LFGA Line 4.

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Line 4. Jesse Lay b. ca. 1765, married Catherine Bradley, lived in Wilkes Co. N.C., moved to Knox Co. KY. Their children were John M. Lay married Rachel Foley, William Buchannon (Buchanan) (Buck) Lay, Colonel Isaac Lay, and Lucinda Lay. John M. Lay of Campbell Co. Tenn. 1790-1865, married Rachel Foley, had children: Spencer (Lucy Perkins), SickJesse m. 1) Mary F. Perkins m. 2) Hannah Bryant); Moses m. 1)Polly Thomas 2) Delila Adkins; James m. Iris Grant; Michael m. Lydia Beard (Baird); Winifred m. Little Berry Croley; William; Dandy b.1838, m. Nancy Croley; Thomas m. Delila Croley; John m. Cynthia Stanfield; and Maneva m. Greenberry Croley III. Note: Michael Lay, son of William D. Lay married Elizabeth Stanfil, daughter of Milton S. and Rachel Baird Stanfill.

Col. Isaac Lay m. Rachel Rogers, had children: Jack, Marian, Rachel (Stephens), Helen (Murphy), Jane (Hoover), and Melton.

William (Buck) Lay had dau. Connie who married Big Jesse Lay, son of Bird.

Note: Merged lines 4. 8, 19, and 70. Note: This Jesse, line 4 is the brother of David Lay, line # 68

CONTACTS

Sherry and Pauline Alford 2621  Alford32@aol.com or salford70@yahoo.com

Ronnie Collins rmcllns9894@yahoo.com

Betty Frazier

Rebecca Gibson

Harry Hall  thdkhall@yahoo.com

Patti Lay Howard

Virginia James

Anna and Andrew Lay  Andy@ILHawaii.net

Bob Lay

Cherrie Lay

Caroline and Clouis Eugene Lay

Eula Ellen Lay

Fred Lay  vivat99@earthlink.net

Hoyle E. Lay

Linda Lay

Loretta Lay lorgl@greatlakes.net

Jewell McKinney jewellmck@att.net

Penny Metz  ynnepp@aol.com

Phyllis M Muse

Joyce Lay Parmenter Chiefnjoy@aol.com

Pauline Leger Alford

Mrs. Alford is a serious researcher and compiler of Lay family history and has created an interesting, well organized book on her ancestors. She is a retired school teacher, has six children and is a devoted grandmother.

With the assistance of professional researchers, and including family sources and traditions, she has produced a thoughtful history of her Lay family. Pauline very generously and meticulously gives credit to all thosewho assisted in her project.

Lay/Leger Ancestry

The Ancestry And Forward Lineage Of William James and Mary Hannah (Lay) Leger

Compiled by Pauline Leger Alford,

2621 Henry Street, Lake Station, Indiana 46405

219-962-4323

Preface

The ancestral records included in this book were quoted as accurately as was humanly possible. All spelling, punctuation, etc. was carefully copied in its original form whenever possible. Some indirect sources of information were identified as such and may have been changed and or corrected by another researcher.

As with any project, there are those who deserve special recognition. Many professional researchers had input into this project, but one researcher definitely went far beyond what one would normally expect. Anne Holder Lee of Frankfort, Kentucky went that extra mile. She compiled family group sheets and organized the material in a manner that enabled me to follow the lineage lines accurately. She provided far more material than is included in this study.

James Hasson Laws of Corbin, Kentucky also deserves a vote of thanks for sharing his vast knowledge of the Leger Ancestry. Family researchers including Shirley Bogart Harper, Carol Baker Jones, James Lawson, Ola Martin, Louise P. McConnell, Vera Niemiec, Arlene Pablolo, Mary Reeves, Margaret Stafford, Carolyn Stanaford, Hazel Stewart, and Colleen Worley were very generous in sharing information with me.

A special vote of thanks goes to Johnny Cox, Sr. of Siler, Whitley County, Kentucky, For years, Johnny has offered encouragement and assistance. Many times, when I was about ready to give up, Johnny provided the incentive that enabled me to continue. Johnny is known to family researchers nationwide for the many times he has come to their rescue with the needed information. To my knowledge he has never charged a penny for his help. There is hardly an ancestral group covered in this study that Johnny did not contribute to in some manner.

The forward lineage section included in this study would have been impossible without the help of members of each family group, so a very special vote of thanks goes to all my relatives. Compiling this information into book form has truly been a labor of love and I sincerely hope it will be of value to you.

Completing the project would not have been possible without the assistance of my daughter, Sherry Lee Alford. She very patiently typed and retyped the material as fast as I could compile it. Sherry also assumed the responsibility for the editing and layout of the material. She deserves a medal for patience and perseverance.

It is my sincere hope that these records will provide the incentive for other family members to continue with the family research.

Pauline Leger Alford.

Lay Ancestry

Of all the ancestral lines this writer has attempted to trace, the Lay Ancestry proved to be the most frustrating as well as the most time consuming and, by far, the most expensive. All efforts by professional researchers to provide a clear ancestral record have failed. Census records, prior to 1850 are either missing or very limited. Vital records of births and deaths prior to the turn of the century are practically nonexistent. Many marriage records were either never recorded or have been lost.

Many county court records were destroyed during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Others have been lost due to fires and floods. Thus far, it has been impossible to either prove or disprove the family tradition which indicated that one Jesse Lay is the earliest known ancestor of Mary Hannah Lay.

This Jesse Lay is believed by some family researchers, to be the immigrant ancestor. According to tradition, he was born ca 1745-50, either in England or Virginia. He supposedly married Hannah Gibson Baird, widow of Joseph Baird and daughter of John and Mary Gibson. (Tradition says that Hannah Gibson first married Lewis Baird but no record has been found indicating such a union) Hannah and Joseph Baird married 27 October 1794 (See Wilkes Co., N.C. Marriage Bonds) and had issue: Lewis, born 22 August 1795; William, born ca 1797; Joseph, born ca 1799. One David Lay, born in England, immigrated to Pittsylvania and Halifax Counties Virginia prior to 1755, is said to be the same David Lay who married Susannah Gibson, sister to Hannah and possibly widow of Peter Higgins. It is believed that Jesse and David were brothers.

The above Jesse and Hannah, if they existed, should not be confused with the Jesse (aged 70) and Hannah (aged 75), both born in North Carolina, who appeared on the 1850 Whitley County, Kentucky Federal Census Records

It is a fact that Hannah Gibson Lay and Susannah Gibson Lay were heirs to the property settlement in the estate of Mary Gibson, their mother. See following:

DOB O pg. 289 Agreeable to an order of the worshipful Court of Caswell County July 1806..and with "Daniel" S. Fairly surveyor...to divide lands of Mary Gibson deed among her 10 children. (Hannah Lay, Robert Gibson, Lucinda [or Lucite] Burchfield, William Gibson, Julius Gibson, Omen Hog, James Gibson, Susannah Lay, John Gibson, and Joel Gibson.)

The following records were found in Caswell Co., North Carolina Will Books 1777-1814:

B-19 Dec. 1783, Marriage Contract of John Cooper widower and Mary Gibson widow. Cooper will not interfere with her disposal of her property to her children and will make no claim on it. July 1782. Wit. John Anthony and Thomas Douglas.

FACT: Caswell County Marriage Bond Mary Gibson and John Cooper 13 July 1783.

B-169 Jan. 1787 Mary Cooper alias Gibson in conjunction with James Gibson acct. with Thomas Douglas, gdn for her six children 29 Dec 1786.

Another theory states that the Jesse Lay who married Hannah Gibson Baird was the son of John and Martha Lay of Virginia and Caswell County, North Carolina. This Jesse Lay was born ca 1773 and had known brothers Obediah, Peter, and Bird; and sisters Mary, Patty (Patsy), and Sarah. All children except Sarah, were mentioned in the John Lay Estate Inventory dated 18 October 1790. Martha Lay administratrix. Martha Lay died ca 1796. On 27 July 1796 Peter Lay was appointed administrator of his mother's estate. (See Caswell Co. N.C. Administration Bonds 1777-1799).

The following record was found in Caswell Co., North Carolina Court Records:

John Lay, Land Grant No. 370, Entry Number 213; Book #43. Located on County Line Creek, 300 Ackers; issued October 29, 1782. Entered Sept. 2, 1778, page number 233. Knew Ye that we Granted unto John Lay, 300 Ackres of Land in Caswell County, N. Cor. on County Line Creek

The following records were found in the Caswell Co., North Carolina Will Book 1777-1814:

C-234 July 1796 Inv. of est. of Martha Lay by Peter Lay, admr.

C-448 April 1800 Inv. of est of Peter Lay decd. taken 20 Jan. 1800 by Thomas Slade admr.

C-448 April 1800 sale of est. of Peter Lay Feb 1800. Sales to Richard Boman, James Cinclair, Mary Lay, Francis Smith Jr., Geo. Stovall, John Graves Sr., Patsey Lay, Solomon Graves, John Smithy, Bird Lay, Wm. Bruce, John Terry, John Pogue, Thos. Mc Farling, Jacob Ahart, Thos. Rice, Zachariah Groom.

E-40 Oct. 1803, Thomas Slade admr. of Peter Lay in acct with est.

The name of Peter Lay's wife is unknown. However, she must have been deceased by 1805 when Thomas Slade was appointed guardian of Patsay Lay-orphan of Peter Lay.

From the Caswell Co., North Carolina Guardian Accounts the following records also appeared:

1809 Thomas Slade gdn. of Patsey Yearley, formerly Patsey Lay, wife of Charles Yearly or Yearby.

Fact: Patsay Lay and Charles Yearby were married 12 Oct. 1808. See Caswell Co. N.C. Marriage Bonds.

Fact: Patsay Lay was an heir in the John and Martha Lay Estates. So far records explaining her need for a guardian have not been located.

Sarah Lay, also an heir in the John and Martha Lay estate, married William Foster and settled in Rockingham Co. North Carolina. Rockingham Co. joined Caswell Co. on the west. Sarah died ca 1837 and William died ca 1848. Both died intestate.

The following records were found in the Wilkes Co. N.C. Land Entries:

#191 15 June 1778 Jesse Lay enters 50 acres Linville's Mill Cr. dividing ridge up both sides of Creek.

#192 15 June 1778 Jesse Lay enters 100 acres Linville's Mill Creek on Lays lowere entry including improvement said Lay bought of Benj. Angle.

#893 2 Mar 1779 Thomas Lay enters 50 acres adj. Jesse Lay's line up Linville Mill.

#973 9 Apr 1779 Jesse Lay enters 100 acres between his entry and Linvils Mill Cr. (Jesse Lay xed out and Edward Grayham written in.)

#974 9 Apr 1779 Jesse Lay enters 50 acres on Elk Cr adj John Huddelestons entry.

#1229 4 Oct 1779 Robert O. Barr enters 25 acres at Hugh Montgomery's lower line. (Robert O Barr marked out and Thomas Lay Jr. written in)

#1327 23 Nov 1779 Jesse Lay enters 100 acres on branch of Elk Cr including the cabin. (Jesse Lay erased, Edward Smith written in.)

The first four listed here, 191, 192, 893, and 973 are in that part of Wilkes County that in 1841 became Caldwell Co., N.C. The rest here have been identified as being in that part of Wilkes County that in 1859 became Alleghany county. Alleghany County was a part of Ashe County created from Wilkes in 1799. Elk Creek lies very close to the Virginia State line, while Caldwell County is southwest of Wilkes County and adjoins Burke County About 5% of Caldwell County was taken from Wilkes County and 95% of it was formerly Burke County.

Land Entries were peculiar in that not every Land Entry issued is a Land Grant, so the following are especially valuable to know about:

DB A-1 pg. 455 9 Nov. 1784 N.C. Landgrant to Jesse Lay 50 Acres Linviles Mill Cr....Grayhams line.

DB A-1 pg. 455 9 Nov. 1784 N.C. Landgrant to Jesse Lay 100 acres Linvilles Mill Cr....Thos. Lays line...Dus Waters line.

DB A-1 pg. 461 9 Nov. 1784 N,C, Landgrant to Thomas Lay 50 acres Linviles Mill Cr....Jesse Lay.

The above three land entries were located tn that part of Wilkes County that many years later became Caldwell County. Only a small slice of Wilkes County was taken to make Caldwell County, but it is a very important piece of real estate for researchers of the Lay Family Ancestry. That is where Linville Mill Creek is located and that is where Jesse and Thomas Lay were both issued landgrants for the property they entered many years later. In fact, there is a place called Lay Town in what is now Caldwell County. It was supposedly founded by this Thomas Lay. Today Linvdille Mill Creek is called Lay Creek.

By late 1700's/early 1800's both the Jesse Lay Family and the Thomas Lay Family had migrated westward into the territory which later became the state of Tennessee. They settled in an area that is now known as Elk Valley, Campbell Co., Tennessee. The eastern counties of Tennessee were once a part of North Carolina, thus the families did not have very far to travel.

The following records were located in the Wilkes Co., N.C. Deeds:

DB 24 pg.474 22 Jan 1796 Jesse Lay of Washington Co. & Territory SW of the River Ohio to William Dula of Wilkes County, N.C., 50 acres on Linville Mill Cr. No amt given. Wit: William Lenoir, G. Huchns? /s/ Jesse X Lay.

DB 24 pg 475 22 Jan, 1796. Jesse Lay of Washington Co. & territory SW of the River Ohio to William Dula of Wilkes Co., N.C. 50 acres on a branch of Mill Creek. No amt. given. Wit: Wm. Lenoir, G. H. Gordan . /s/Jesse X Lay.

These deeds were not registered until August 1819. There were pages and pages of deeds to William Dula that had never apparently been registered until this late date, 23 years after execution.

The following records were located in the Caswell Co. N.C. Deeds:

DB H pg 404 12 May 1794 (?) Jesse Lay of Caswell county to Peter Lay of same for L50 (50 Pounds) N.C. money a parcel of land coming to me from my father lying in County aforesaid by estimation 74 acres more or less beginning at the mouth of a branch where it empties; in the County Line and running east as it meanders for complement. Wit: David Sittle, James Scarborough. Acknowedged 1795 /s/Jesse Lay

DB K pg. 296 7 October 1798. Agreeable in obedience to Court of Caswell County to lay off and alot land of John Lay decd:

75 acres each: Children named: Obediah (Lot 1), Peter, (Lot 2), Jesse, (Lot 3), Bird (Lot 4).

Also the division of property of Obediah Lay, decd., we have layed off in six divisions agreeable to the late Law (sic) brothers and sisters, male and female to unherit equally:12 1/2 acres each to Mary, Bird, Peter, Sarah, Jesse, and Patty. The lots drawn for Patty and Mary were valued at $5.00 more than the four middle lots.

Under our hands and seals this 7 Oct. 1798 /s/Danul Gwynn, Wm. Slade, Nathan Slade, Joseph Payne. Registered October 1798.

DB K Pg. 286 10 October 1798 Peter Lay to Thomas Slade both of Caswell for $158.00 land in Caswell on waters of Country Line Cr. adj. Thomas Slades former line 50 acres. Wit. Robert Mitchell, James Lea /s/Peter X Lay.

Reg. Oct. 1798 oath of James Lea.

DB L Pg. 92 18 July 1799 Peter Lay, Patty Lay of Caswell and William Foster and Sarah his wife of Rockingham Co., N.C.; heirs and legatees of Obediah Lay decd. to Thomas Slade for L13 (13 pounds), 10 shillings, their different lots and divisions of land which fell to them by the death of said Obediah Lay decd. in Caswell Co. on waters of Country Line Creek, 24 1/2 acres, 11 1/2 acres.Wit. Peter Linkler Wit for Peter and Patty signing

Robert Mitchell

/s/ Peter X Lay

Patty X Lay

James Sinclair William Foster

Daniel X Thomas Sarah X Foster

DB L pg 130 2 Oct. 1799 Peter Lay to Thomas Slade both of Caswell Co. for L72 (72 pounds) 10 shillings land in Caswell on waters of Country Line Creek, 75 acres. Wit: Joshua Richmond, Josiah Martin Reg. Oct. 1799 oath of Martin. /s/ Peter X Lay.

The following records were found in the Wilkes County, North Carollina Tax Lists:

1784 Moses Guests Dist: Jesse Lay, 1 poll 150 acres.

1785 Moses Guests Dist: Jesse Lay, 1 poll 150 acres.

The following records were located in the Wilkes County, North Carolina Court minutes:

Volume 3 1789-1793. Items involving Zebulon, Andrew, Bediant, Ezeloa; Baird.

26 Oct. 1791 Jesse Lay is a juror.

In 1810 Jesse Lay gave power of attorney to Baxter Cox in Caswell County, North Carolina to sell his wife's (Hannah Lay) share of the Mary Gibson's estate. (See Caswell Property Division Book, K, Power of Attorney. Book Q mentions Jesse Lay of Campbell County, Tennessee.)

DB Q, pg. 301. Know all men by these presents that I Jess Lay Senr. of State of Tennessee and County of Campbell have constituted and appointed ....by friend Braxton Cox Esq. of County and state aforesaid my lawful attorney in my name and stead and to my use to ask, demand, sue for legacy, recover sale and dispose of all the real and personal estate that I have in the state of N.C. and receive all sums of money debts due and demand whatsoever which shall be due given payable and belonging to me or detained from me whatsoeverer giving and granting unto my said attorney my lawful and whole authority in and about the premises to have use and take all lawful ways and means in my name for the recovery thereof and upon the sale of land to execute deeds...etc. 5 June 1810 /s/Jesse X Lay

From Bible Records we have proof that our ancestor John M. Lay, born 10 September 1790, was the son of Jesse and Catherine Lay. (Tradition says she was Katie Bradley.) The records are very confusing, but it appears to this writer that Jesse, father of John M. was married twice- (1st.) to Catherine Bradley and (2nd.) to Hannah Gibson Baird.

Jesse and Catherine (Bradley) Lay are believed to be the parents of the following issue, order of birth uncertain:

John M. Lay b. 10 September 1790, d. (?) September 1874

Lucinda b.(?) d.(?), married John N. Smith.

William Buchanan (Buck) b. ca 1797, d. (?) m. Nancy Croley b. 23 Dec., 1848 Campbell Co.

Isaac b vs 1803, d. (?) m. 7 March 1852 to Rachel Rogers.

Jesse and Hannah (Gibson) (Baird) Lay had known issue:

Elijah b. 1 June 1813, d .28 November 1885, married Jane Kitchens.

Jesse B. or Jesse D. b. ca 1818 d. (?). This may have been the JesseDuncanLay who m. 8 December 1839 to Conny Lay.

Note: It is probable that there were other children born to both families. If so, they probably did not survive as no records can be found of further issue.

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