry and Margaret, lives in Leslie County, and still another of their sons, Elijah, died last fall in Perry County,.
Hon. Edward Gay of Louisiana, who died on May 30, 1889, while a member of Congress, was a first cousin to Mrs. Blanton. he was elected three times to Congress and left an estate worth about $12,000,000. His son-in-law, Andrew Price, now fills his seat. Jane Bolling, the sister-in-law of Dr. William Gay, married Colonel Richard Randolph, from whom are descended John Randolph of Roanoke, John C. Breckinridge, Mrs. Governor Brown, President Harrison, and many other distinguished people. Much of their genealogy comes from POCAHONTAS AND HER DESCENDANTS, a book written by the late ex-governor, Windham Robertson of Abington, Va.
ADDITIONAL NOTES FOR WILLIAM GAY
William Gay was an immigrant to America. William was a farmer.
From: First Families of America: The Abridged Compendium of American Genealogy, pages 500-502; From Annals of Bath County, by O. F. Morton: "James, Henry, John, Robert and William Gay, whose names appear in the Pastures between 1745-1755 were brothers. Their sister, Eleanor, married William Kinkead. James died in 1776, leaving 8 chilfren. Some later Gays moved to Kentucky.From: History of Rockbridge Co., Virginia: "William Gay, who fought at the Siege of Londonderry. had at least six children who came to the Calfpasture. These were William, John, James, Robert, Samuel and Eleanor. Eleanor married William Kincaid. William Gay, who owned 900 acres on what is wrongly called Guy's Run died in 1755. His wife was Margaret Walkup, afterward married to William Hamilton. James Gay son of the pioneer James and his brother-in-law were the first men to introduce cattle of an improved breed into Kentucky.
The Gay's of Kentucky Kentucky are derived from the Rockbridge families. They are among the largest landholders in the Bluegrass region and are connected with scores of the historic families of that state. HENRY GAY, who married Jane Henderson, was a brother to the pioneer Gays, or at least a near relative and he lived a while on the Calfpasture. His son HENRY H. GAY born in 1787 became a millionaire merchant of St. Louis. EDWARD J. GAY, son of JOHN H. was the largest sugar planter in Louisiana and left an estate worth $12,000,000. The sugar mills and plantation are still in the Gay family."Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia, Extracted from the Original Court REcords of Augusta County, Virginia, 1745-1800, by Lyman Chalkley. Vol. 1, page 78: November 16, 1757: William Gay's estate to be settled and dower assigned to the widow, Margarte Hamilton. Page 100: August 3, 1762; Beverley's Executors vs. John Gay and William Hamilton and Margaret, his wife, late Margaret Gay, Executor of William Gay, Desd. .......Agreed. page 145: William Gay, orphan of William Gay deceased, to be bound to John Wahub (Walkup).
From: Gay/Guy Families of Early Augusta County, Virginia and related families of Dunlap. Kinkead/ Kicaid, Lockridge, etc., etc., "William immigrated October 19, 1739. Destination: Port of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. William's will was probated in Augusta County on August 20, 1755
From: Virginia, Prominet Families, Vol. 1-4 (Database online) Provo, UT. Ancestry.Com
Volume VI
ChapterbXII Bolling FamilyIII. Elizabeth Bolling b. 1709 Married Dr. William Gay.
Baptized, May 17, 1741, Albemarle Parish