William Marion Lay (abt. 1765 - 1843)

Born about 1765 in Halifax Co., Virginia [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah Martha Duncan Gilmore — married 1781 in Salisbury, Rowan, North Carolina, United States

Descendants

Died May 1843 at about age 78 in Wayne Co., Tennessee

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Biography

William was born around the year 1765, making him 15 years old when he tried to enlist in the North Carolina militia in 1780. He was refused on account of age, the minimum being 16. He eventually succeeded in signing up that year in Wilkes County.

William wasn't certain of his age or birthplace though he thought he was probably born in Virginia. As a son of Thomas Lay he was likely born in Halifax County in that state (modern day Pittsylvania County). In 1843 he estimated his age as 83 but this is at odds with the military record.

His father moved the family from Virginia to the wilds of Wilkes Co., N.C., when William was a young boy and it is there that he grew up.

A family story says William "had the Pioneer spirit, and kept going west, he was with Daniel Boone and his father when he went through the Cumberland Gap. Abe Lincoln's Grandfather came through at the time and was killed by the Indians".^[1] Boone, in fact, did lead a party of North Carolinians, reportedly containing Lincoln's grandfather,into Kentucky in the fall of 1779.^[2]

Like numerous veterans he sought to take advantage of a federal military pension law enacted in 1832. He provided substantial testimony as to his activities as a soldier but his claim was rejected on several occasions, the final one being shortly before his death.

c. 1783 - William marries in Wilkes County, N.C. Some sources say his wife was Martha Duncan^[3] or even Sarah Martha Duncan.

1787 - In the North Carolina state census William Lay heads a family consisting of his wife, son, and daughter. Wilkes Co., N.C.

1787 to 1789 - William Lay is taxed for one poll and 25 acres in Wilkes Co., N.C.

According to his pension application he then moved to Pendleton District, South Carolina, where he resided several years, then moved back to Wilkes County, N.C., a few years, how long he did not remember. His next move was to Eastern Tennessee where he resided a few years on the Holston River. From there he moved to Warren County, Tennessee. His final move was to Wayne County, Tennessee, around the year 1827.

1820 - William Lay and wife are living alone in Warren Co., Tennessee. Both are over 45 years of age.^[4]

27 Sep 1824 - William Lay Sr. of Rone (sic, Roane) County, Tennessee, attests that Miller Childress served the state of North Carolina during the Revolution.^[5]

1830 - William Lay and his wife are in the federal census of Wayne Co., Tenn. Both are aged 60 to 70 years old and they are living alone.^[6]

1840 - William Lay and wife are again found in the census of Wayne Co., Tenn. He is aged 80-90 and she is 70-80. They are listed adjacent to John Lay and James Lay Sr.^[7]

William passed away in 1843.

Name: William Marion Lay. ^[8]

Born 1760 Halifax, Virginia, USA. ^[8]

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Marriage Husband William Marion Lay. Wife Sarah Martha Duncan Gilmore. Child: Isaac Newton Lay. Marriage 1781 Salisbury, Rowan, North Carolina, United States. ^[9]

Sources

1. ↑ Jesse Russelville Lay, "French Heritage" in Lay of the Land, March 1999
2. ↑ Wikipedia biography of Daniel Boone
3. ↑ Lay, ibid.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1820", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHGC-JXX : 16 July 2015), William Lay, 1820.
5. ↑ Transcription of pension application S37846
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHPT-BCK : 18 August 2015), William Lay, Wayne, Tennessee, United States; citing 306, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 182; FHL microfilm 24,540.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHYM-S87 : 24 August 2015), Wm Lay, Wayne, Tennessee, United States; citing p. 97, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 536; FHL microfilm 24,550.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Source: #S-859482580 Source number: 2475.020; Source type: Family group sheet, FGSE, listed as parents; Number of Pages: 1 Ancestry Record 7836 #726112
9. ↑ Source: #S-859482580 Source number: 2475.020; Source type: Family group sheet, FGSE, listed as parents; Number of Pages: 1 Ancestry Record 7836 #726112

• Helen Dalgleish, "William Marion Lay, the Teenage Revolutionary War Soldier" in Lay of the Land, a publication of the Lay Family Genealogical Association, September 1997
• Transcription of William Lay's Revolutionary War pension application R6213

• Family records / Tree/Census/Birth Death Records
• Source: S-859482580 U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 Yates Publishing Publication: Ancestry.com Operations Inc Record Collection 7836

• Source: S-859483061 Ancestry Family Trees Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.Ancestry Family Tree Ancestry Family Tree 66926580