Life History

Notes

• In the 1850 U S census, Volney's wife is reported as Laura.  Her age of 27 would indicate she was born about 1823.  But in the 1857 state census and the 1860 U S census, the name is Laura.  Her age in 1857 makes her birth in about 1833, and 36 in 1860 would be about 1834.
  
  1850 Federal Census, Schuyler County, Illinois, 9 September, Ashland Township, page 15, Hse #60, Fam #62
  Gay, Volney 33 M Carpenter b Ohio [b abt 1817]
  Gay, Lucy 27 F b Ohio [b abt 1823]
  Gay, Alvaro 7 M b Minnesota [b abt 1853]
  Gay, Lucina 5 M b Minnesota [b abt 1845]
  Gay, George 3 M b Minnesota [b abt 1847]
  Gay, Ivano 1 M b Minnesota [b abt 1849]
  
  In 1857 and 1860, Volney's wife is listed under the name of Laura.  A couple of genealogies report that Volney married Lucy Farrington in 1841.  And his wife in 1850 is reported as Lucy.  One reports her proper name was Laura and Lucy was her nickname.
  
  Volney Ephraim Gay
  Birth 9 Jan 1817 in Franklin County, Ohio
  Death 28 Feb 1889 in Dassel, Meeker County, Minnesota
  Marriage 27 Sep 1841 Rushville, Schuyler, Illinois to Lucy Farrington
  Birth 13 Dec 1822 in Meigs, Ohio, Death 20 Mar 1873 in Swan Lake, Meeker, Minnesota
  --  Bellamy, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/7103511/person/-1137285552?ssrc=&ml_rpos=11
  
  1857 Minnesota State Census, Carver County, 19 October, Township 116, Hse #324, Fam #325
  Gay, Volney 40 M b Ohio Farmer [b abt 1817]
  Gay, Laura 24 F b Ohio [b abt 1833]
  Gay, Oliver 15 M b Illinois [b abt 1842]
  Gay, Losiney 13 F b Illinois [b abt 1844]
  Gay, George 11 M b Illinois [b abt 1846]
  Gay, Sylivester [sic] 8 M b Illinois [b abt 1849]
  Gay, Orrin 4 M b Minnesota [b abt 1853]
  Gay, Alois 3 M b Minnesota [b abt 1854]
  Gay, Francis 2 months M b Minnesota [b abt 1856]
  
  The child in 1857 reported as Oliver matches the first child Alvaro in the 1850 census.  The same child is reported in 1860 with the name Alfield.
  
  1860 Federal Census, Carver County, Minnesota, 18 July, Camden, PO Young America, page 104-105 (scan 396-397), Hse #1015, Fam #877
  Volney Gay 42 F Carpenter $0 Real Estate declared $150 Personal born Ohio [b abt 1818]
  Laura Gay 36 M born Ohio [b abt 1824]
  Alfield [Oliver] Gay 18 M Farm Laborer born Illinois [b abt 1842]
  Louisa Anna Gay 16 M servant born Illinois [b abt 1844]
  George Gay 14 F born Illinois [b abt 1846]
  Ivenhal [Ivanhoe] Gay 12 M born Illinois [b abt 1848]
  - page 105 -
  Orin Gay 8 M born Minnesota [b abt 1852]
  Alonzo Gay 6 M born Minnesota [b abt 1854]
  Carolina Gay 4 M born Minnesota [b abt 1856]
  Asa Gay 2 M born Minnesota [b abt 1858]
  
  1865 Minnesota State Census, McLeod County, 1 June, Penn Township, Hse/Fam #21
  Volney Gay M [no ages or birth states rptd in this census]
  Lucy Gay F
  Sylvester Gay M
  Orrin Gay M
  Alonzo Gay 11 M
  Carolin Gay F
  Asa Gay M
  William Gay M
  
  In the 1870 Federal census, Volney is reported living in Bates County, Missouri.  It is the first census outside of Minnesota since they moved there from Illinois after the 1850 census.  This might not be so unusual, except that by the time of the 1875 state census, Volney was back in Meeker County, Minnesota, where he had been for several years.  Another odd thing about the Missouri record is that his wife inteh census is reported as Nancy.
  
  We might think this was an odd error by the enumerator, but her age differs from Lucy's also.  She and Volney are both reported as 45 years old, so born about 1825, close to the ages for Lucy or Laura in other censuses.  Lucy's gravestone reports that she died in 1873.  so the wife Nancy in 1870 is a mystery, but perhaps this is a third name for her.
  
  All the children in 1870 are reported born in Illinois.
  
  1870 Federal Census, Bates County, Missouri, 27 July, PO Butler, Grand River, page 7, Hse/Fam #45
  Gay, Volney 45 M W Farmer $0 declared Real Estate $0 declared Personal born Ohio [b abt 1825]
  Gay, Nancy 45 F W Home b Ohio Cannot read [b abt 1825]
  Gay, Ivanhoe 22  M W Farmer born Illinois [b abt 1848]
  Gay, Orin 17 M W Farmer born Illinois [b abt 1853]
  Gay, Alfred [Alonzo] 15 M W Farmer born Illinois Attended School, Idiot [b abt Jan 1855]
  Gay, Asa 8 M W Farmer born Illinois [b abt 1862]
  Gay, William 6 M W born Illinois [b abt 1864]
  Gay, Elsey 4 F W home born Illinois [b abt 1866]
  
  In 1875, Volney is alone with no wife, and several children in the household.  There is one new child, Ann, age 9.
  
  1875 Minnesota State Census, Meeker County, 1 May 1875, Swan Lake, page 983, Fam #142
  Gay, Volney 60 M W born Ohio Parents both b Maine [b abt 1815]
  Gay, Alonzo 20 M W born Minn Ohio Ohio [b abt 1855]
  Gay, Caroline 18 F W born Minn Ohio Ohio [b abt 1857]
  Gay, Wm 12 M W Minn Ohio Ohio [b abt Jan 1863]
  Gay, Ann 9 F W Minn Ohio Ohio [b abt 1866]
  
  John William Sellards' grave says he died in 1870.  The Bellamy genealogy cited above reports that Volney's first wife Lucy died in 1873.  Volney married Lorena Jane some time after 1873.
  
  In 1880, Volney's wife is reported as Jane, reported in 1885 as Jane L.  This name Jane and initial L match Lorena Jane Turmire Sellards, reported as Volney's second wife in his memorial on Find a Grave.  In their household are Volney's sons Alonzo, along with two of Jane's sons from a previous marriage, Armstrong and Jasper Selards (Sellards).
  
  Jane's first husband William Sellards died in 1870.  Volney's first wife Laura/Lucy died in 1873.  He married Jane some time after the 1875 census above when he had no wife in the home.
  
  The 1880 enumerator erred in reporting Jane's sons with the name Gay.  This error is corrected in the 1885 census, where they are reported with their correct last name.
  
  1880 Federal Census, Meeker County, Minnesota, 12 June, Ladys Spring District 3, Enumeration District 144, page 10, Hse/Fam #53
  Gay, Volney W M 64 Head Farmer Ohio Scotland Scotland [b abt 1826]
  Gay, Jane  W F 43 Wife Keeping House Has Consumption KY OH KY [abt 1837]
  Gay, Alonzo  W M 25 Son Works on Farm idiotic Minnesota Ohio Kentucky [b abt 1855]
  Gay, Willie  W M 18 Son Works on Farm Minnesota Ohio Kentucky [b abt 1862]
  Gay [Sellards], Armstrong  W M 15 Son Works on Farm KY OH KY [b abt 1865]
  Gay [Sellards], Jasper W M 12 Son Works on Farm Minn OH KY [b abt 1868]
  
  In 1885, Volney's name is misreported as Valery.
  
  1885 Minnesota State Census, Meeker County, 2 June, Dassel, page 15, Hse/Fam #120
  Gay, Valery 67 M b Ohio [b abt 1818]
  Gay, Jane L 47 F b Kentucky [b abt 1838]
  Gay, Alanzo 30 M b Minnesota [b abt 1855]
  Selards, Armstrong 20 M b Kentucky [b abt 1865]
  Selards, Jasper 17 M b Minnesota [b abt 1868]
  
  Volney's two wives are reported on Volney's memorial on Find a Grave.
  
  -------------------
  Volney Ephraim Gay
  Birth Jan. 9, 1817 Franklin County, Ohio
  Death Feb. 28, 1889 Dassel, Meeker County, Minnesota
  
  Son of Elizabeth Tapping Gay
  Father Lewis Gay (____ - 1845)
  
  Spouses:
  Lucy Farrington Gay (1822 - 1873)
  Lorena Jane Turmire Sellards (1837 - 1891)
  Son  Orren Lenard Gay (1854 - 1921)
  Sibling Vixon P. Gay (1814 - 1877)
  
  Burial Seventh Day Adventist Cemetery, Dassel, Meeker County, Minnesota
  
  Created by D W Jun 01, 2011
  --  Find A Grave Memorial #70712154,    http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=70712154
  -------------------
  

Sources

• 1. 1857 Minnesota State Census, Carver County
  • 19 October, Township 116, Hse #324, Fam #325
• 2. 1860 Federal Census, Carver County, Minnesota
  • 18 July, Camden, PO Young America, page 104-105 (scan 396-397), Hse #1015, Fam #877
• 3. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
• 4. 1885 Minnesota State Census, Meeker County
  • 2 June, Dassel, page 15, Hse/Fam #120
• 5. Ancestry Trees
• 6. 1850 Federal Census, Schuyler County, Illinois
  • 9 September, Ashland Township, page 15, Hse #60, Fam #62
• 7. 1880 Federal Census, Meeker County, Minnesota
  • 12 June, Ladys Spring District 3, Enumeraton District 144, page 10, Hse/Fam #53
• 8. 1875 Minnesota State Census, Meeker County
  • 1 May 1875, Swan Lake, page 983, Fam #142
• 9. 1870 Federal Census, Bates County, Missouri
  • 27 July, PO Butler, Grand River, page 7, Hse/Fam #45
• 10. 1865 Minnesota State Census, McLeod County
  • 1 June, Penn Township, Hse/Fam #21
• 11. 1880 Federal Census, Tarrant County, Texas
  • 15 June, Fort Worth, District 90, page 48, Hse #418, Fam #431
• 12. 1865 Minnesota State Census, McLeod County
  • 1 June, Township 116, Hse #324, Fam #325
• 13. 1860 Federal Census, Carver County, Minnesota
  • 18 July, Camden, PO Young America, page 105, Hse #1015, Fam #877
• 14. 1850 Federal Census, Schuyler County, Illinois
  • 18 July, Camden, PO Young America, page 104-105 (scan 396-397), Hse #1015, Fam #877