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Jesse Lay (abt. 1780 - 1863)

Jesse "Valley" Lay
Born about in Pittsylvania County, Virginiamap
Husband of — married about 1800 in Kentucky, United Statesmap
Descendants descendants
Died at about age 83 in Whitley County, Kentucky.map
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Profile last modified | Created 4 Nov 2014
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Biography

Jesse Lay served in the War of 1812
Service started: 1814
Unit(s): Tennessee and Kentucky Riflemen under Captains Percifield and Thompson
Service ended: 1814

"Valley" Jesse Lay married Hannah Lay.

Children:

  1. Catherine Lay (c. 1800-aft.1870)
  2. James Lay (uncertain)
  3. David Lay (uncertain)
  4. Susan Lay (c. 1805-aft. 1880 )
  5. Jesse Duncan Lay (1811–1896).
  6. Elijah Jessie Lay (1813–1885).

Jesse Lay was probably a son of David Lay of Pittsylvania County, Virginia. He was born there and as a young lad moved to Wilkes County, N.C., and then followed his cousins into Tennessee. Eventually he was one of a number of Jesse Lays who lived in the neighboring counties of Campbell County, Tennessee, and Whitley County, Kentucky. He appeared in the Whitley County records as Jesse Lay Jr., Jesse Leigh, Jesse valley Lay, and Jesse V. Lay. The name Valley was used to distinguish him from River Jesse Lay who owned land nearby on the Clear Fork River. Jesse V.'s land was on Indian Creek in the Elk Fork Valley. Indian Creek hugs the state line and flows into the Elk Fork near Black Oak Church.

Jesse’s wife was Hannah Lay who married first Joseph Baird in 1794 in Wilkes County, N.C. (Note that many genealogies have confused this Hannah with Hannah Gibson who married Jesse Lay Sr.) The Bairds followed the migration to East Tennessee and Hannah had three sons-- Joseph Jr., Lewis, and William Baird. Lewis Beard lived on Indian Creek and was a neighbor to Jesse and Hannah. Joseph Jr. and William lived just over the state line in Campbell Co. The proximity of these men to Hannah confirms their relationship.

Family tradition holds that Joseph Baird and his family went back to Rowan County, N.C., where he died. Hannah then returned to Kentucky where she remarried to Jesse V.[1]

The census records indicate that Jesse and Hannah had at least 9 children, of whom 4 were sons and 5 were daughters. Just two of the daughters' names are thought to be known, and only son Elijah is known with certainty but family lore[1] adds Jesse Duncan Lay and he is a logical fit because he owned land on Indian Creek. Two additional possible sons are James and David. Mary Guinevere Leigh is a possible daughter.

There are as yet no records for Jesse (Valley) Lay prior to 1808.

1808 - Jesse Lay Jr. appears on the tax list of Knox County, Kentucky, for the first time. He is one of three Jesse Lays present in the county, but he is the one who owns four horses, an unusually large number, and that allows us to keep track of him through the 1816 tax year. In 1810 he is called Jesse valley Lay.

1810 - Jesse is not found in the Knox County federal census, but he is certainly living there. See next.

1811 - According to Jesse R. Lay, great grandson, in a letter written in 1987: " Great-grandpa was one of the Tennessee and Kentucky Riflemen who went with old General Andrew Jackson in the War of 1812. They whipped the English in great shape in New Orleans. You can find the account of the battle in any history. How those deer hunters whipped the finest English soldiers and had never fought, only Indian wars. BUT, they could shoot. Great grandpa was going south with Jackson and they got into an earthquake in northwest Arkansas in 1811."[2] This last part refers to the powerful New Madrid, Missouri, earthquakes at the end of 1811 and early 1812, the largest in recorded U.S. history. The dates of his service appear to be at odds with his bounty land application in 1855 (see below).

6 Mar 1817 - Jesse Lay receives a Kentucky grant for 50 acres on Indian Creek. [3]

1819 to 1850 - Jesse Lay is taxed for 50 to 150 acres on Indian Creek in Whitley County.[4]

1820 - Jesse Lay Jr. is in the Whitley County census. He is actually entered twice but one of the entries is crossed off. River Jesse (Jesse Sr.) is listed on the same page and is also entered twice.[5][6]

27 Feb 1828 - Jesse Lay again receives a grant for 50 acres on Indian Creek[3]

1830 - Whitley County census.[7]

1840 - Whitley County census.[8]

March 1843 - "Ordered by the court that Jesse Lay be and he is hereby appointed committee for Jane McCowan an Idiot." And "The court doth allow unto Jesse Lay, committee for Jane McCowan an Idiot, the sum of twenty five Dollars for the restraint support and safe keeping of said Idiot for the last six months satisfactory proof having been made to the court that said Idiot is still alive and remains in the same deranged state of mind as heretofore."[9]

1850 - Whitley County federal census. Jesse, age 70, and Hannah, 75, both of North Carolina. A Berry Lay (actually Newberry Lay as shown in 1853 tax list), born 1832, is living with them. He is probably the son of one of their daughters.[10]

31 Mar 1855 - In Campbell County court, Jesse Lay, 82, "a resident of Whitley County", applies for bounty land based on his service in the War of 1812 when he served for three weeks in October or November 1814 under Captains Percifield and Thompson.

1860 - Whitley County federal census. He gives his age as 83 and his birthplace as Virginia. Hannah, 85, gives her birthplace as Virginia also. Son Elijah and family are living with them.[11]

1863 - Elijah Lay, administrator of the estate of Jesse Lay, returns the results of the estate sale. Total $31.20, the balance of the property being retained for the use of the widow.[12]

18 Mar 1863 - The court appointed appraisers return their estate appraisal of Jesse Lay dec'd and it is recorded. Total value $91.00.[13]

Sources

  1. 1.0 1.1 Lay, Arlie M., Family History Records, 1984
  2. Ancestry.com
  3. 3.0 3.1 Jillson, The Kentucky Land Grants, vol. 1
  4. Broyles, Stephen H., Whitley County, Ky., Tax List Summary, 1819-1850, self-published, 1991
  5. "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHLR-YW1 : accessed 6 March 2021), Jesse Lay Jr, Whitley, Kentucky, United States; citing p. 119, NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 28; FHL microfilm 186,188.
  6. "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHLR-YQ8 : accessed 6 March 2021), Jesse Lay, Whitley, Kentucky, United States; citing p. 114, NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 28; FHL microfilm 186,188.
  7. First Jesse Lay on the page. "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHPZ-Q81 : 20 February 2021), Jesse Lay, Whitley, Kentucky, United States; citing 281, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 42; FHL microfilm 7,821.
  8. Jesse Lay Sr. "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHTP-K4H : 2 March 2021), Jesse Lay, Whitley, Kentucky, United States; citing p. 196, NARA microfilm publication , (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll ; FHL microfilm .
  9. Whitley Co. Circuit Court Order Book G/H, p42
  10. "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M65P-PZ4 : 22 December 2020), Jesse Seay, Whitley, Kentucky, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (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:MZBK-L4Q : 18 February 2021), Jesse Lay, 1860.
  12. Whitley Co. Will Book 3, p8
  13. ibid. p17




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It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Jesse by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Jesse:

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Categories: War of 1812