John Thomas GAY (1723–1784)

BIRD Chronicles

Reverent John Thomas GAY (1723–1784) & Patience McDANIEL (1740-1791)

page established Summer 2023

Linton Research Fund Inc., Publication © 1987-2025 “Digging for our roots”

Reverent John Thomas GAY (1723–1784) & Patience McDANIEL (1740-1791)

Revolutionary War Patriot

Reverent John Thomas GAY (1723–1784) & Patience McDANIEL (1740-1791) were the 2^nd great-grandparents of Drusilla GAY (1868-1948) and the 3^rd great-grandparents of Jeff Augustus "Gus" BIRD (1893-1954) also the 4^th great-grandparents of Evelyn Virginia BIRD 1922-2012).

Parents

John Thomas GAY (1723-1784) (1) who went by his middle name Thomas was the son of Baptist Reverent Thomas GAY (1690-1754) (2) & Margery “Mary” BRYAN (1697-1795). (3) Thomas was born in 1690 and died on April 4, 1754, in Isle of Wight County, Virginia.

Margery was the daughter of Thomas BRYAN (1649–1717) & Eleanor WINNIFRED (1649–1719). She was born on May 28. 1697 in North Farnham, Richmond County, Virginia and died on March 30, 1795, in Nottoway, Amelia County, Virginia.

John Thomas was born in 1723, in Isle of Wight County, Virginia (4) and died on February 21, 1784, in Franklin, Heard County, Georgia. (5) at age 61, He was buried in February 1784 in the Macedonia Baptist Church Cemetery, Franklin, Heard County, Georgia. (6)

Marriage

John Thomas married Patience McDANIEL (1740-1791) circa 1759, in Northampton County, North Carolina. (7) Patience was the daughter of John Robinson McDANIEL (1695–1749) born in 1695 at Horsebride Path, North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia and died Death April 20, 1749, in Farnham, Richmond County, Virginia. (8) & Anniss “Ann” PASLEY (1691–1767). Anniss was born on December 17, 1691, in New Kent, New Kent County, Virginia and died on February 27, 1767 in Farnham, Richmond County, Virginia. (9)

Patience was born on November 9, 1740, in Farnham, Richmond County, Virginia and died on January 6, 1791, in Savannah, Georgia, at age 50. (10)

Migrated

By 1760, John Thomas had moved his family from Virginia to Roanoke Rapids, Northampton County, North Carolina.

French & Indian Wars of 1754-63

Thomas was a Baptist Reverent with the Georgia Militia Rangers. He served in the French & Indian Wars of 1754-63, the British government built five military fortifications to defend coastal Georgia from the threat of French and Spanish naval attack. In 1763 King George III sent three companies of the Sixtieth Regiment of Foot to shore up these garrisons.

Thomas is on muster role for The Battle of Echoee, or Etchoe Pass, on June 27, 1760, during the French and Indian War, between the British and colonial force under Archibald Montgomerie and a force of Cherokee warriors under Seroweh. It took place near the present-day Otto, in Macon County, North Carolina

By the mid-1760s, unpopular British taxing policies were taking their toll on colonial allegiance to the British crown. Sons of Liberty, a group of colonists angered by the Stamp Act.

Revolutionary War Patriot 1775-1783

Reverend John Thomas served in the Georgia Militia during American Revolutionary War, along with most of his sons.

The colonial Whig Council of Safety seized control of the militia in late 1775. By this point the Ranger units Georgia militia had grown to nearly 2,500 men. The final military endeavor of the colonial period saw the militia eject British regulars from the colony at the Battle of the Rice Boats near Savannah in March 1776. Even though the British seized the valuable rice, which was the primary objective of their raid, the militia again performed admirably. Following this engagement, the militia played another major role by acting as the primary bulwark against a Loyalist counterrevolution on the Georgia home front during the early days of the Revolution.

Sources:

Myers, Barton. "Colonial Military." New Georgia Encyclopedia, last modified Sep 9, 2014. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/colonial-military/

Also the Revolutionary War 1775-1783, according to numerous Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications from 1889 to 1970.

John Thomas & Patience had nine known children:

1. John GAY (1760-1917) was born in 1760 in Roanoke Rapids, Northampton County, North Carolina and died on December 12, 1817, in Jones County, Georgia, at age 57.

2. Temperance GAY (1762-1862) was born in 1762 in Franklin, Heard County, Georgia and died in 1862 at age 100.

3. Joshua GAY (1764-1830) was born in 1764 in Franklin, Heard County, Georgia and died in 1830 in Blakely, Early County, Georgia, at age 66.

4. Allen GAY (1765-1847) was born on March 15, 1765, in Rockingham, Northampton County, North Carolina. and died on June 18, 1847, in Coweta County, Georgia at age 82. (9)

5. William GAY (1766-1852) was born in 1766 in Northampton County, North Carolina and died on May 22, 1852, in Fayette County, Georgia, at age 86. (10)

6. Joanna GAY (1766-1852) was born in 1768 in Northampton County, North Carolina and died on September 7, 1858, in Clayton County, Georgia, at age 90.

7. Gilbert GAY (1771-1853) was born on February 2, 1771, in Northampton County, North Carolina. and died on September 5, 1853, in Fayette County, Georgia, at age 82.

8. Mary “Polly” GAY (1772-1785) was born in 1772 in Franklin, Heard County, Georgia and died in 1875, at age 103.

9 Thomas Jefferson GAY (1774-1838) (11) was born in 1774 in Franklin, Heard County, Georgia (12) and died in 1838 in St Landry Parish, Louisiana, at age 64. Thomas married Mary BRANTLEY, (13) the daughter of Amos BRANTLEY (14) & Mary GODWIN in 1801 in Jefferson County, Georgia. Mary was born in 1785 in Edgecombe, Edgecombe County, North Carolina and died in 1885 in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana, at age 100. (15) Thomas next married Amelia BARFIELD. Amelia was born in 1770 in Georgia and died in 1824, at age 54.

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Will of Thomas GAY Jr., (1723–1784)

Thomas Gay Estate - Hancock County, Georgia

Hancock County, GA Deed Book "F" - - Dec 1802 - - This is to certify that we have received a full satisfaction for our parts of Thomas Gay and Patience Gay's estate and we are not to interrupt Thomas Gay in any part of the property that he has now in his possession unless the said Thomas Gay should come upon any of us for what part we have taken and then the said property is to be sold and each one to take an equal part of the said property. Given under our hands and seals the 10th day of Dec 1802.

Joshua Gay

Jeremiah Walker

Allen Gay

William Gay

Robert R. Sims

John Gay

Gilbert Gay

Joseph Thompson -

Thomas Gay

Thomas GAY Jr., (1723–1784) Will

(John) Thomas, as an orphan, was placed under the guardianship of his Uncle William. By choice and with legal approval, he chose another uncle as his guardian, Robert Babb, the husband of his father's sister Sarah. He moved with his uncle and aunt to Northampton County, N. C. (Court order to change guardians dated December 14, 1760, Isle of Wight, Virginia.)

Thomas inherited Jethro's property, after his death, as next brother according to law of primogeniture.

Deed: September 17, 1763 - "Thomas Gay and Patience his now wife of Northampton County, NC, to Robert Babb of Isle of Wight County, VA, for 20 pounds current money already paid, 50 acres lying on the Northside of the main road in the Fort of the Head of the Western Branch of Nansemond in the County of Isle of Wight near the county line part of a Tract of 150 acres of land belonging to Henry Gay and given unto his son Thomas Gay by witonll and from Thomas Gay to his son, Jethro Gay, by will and from Jethro G ay unto his brother Thomas Gay and Patience, his wife. Wits. Joseph Sike s, Hezekiah Hough, John Hough. (Deed Bk. 11, P. 182) . They disposed of two other partials of property in Northampton County, NC: a 200 acre tract and a 202 acre tract (Deed Book 2, Page 123, Deed Book, Page 307 and Deed Book 4, Page 165). They then moved to Franklin County, NC.

Thomas was too old to serve in the army but furnished a gun for the army. (Bk. A-2) He aided in the struggle for independence by furnishing money and supplies to the Continental Army and by receipting for the pay of his two minor sons, Joshua and Allen. His eldest son, John, also fought in the Revolutionary War. Thomas Gay is known in history as a Patriot. (Book 30, page 28) (History of Wilkinson County, Gifford-Gay Family) He is listed in the DAR Patriot Index - Centennial Edition, Part II, page 1138.

Thomas Gay's will, as follows, was not settled until all of his children moved to Georgia, when on December 10, 1802, in Hancock County, GA, his six sons and the husbands of his two daughters certified that each of them had received their portion of the estate. (Will Book P, Page 182-183, Hancock County, Georgia)

Last Will and Testament of Thomas Gay, Deceased,

Franklin County, NC, Will Book B, Page 94. Last Will and Testament of Thomas Gay, Deceased, Page 95

"In the name of God Amen, I, Thomas Gay of the County of Franklin in the State of North Carolina being very sick and weak but of sound mind do make and ordain this my last will and testament in the manner and form following. Imprimis. First, and principally, I recommend my Soul into the hands of God Almighty who gave it hoping that the merits of his Blessed Lord Jesus Christ to be received into the ansions of Eternal Rest and my body I desire to be buried in a Christian like manner at the dispersion of my executors hereafter mentioned. Item, my will and desire is that my beloved wife Patience Gay may have the use of the plantation wherein she now lives during her widowhood with the use of my negro, Simon, and all the household furniture and stock except my stud horse, King, and at her remarriage or death, I give and bequeath the land before mentioned to my son William, to him and his heirs forever. I give and bequeath unto my son, Joshua one hundred acres of land, it being the land whereon he now lives, to him and his heirs forever. I give and bequeath to my son, Allen, one hundred and forty acres of land, it being the land adjoining Wilson Denson on the Cypress Creek, to him and his heirs forever. My will and desire is also that my son Allen G ay may have my negro boy Jimmy, to him and his heirs forever. I give and bequeath unto my son, John Gay, my negro boy Major, to him and his heirs forever. My will and desire is that my son Gilbert Gay may have my negro wench, Pleaz, to him and his heirs forever, but her future increase I desire may be equally divided when my son Gilbert comes of Lawful age between my son Thomas, my daughters Joanna and Polly, to them and their heirs forever. I give and bequeath unto my son Thomas Gay my stud horse called King with all my ready money and debts now due to me which I desire may be all laid out to the best advantage by my Executors hereafter named in Lands in the State of Georgia for him, my son Thomas, and to his heirs forever. All the rest and residue of my Estate I desire may be sold and the money arising therefrom I desire may be equally divided among all my children then alive to them and to their heirs forever. My will and desire is that all my stock and household furniture which remains at the remarriage or death of my wife may be sold and the money arising therefrom be equally divided among all my children then alive, together with my negro Sim on (if alive), to them and their heirs forever. My will and desire is that my friends Burwell Perry and my son Joshua Gay may become my Executors to this my Last Will and Testament to see the Executorships performed in toilness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal this 21st of February Ano Domini one thousand seven hundred and eighty four. Signed, sealed, published and delivered in the presence of Stephen Sorsby, Thomas Gay ( Seal) Jeremiah Perry, Burwell Perry, Allen Gay. 21 February 1784"

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Sources

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