Henry Gay (abt. 1640 - abt. 1688)

Born about 1640 in England [uncertain]

Descendants

Died about 1688 at about age 48 in Virginia

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Biography

Henry Gay, immigrant to Virginia, was claimed as a headright of James Long. James Long patented 300 acres (50 acres per head) on the western branch of the Nansemond River (county not named) 8 Feb 1663.^[1][2] A person would have been in Virginia at least three years before their headright was claimed.

Nansemond County Records were destroyed.

22 Apr 1669 Henry Gay received a grant from Sir William Berkeley, Gov., for 400 acres in the Upper Parish of Nansemond for the transportation of eight persons. ^[3] Henry died about 1688. ^[2]

Henry's widow, Joane, married Robert Lawrence in 1689 [D.B. 1-16] [Great Book 2-59]; [CM-33]. Robert's will dated 20 Apr 1720 and probated 23 Jan 1720/1 (badly torn). "I give and bequeath unto -----son Robert Lawrence .... wife's death. Son-in-law [step-son] Henry Gay shall have a chest and whom I also make my executor. ----- Son-in-law John Gay. Witnesses Ambrose Sanders, Jane Gay." Appraisal was made by Thomas Gay and Jacob Darden.^[2]

Children (known):^[2]

1. Henry Gay 1 May 1689 "Lewis Brian of Nansemond stands indebted to Henry Gay of Isle of Wight, Feb. 1, 1688-89. Conditions are tha Lewis Brian will not molest robert Lawrence where he now lives on land formerly belonging to Henry Gay, decd., from .... Henry Gay also stands indebted to Lewis Brian and promises to pay in tobacco. Conditions are that Henry Gay will not molest Lewis Brian in possession of land adjacent to John Brian Sr."
2. John Gay named in will of Robert Lawrence.
3. Thomas Gay Thomas Gay, son of Joane Lawrence of Isle of Wight Co. and Rebecca Page, dau. of Thomas Page of Isle of Wight Co. II day of II mo. 1699.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Nugent, Nell Marion. Cavaliers and Pioneers. Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, 1623-1666. Vol. I. pg. 492 [Patent Book 5 p. 302 (273)] (1934). [1]
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Boddie, John Bennett. Historical Southern Families. Vol II (1958) "Gay of Isle of Wight, North Carolina and Georgia." pp 103, 104 Free Ancestry Image
3. ↑ Virginia Land Patent Book 6:242. [2]
4. ↑ Chapman, Blanche Adams. Isle of Wight County marriages, 1628-1800 p. 103. image 106 of 140

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