Ann (Freeman) Lay (abt. 1760 - 1837)

Born about 1760 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia

Ancestors

Wife of Charles Middleton Lay — married 1780 in Pendelton District, South Carolina

Descendants

Died 1837 at about age 77 in Pendleton, South Carolina, United States

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Biography

According to Alice Freeman Hills, Ann "Nancy" Freeman was the daughter of Amos Freeman and Sarah Hunter (daughter of Elisha Hunter). Amos's line continues back through Richard and Ruth Freeman, then William and Mary (Cording) Freeman to John and Hannah Freeman of Norfolk County, Virginia.

Mrs. Hills located two documents, one an 1803 deed in which Charles Lay’s wife is Ann Lay, and the other being Charles’s will of 1829 in which he names his wife Nancy. In both documents he signed his name with his mark, a capital N, establishing that both documents referred to the same man. But what about the wives’ names? As it turns out, Ann and Nancy were two forms of the same name, with Nancy being the diminutive of Ann at that time. Further, Mrs. Hills discovered that Elisha Hunter’s will (1786, Gates County, N.C.) mentioned his grand-daughter Ann Lay, daughter of Amos Freeman. We find Charles Lay and Amos Freeman providing security together in 1783, and there are records of an Amos Lay, a clear descendant of Charles, in later records. We can therefore assign Charles’s wife to be Ann “Nancy” Freeman, daughter of Amos Freeman.

Charles Lay was married by 1782 when he appeared in the tax list of Surry County, N.C. (Single men were marked with an X). One unknown source gives Ann's birth as 3 Nov 1760 and death as 3 Nov 1837, dates consistent with being married by 1782 and she was mentioned in her husband's will of 1829. This source says Ann is buried in Nimmons Family Cemetery in Pickens County, South Carolina. The FindAGrave site below has incorrect names and dates.

Sources

• Alice Freeman Hills, "Lay Detectives: A Possible Identification of Nancy Freeman Lay", in Lay of the Land, a publication of the Lay Family Genealogical Association, June 2000. This article was based on Merrill Hill Mosher, CG, John Freeman of Norfolk County, Virginia: His Descendants in North Carolina and Virginia (Heritage Books).
• J.G. Lay, Lay Family Genealogy
• FindAGrave memorial Note that the death year of 1808 is incorrect. Nancy was mentioned in her husband's will of 1829. The birth is inconsistent with marriage by 1782. Also note the incorrect first name of Mary.