Robert Kay

A Patriot of the American Revolution for VIRGINIA. DAR Ancestor # A063731

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ROBERT KAY, SR., planter and one of the early settlers of Pendleton District (now Anderson County),South Carolina, has been called the father of the Kay family of the South. His descendants, both within the Kay family and through collateral lines of the many Kay daughters, number in the thousands, and include U.S. Senator and the Thirty-Ninth President. It is ironic that Robert Kay has been identified as the progenitor of so many, but his own parents have not been absolutely proven. There is, however, considerable circumstantial evidence linking him to a particular Kay family line in Virginia and England. Research regarding the Virginia lineage of Robert Kay of South Carolina was published in The Ancestors of Robert Kav of South Carolina in 1991. That research concludes, though does not prove, that Robert Kay of South Carolina was the son of James Kay and Mary Steward of King George County, Virginia. Robert's presumed father, James Kay, lived from approximately 1694 to 1743, and was the third generation of this Kay family in Virginia. Both his father and grandfather were also named James. James of the second generation was born about 1662, married Mary Pannell, and died as a young man about 1698. James of the first generation was born in 1634 in Bury, England. He immigrated to colonial Virginia by 1665. Before his death around 1679, he married Sarah Iveson, fathered five children, and gained title to 2000 acres of virgin land on the banks of the Rappahannock River. In The Engish Heritage of James Kay of the Colony of Virginia, James the immigrant is traced back through English records to Robert Kay De Wedell of the fifteenth century. (The Engish Heritage of James Kay of the Colony of Virginia, by Franklin Spearman, is included as an addendum to The Kay Chronicles, written by Kenneth Kay in 1909, and published by the Kay Family Association in 1992). Based upon these conclusions, as well as the proven information set forth in The Ancestors of Robert Kay of South Carolina, Robert's life in Virginia can be reconstructed. He was likely born about 1725 in King George County, Virginia. Before Robert was born, his father, James, had begun systematically selling the entire 2000 acre estate on the Rappahannock River acquired by James Kay the immigrant. Landless by 1731, Robert's father moved the family to Prince William County and settled on 100 acres gifted to them by William Bland, James's brother-in-law. Here, at the juncture of Crupper's Cabin Run and the Occoquan River, Robert Kay of South Carolina spent his childhood. The first written evidence of a Robert Kay in Prince William County is in 1746 when he purchased 100 acres located between the Occoquan River and Bull Run. In 1747, Robert Kay was working as an overseer at Edward Berry's estate located between Cedar Run and the Occoquan River. On 11 May 1761, Prince William County held an election for Burgesses. Robert Kay and Thomas Kay, presumably brothers, both appear as voters. In 1767, 1773, and 1777, Robert Kay paid quit rent on Prince William County property to the Proprietors of the Northern Neck of Virginia. In 1779, Robert Kay of South Carolina is positively identified in Prince William County. On 5 Sep 1779, Robert Kay and his wife, Priscilla, transferred ownership of 117 1/2 acres in Dittengen Parish, Prince William County to William Calvert. This land was described as being part of a tract of land granted William Champe on 26 May 1712 by the Proprietors of the Northern Neck of Virginia and was bounded by the land of John Woods and on the north side by the North Run of Neabsco River. (Prince William D.B. "U" pp 167). The tract was located less than eight miles from the 100 acres James Kay (of the third generation in Virginia) had settled on in 1731 where Robert Kay of South Carolina presumably spent his childhood. This land sale is also the first known record of Priscilla, Robert's wife. In Robert's 1804 will, Priscilla is referred to as the mother of John, the youngest son. Whether she is the mother of Robert's other children is not known. It is safe to assume that Robert and Priscilla married in Virginia, but a marriage record in Prince William County has not been found. The records of King George County, Virginia, show one Robert Kay's marriage to Elizabeth Strother (daughter of Robert Strother and Elizabeth Berry) on 13 Dec 1762, registered in St. Paul's Parish. The fact that the names Strother and Berry appear in the names of the grandchildren and great grandchildren of Robert Kay would lead one to believe that Elizabeth Strother and "Priscilla" Kay could have been one and the same person. It is also possible that Elizabeth could have been Robert's first wife and Priscilla his second. To further muddy the waters, it should be noted that Robert and Robert's father had been associated with an Edward Berry in Prince William County since 1731. This Edward Berry connection could be responsible for the appearance of the Berry name in Robert's descendants. The fact remains that Priscilla's past continues to be one of the Kay family's most intriguing mysteries. The Edward Berry connection is not the only Kay family relationship of interest that can be found in the Prince William County, Virginia records. In 1782, Robert is recorded in the Prince William County tithable lists. In that same list, residents of Prince William County included Robert Elgin, James Elgin, Thomas Trussell, Rhody Trussell, and William Trussell. After being recorded one more time in the Prince William County tithable list of 1783, Robert and Priscilla Kay moved their family to Frederick County, Virginia. Both Robert and his oldest son, James, are included in the 1787 tithable list in Frederick County. On September 22 of that year, Robert's son James signed a lease for 100 acres located near Mt. Weather in Frederick County. On 29 Sep 1792, Robert signed a simil& lease for 19 acres on Mt. Weather. The term of the lease was for "the natural lives" of Robert, his wife Priscilla, and his son, John Kay. That document, found on page 400 of Frederick County, Virginia Deed Book 23, is the last known record of Robert Kay in Virginia By 1792, the Kay family's attention had already turned toward South Carolina Prior to 1785 the northwest corner of South Carolina had been Cherokee land and settlement by whites was only for the most adventurous; however, this condition changed with the Indian Treaty of 1785. The treaty opened the way for the land to be claimed for white settlement. A mass migration resulted. Revolutionary War service was being rewarded with land grants, and land was available at cheap prices through speculators who acquired large holdings after the treaty with the Cherokees. The unspoiled land was green, rolling and the climate was mild. The royal governor of South Carolina, on an expedition to the Cherokee Nation in 1755, described it as "Most delightful, as well as the most fertile in the world, abounding in large and extensive plains and savannas, swarming with deer and buffalo..." On a clear day, the mountains across the western skyline could be seen. The first record of acquisition of land in South Carolina by a Robert Kay was a tract granted by Governor Charles Pinckney on 2 Jan 1792. It was described as "Three hundred and twenty-two acres surveyed for him the 27th of December 1791 situate in the district of Ninety Six in Pendleton County on a branch of Turkey Creek waters of Saludy River, bounded by lines running west and south by Nicolas Long's and on all other sides by vacant lands." (SC State Plats, Vol.27, p.489). The location of that tract of land can be determined with reasonable accuracy, since the only branch of Turkey Creek which reaches into old Pendleton County is within the present town limits of Honea Path, SC. The grantee of this property in 1792 could have been Robert Kay, Sr. However, since Robert Kay, Sr., is known to be in Virginia later that same year, the possibility that the grantee is Robert Kay, Jr., should also be considered. Robert Kay, Jr., would have been 24 years old at the time. The disposition of the tract of land has not been determined. It was not specifically listed in the estates of either Robert Kay, Jr., or Robert Kay, Sr. Two years later, Robert Kay, Sr., acquired a tract on Broadmouth Creek, some two miles away. He paid one hundred pounds sterling to Caleb Conaway for the six hundred thirty acre tract, which was described as being 200 acres from a 1784 grant to John Hallum and 430 acres from a 640 acre grant to Francis Bremar and James Martin. Wituesses to the transaction were Robert Elgin, Reuben Cox and Robert Kay, Jr. (Pendleton District, Deed Book B, p.218). This tract became the Robert Kay homestead, east of Broadmouth Creek and on both sides of a road now designated as US-76. The years immediately following Robert's acquisition of the 640 acres were busy ones for the Kays on Broadmouth Creek. The sound of axes echoed through the woods, no doubt, as trees were felled and fields prepared for planting. Houses and barns were built. This was obviously a close-knit family, as Robert Kay's children settled nearby, most on their father's property. Identification of Robert Kay's children comes from two sources. In his will, Robert set forth that he had five sons and two daughters. He further stated that a certain portion of his estate was to be divided into seven parts. Both daughters, Grace and Elizabeth, were mentioned by name, as were sons Robert Jr., Charles, William and John. The son not mentioned by name was, undoubtedly, James Kay, the oldest son and administrator of the estate. The other source was Mr. Milton Alden Kay, Sr. (1859-1945), a great grandson of Robert Kay, who collected Kay family data. He had a typescript made and on 2 Jan 1940 executed an affidavit before Mr. 0. C. Trussell, notary public of Honea Path, SC, to the effect that he had compiled the record from Bibles, scrapbooks and diaries. This record named five children of Robert Kay; namely, William Kay, James Kay, Robert Kay, Jr., Grace (Kay) Trussell and Charles Kay, with descendants of the four sons. He did not say he checked Anderson or Abbeville County records. Nevertheless, a check of these against his data discloses a remarkable accuracy in most instances. In South Carolina, the oldest son, James, and wife Grace Elgin, lived about one mile away, just across the line in Abbeville District, on several hundred acres of their own. Daughter Grace and husband, Amos Trussell, apparently lived nearby on her father's land. Daughter Elizabeth and husband, Thomas Trussell, either did not move from Virginia or stayed in South Carolina only a short time. Apparently she was not in the area in 1804 when Robert wrote his will. Son Robert Jr. and wife, Catherine Ball, lived nearby. Son Charles and wife, Annie Elgin, lived for a time on his father's land Son William and wife, Sallie Trussell, lived on Broadmouth Creek near his father, as did the youngest son John and wife, Rosannah. The family was growing during these years; grandchildren were being produced at a prodigious rate. The oldest son, James, was the father of nine, Robert Jr. had thirteen, Charles had four, William had eleven and John had ten. It is not known how many children the two daughters Grace and Elizabeth had, but the fact remains that Robert and Priscilla Kay had over forty-seven grandchildren! In 1800, the second census for the newly formed United States was taken. In Robert Kay's household, only he and a female over 45 years of age (Priscilla) were listed, along with six slaves. Four years after the census taker's visit, in 1804, Robert Kay prepared his will. It was witnessed by Robert Elgin, his wife Arcajah Elgin, and James EIgin Robert Kay made it legal with an unsteady "x" by his name. This will isnow preserved in the State Archives in Columbia, along with other estate papers, inventory of property, sale lists and receipts. Robert Kay died in late 1807, or very early 1808. He was buried, most certainly, on a hill which overlooked Broadmouth Creek and the rest of his property. This spot later became a cemetery for the Kay family and eventually contained some fifty markers, mostly uninscribed field stones. Over the protests of neighbors, a recent owner of this land removed the stones and bulldozed the cemetery. Although all signs of the cemetery have disappeared, the exact location has been pointed out and verified by several sources, including Mr. Boyce Mitchell, Mr. John Snipes, Mr. Milton Alden Kay, Jr., Mr. Minos Luther Kay, Mr. J. T. Snipes, Mr. Bud Davis, and Mr. Dick Davis. From "The Descendants of Robert Kay"

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