Bartlett Lay (abt. 1776 - 1866)

Born about 1776 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Eleanor (Robinson) Lay — married 2 Jul 1799 in Pittsylvania Co., Virginia

Husband of Alsey (Wright) Lay — married 5 Nov 1825 in Hawkins Co., Tenn.

Descendants

Died 30 Apr 1866 at about age 90 in Clinton County, Kentucky

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Biography

There is a good deal of variation regarding Bartlett's birth. His first appearance in the tax lists implies it was in 1776 but the federal census shows a wide range of dates: 1770-80, 1790-1800, 1770, and 1767. We must take the tax list date as the most accurate. It is the earliest date, and therefore probably most accurate, and he would have been 23 when he married, a normal age.

Who was his father? There are two good candidates, David Lay Sr. and his son John Lay, both of Pittsylvania County. But David Lay left the county in the late 1780's making it much more likely that Bartlett is a son of John.

Bartlett served in the War of 1812 and his second wife Alice (Alsey) provided the following information in her application for a widow's pension: Alsey Wright and Bartley Lay were married on 5 Nov, 1825; claimant [Alsey] not previously married. Soldier's first wife died on October 15,1823. The soldier [Bartley Lay] died on April 30, 1866.^[1]

1797 to 1800 - Bartlett appears on the tax lists of Pittsylvania Co., Virginia.^[2] Based on this we'd say he was born in 1776.

2 Jul 1799 - He marries Elenor Robinson in Pittsylvania Co., Va., with James Robinson as security.^{[3] [4]}

1809 - Bartlett appears on the Hawkins Co., Tenn., tax list.^[5]

- Bartlett served as a private under Col. Edwin Booth and Capt. John Slatton, East Tennessee Militia during the War of 1812.^[6]

1828 - Bartley Lay receives Tennessee grant #16813 for 110 acres in Hawkins County.^[7]

1830 - He is enumerated in the Hawkins Co., Tenn., federal census. He is is 60-70 years old (born 1770-1780) and has a young wife and daughter.^[8]

1840 - Bartley Lay heads a household in the federal census of Claiborne Co., Tennessee. He gives his age as 50-60 (thus born 1790-1800), which is clearly in error.^[9]

1850 - Bartley Lay, age 80 and born in Virginia, appears in the federal census of Clinton Co., Ky., with his 2nd wife Alsey (41) and their family. All of their children were born in Tennessee which means they moved to Kentucky 1846-50.^[10]

1860 - Bartley Lay, age 93, wife Alis (52), and daughter Caroline are in the federal census of Clinton Co,. Kentucky.^[11]

Sources

1. ↑ Service Pension, War of 1812. Widow's Brief and Summary of Proof.
2. ↑ Wells, Cynthia Ann, "Lay Research", in Lay of the Land, a publication of the Lay Family Genealogical Association, September 1998.
3. ↑ Knorr, Marriages Bonds & Ministers' Returns of Pittsylvania Co., Va., 1767-1805
4. ↑ "Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X5Y5-MYX : 6 August 2020), Bartlet Lay, 1799.
5. ↑ Creekmore, Pollyanna, Early East Tennessee Taxpayers
6. ↑ Sistler, Byron & Samuel, Tennesseans in the War of 1812
7. ↑ Barbara, Byron, and Samuel Sistler, Tennessee Land Grants, vol. 2. Grant Book 15:141
8. ↑ Page 19
9. ↑ Page 227
10. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M65M-SQV : 4 April 2020), Bailley Lay, Clinton county, Clinton, Kentucky, United States; citing family 105, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
11. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZBR-VJM : 19 March 2020), Bartley Lay, 1860.