John Michael "Missouri Jack" Lay

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Lay-520

John M. Lay was born on September 10, 1790 in North Carolina, the son of Jesse "River Jesse" Lay Jr. and Catherine "Caty" (nee Bradley) Lay Lay Grisby Carty Agee. John M. Lay and Rachel Foley were married about 1810. While John's headstone shows a death date of Sep 1874, this is incorrect. John Michael Lay died before April 15, 1868 per Campbell County court records/minutes: roll 20, vol 5, pages 491 & 511 per research layoftheland.org. Therefore his death is not on Sep 1874. See the transcribed Campbell County Court minutes below: ~~~~~ COUNTY COURT - CAMPBELL COUNTY NOTICE TO NON-RESIDENTS Michael Lay, Administrator, et. al., vs.the Heirs of John M. Lay, deceased. FOR SALE OF REAL ESTATE. It appearing from the bill filed in this case, which is sworn to, that the defendants, heirs of the said John M. Lay, deceased, to wit: Berry Croley and his wife Winneford Croley, Jackson Wilhite and his wife Jane Wilhite, and Thomas Lay, are non-residents of the State of Tennessee. It is therefore ordered that publication be made for four successive weeks in Brownlows Knoxville Whig, notifying said defendants to appear at the June term next of the County Court, at the court house in Jacksboro to defend said bill, or the same will be taken for confessed and set for hearing ex parte. A copy of this order. april15-41 Test.JOHN JONES, Clerk Source: Brownlows Knoxville Whig (Knoxville, Tennessee)15 April 1868, Page 2.

Provided by Jewell McKinney on 14 Dec 2014 ~~~~~~~

John Michael Lay's paternal Grandparents were Jesse Lay Sr. and Hannah (nee Gibson) Lay. And John's maternal Grandparents were Laurence Bradley and Winifred (nee Wisdom) Bradley.

See John Michael Lay by Stephen Broyles for detailed Lay family biographies and a list original sources. More details on Ron Brenner's work regarding Catherine Bradley can be found in 2014 articles published through the Lay Family Genealogical Association, Inc.; as well as earlier Lay family articles by Stephen Broyles and many others.

John and Rachel had nine children: Rev. Spencer Lay, Jesse "Sick Jesse" Lay, Jane Lay, Moses Lay, Rev. James Lay, Rev. Michael Lay, Winnie Lay, William Dandy Lay and Thomas Lay. This record of John and Rachel Lay's children was obtained from John Lay's Bible.

• Arlie Lay who was in possession of James Lay's Bible, after being passed on to him, said the Bible had been very badly damaged and was found thrown into a pile of junk. He was able to obtain some info from the Bible: John M. Lay, son of Jesse and Catherine Lay, was born 9-10-1790 Rachel Foley Lay, daughter of Moses Foley and Elizabeth Foley born 2-5-1790

Other notes: 1.John M. Lay was locally known as "Missouri Jack". It is said he made several trips to Missouri, but was never satisfied there and would always come back. It is not known if he did this before or after marriage, but probably before. One relative said John was also known as "Jackie." [1][4] 2. John had 3 siblings: "Buck", Colonel Isaac, and Lucinda. Buck was short for Buchanan (William Buck). Buck had 1 child, Connie. She married Rev. Jesse Banks "Big Jesse" Lay. [1] 3. In the early 1800's, John M Lay presumably settled on "Little Poplar Creek", a creek in Knox County, KY which flows into the Cumberland River near Williamsburg, KY. While serving as a delegate to a church association, John met Rachel of the Big Richlands Community and they married about 1810. [2][4] 4. Sometime after his marriage John supposedly settled at a place behind the "Loan on Elk Fork", now known as the Jim Chadwell place (1950s). He operated a water grist mill. The old mill is still there.[3] 5.John was living in Campbell County by 1813, when he signed a petition to the Legislature to move the county seat. [5]

Sources: [1] Book: Family History Records by Arlie Monroe Lay. Published by the Scott County (Tennessee) Historical Society in 1985. [2] Book: Lay, Clouis Eugene. The Ramblin' Lays from Tennessee: A Family History. Huntsville, TN (P.O. Box 7, Huntsville 37756): Scott County Historical Society, 1999. Print. [3]Patricia A. Wayne of Knoxville, TN. [4] Thanks to Donna for some of the biographical information above. [5] "Old Petition names 249 Powell Valley Settlers", Reprinted with permission from Dr. Miller McDonald's book Campbell County Tennessee USA: A History of Places, Faces, Happenings, Traditions, and Things, Transcribed by Mildred Collins Wasser: http://www.tngenweb.org/campbell/history/petition.html

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/29111162/john-michael-lay