John D. Lay (1792 - 1860)

Born 16 Jan 1792 in North Carolina

Descendants

Died 7 May 1860 at age 68 in Campbell Co., Tennessee

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Biography

John D. Lay of Campbell County, Tennessee, is unplaced in the Lay family. He is often found in the records as John D. Lay which is useful for distinguishing him from other John Lays, particularly John M. Lay who lived nearby.

There is a tombstone for "John Lay" in Hicks Cemetery in Campbell County, Tenn., but it is no longer legible.^[1] See the attached photo from the 1980's. The 1792 birth year is confirmed by the mortality schedule below.

John and wife Mary had a number of children, among them:

1. Sally Ann, 1815, m. Edward "Ned" Perkins
2. Margaret, 1816, m. George W. "Wash" Sharp
3. William, 1817, m. Sarah Douglas
4. John L., 1822, m. Elizabeth Murray
5. Nancy, 1826, m. George W. Douglas
6. Catherine, 1829, m. William Douglas
7. Leah, 1829, m. Ezekiel (Zackariah?) Romain/Romine
8. Tasey, 1831, m. Elias Reynolds
9. James Jasper, 1835, m. 1) Thursa Grant, 2) Julia Ann Richardson

John's ancestry is uncertain. There are several reasonable possibilities.

• He lived in the Elk Fork valley of Campbell County where so many of the descendants of Jesse Lay Sr. lived. He had dealings with them as described below and appears to be a son of Jesse, but his birth in 1792 makes this unlikely unless we delay the birth of Jesse's wife by about five years and have her marry at the age of 14 or 15.
• Jesse's son Big Valley Dave Lay (John David Lay) fathered an illegitimate child born early in 1793. John's birth date on his tombstone probably came from a family Bible. Imagine that whoever wrote the date got the year wrong because it was early in the new year. If John's birth was actually 16 Jan 1793 it fits very well with the court records relating to his birth. We don't know what the D. stands for but it was probably David, making him John David Lay Jr. We can speculate that he was raised by Jesse like a son. Big Valley Dave later married and had his own family in Claiborne County, Tenn. See his profile for more information.
• He might be the son of one of Jesse's unknown daughters.

1818 - John D. Lay is not on the Campbell Co., Tenn., tax list but there is an entry for a John Lay Jr. with no land.^[2] There are also Campbell Co. references to a John Lay (without the middle initial) being on juries (1816, 1817), being taxed for 30 acres (1818), and buying and selling land (1819, 1820)^[3].

24 Feb 1823 - Jesse Lay Sr. sells to John D. Lay & John Roberts jointly, 50 acres on the Elk Fork for $150. Campbell Co., Tenn.^[4] Jesse Lay Sr. made this unusual joint deed near the end of his life. John Roberts was the husband of Naomi Lay, perhaps suggesting that John D. and Naomi were siblings-- children or grandchildren of Jesse Lay Sr. Naomi's third son was named Jesse Gibson Roberts, a clear reference to Jesse and Hannah (Gibson) Lay.

6 Mar 1824 - John D. Lay witnesses the sale of 40 acres of land by William Hays to Joseph Baird.^[5]

1830 - Jno. D. Lay is in the federal census of Campbell Co., Tennessee. He and his wife are 30-40 years old and they have two sons and five daughters.^[6]

7 Apr 1832 - John D. Lay sells to Joseph Basson.^[7]

1838, 1839 - John D. Lay is on the Campbell County tax list.

1840 - John Lay's census entry is unusual with an adult male aged 30-40 in addition to five daughters and three sons.^[8] Note: There is a second John Lay (John M.) in the county, born 1780-90 and recorded next to Bird Lay.

1850 - In the federal census of Campbell County we find John D. and Mary Lay and family. John says he was born in 1795 in North Carolina. A Sarah Duncan, 73, is in the household. We take from this that John's wife was Mary Duncan.^[9]

1 Mar 1859 - John D. Lay writes his will.^[10] The will is recorded on May 2, 1859. He bequeaths 50 acres on Whistle Ridge to grandson John R. Lay. All heirs except John and James to receive five dollars. One hundred acres of land on Gillico (Jellico) Creek to be sold and divided. Wife (unnamed) to dispose of all debts as she pleases.

1860 - John D. Lay, farmer, 68 years old, birthplace unknown, is listed in the federal mortality schedule for Campbell County. According to his entry he died of consumption in May of 1860.^[11] Mary is found in the regular federal census living with their son James and his family.

Sources

1. ↑ Cemetery records by locale, FindAGrave.com
2. ↑ 1818 tax list, Jacob Brewton's district
3. ↑ Braxton Cox to John Lay, Deed Book C:52; John Lay to Aaron Broils (A:215); to Thomas Douglas (D:26)
4. ↑ Campbell Co. Deed Book D:180
5. ↑ Campbell Co. Deed Book F:78
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHP4-FGR : 18 August 2015), Jno D Lay, Campbell, Tennessee, United States; citing 217, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 178; FHL microfilm 24,536.
7. ↑ Deed Book I:400
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHT1-4ML : 24 August 2015), John Lay, Campbell, Tennessee, United States; citing p. 294, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 518; FHL microfilm 24,542.
9. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCD4-VB1 : 9 November 2014), John D Lay, Campbell county, Campbell, Tennessee, United States; citing family 828, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
10. ↑ Campbell County Wills, Estates, and Inventories, Book C, p177
11. ↑ Ancestry.com, U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885