Several years earlier, a review was written of the Jay family in Covington County. Since that time continued research has made additional information available to allow a more extended look at this family. Locally, the Jay name is recognized through the Jay Villa Plantation in Conecuh County, which was built by descendants in this family.

The pivotal generation in this family is that of Joseph Jay who was born in 1747 and died in 1806 in South Carolina. He has been identified as the son of William Jay who was the son of Joseph John Jay, son of Thomas Jay, the son of Thomas Jay. Joseph Jay was married to Mary Minnie Cothran.

Available records show that Joseph and Mary Jay had at least three sons: John, b. 1771, d. 1845 in Monroe County, Alabama, m. ca 1802 Edna “Edney” Stinson; Jessie, b. 1780, d. 1837; and David, b. 1787, d. 1866 in Conecuh County, Alabama, m. Margaret “Martha” Brown. The oldest son was born in Orange County, North Carolina, and the youngest was born in South Carolina. Joseph died in 1806 in South Carolina, but it is not clear just when the two sons moved to Alabama.

The oldest son, John Jay, and Edna Stinson, were married in South Carolina, and their children were born there. They reared the following children: James A., b. 1807, d. ca 1862, m. (1) Rachel Susie Beard (2) Elizabeth A. Stanton (3) Sarah Ray; William A., b. 1810, d. 1846, m.(1) Mary Linsey (2) 1841 Ann Capers McIntyre; Jincy Elizabeth, b. 1811, d. 1885, m. 1840 William G. Craig; David, b. 1813, d. 1878, m. 1838 Martha Ann Everage Hammond; John Stinson, b. 1818, d. 1905, m. (1) Elizabeth Smith (2) 1840 Emilene Perdue; Rachael, b. 1822, m. 1836 Lewis Watson; and Andrew Jackson, b. 1826, d. 1898, m. (1) 1846 Elizabeth Curry (2) 1848 Matilda Watson (3) 1866 Martha A. Dailey.

The youngest son, David Jay, and his wife, Margaret Brown, settled in Conecuh County. Their three children were born in Edgefield District, South Carolina before they made the move to Alabama. Their children were Maragret Martha Madison, b. 1816; Mary, b. 1818; and Andrew b. 1820, d. 1883, m. Caroline Elizabeth Ashley (1825-1898).

John’s oldest son, James A. Jay, and first wife, Rachel Beard, had one daughter, Susannah, b. 1830, d. 1926, m. 1847 Josiah Curry, Jr..

James A. Jay and his second wife, Elizabeth A. Stanton (1812-1852), daughter of John and Mariam (Hester) Stanton, resided in Monroe County and reared the following children: John, b. 1832, m. Martha Hale; William Marion, b. 1835, d. 1897, m. (1) 1865 Rachel Susannah Jay (2) 1870 Joeanne Norris; Elizabeth, b. 1837, d. 1910, m. Absalom Lafayette Stokes (ca 1790-1871); and David, b. ca 1843, d. 1863 in Yankee prison Camp.

James A. Jay and his third wife, Sarah Ray, were married in 1845 in Monroe County. They had the following children: Joseph; Sarah, b. 1847, d. 1926, m. George W. Campbell; Harriet; and James. (There is little known about these children, and family researchers would appreciate hearing from anyone who might have knowledge of them.)

James A. brother, William A. Jay, resided in Conecuh County and was married first to Mary Linsey. Afterwards, he was married in 1841 to Ann Capers McIntyre. They reared the following three children: John Duncan, b. 1842, d. 1921, m. 1866 Susan Jane Benton; David, b. 1844, d. 1863 during war at Ft. Delaware, New Castle, Delaware and was buried at Finns Point New Jersey National Cemetery; and Elizabeth, b. 1845, m. Joseph Graves.

James A.’s sister, Jincy Elizabeth Jay, and her husband, William G. Craig (1806-1855), son of James and Rosannah (Gray) Craig, were married in 1840. They lived in Conecuh County and had the following children: James P., b. 1830, d. 1835; John Fleming, b. 1831, d. 1835; Edna Rosannah, b. 1832, d. 1885, m. Benjamin John Cooper; Ann, b. 1835, d. 1879, m. Daniel Lewis; Cinderella Rebecca, b. 1838, d. 1862, m. Samuel A. McCoy; Talitha Jane, b. 1840, d. 1919, m. John Hester; Rachael L., b. 1843, d. 1859; William Hillary, b. 1844, d. 1935; Robert A., b. 1846, d. 1859; and George M., b. 1848, d. 1915, m. Fannie E. Franklin.

James A.’s brother, David Jay, and his wife, Martha Ann Everage Hammond, daughter of Tempy Everage Hammond, were married in 1838 in Lowndes County. They appear to have made their home and reared their children in Butler County. They had the following children: Rachael Susanna, b. 1845, d. 1870, m. William Marion Jay; Jincy Elizabeth, b. 1847, d. 1910, m. 1867 Sandom Slater; Richard, b. 1849, d. 1860; Amanda, b. 1852, d. 1905, m. James Clayton Wasden; Frances Ann, b. 1857, d. 1928, m. 1877 Henry Morris Wasden; Cinderella, b. 1855, d. 1933, m. 1877 Joseph N. Wasden; John, b. 1859; and Ellen, b. 1863, d. 1947, m. Andrew C. May. At least the last child was born in Santa Rosa County, Florida.

James A.’s brother, John Stinson Jay, and his first wife, Elisabeth Smith, had the following children: Thomas E., b. 1843, d. 1945, m. Mary Elizabeth McDonald (1858-1948); Mary Ann Elizabeth, b. 1847, m. William Isaac Dunn; William Robert, b. 1847; John Stinson Jr., b. 1850; James, b. 1852; Lucinda, b. 1855; and David, b.&d. 1858. John Stinson and his second wife, Emilene Perdue, were married in 1840 in Lowndes County, but they later moved to Butler County where they lived until her death. They had one daughter born there, Martha Jacova, b. 1841, d. 1893, m. 1858 Jonathan S. Gregory.

James A.’s sister, Rachel Jay, was married in 1836 in Wilcox County to Lewis Watson. They reared the following children: Calitha, b. 1850; Marion, b. 1852; Susan, b. 1855; Andrew, b. 1857; and Rachael, b. 1861.

James A.’s youngest brother, Andrew Jackson Jay was married in 1846 in Monroe County to Elizabeth Curry. They had the following two children: Polly Ann, b. 1846; and John M., b. 1848. Andrew and his second wife, Matilda Watson, were married in 1848 in Wilcox County. They had nine children: Edmond, b. 1849; John W., b. 1850; Stenson, b. 1853; Lewis, b. 1857; Robert Jackson, b. 1860; Rachael, b. 1863; and Edna, b. 1865. Andrew and his third wife, Martha A. Dailey, were married in 1866 in Wilcox County. They reared the following six children: Martha Emily, b. 1866; David Jefferson, b. 1868, d. 1958; Joseph E., b. 1870; Edward Lee, b. 1874; Reuben Pruitt, b. 1878; and Thomas Herndon, b. 1880. Andrew eventually returned to his home county of Monroe where he died in 1898.

Also in the same generation is another Andrew Jay, the son of David Jay of Conecuh County. This is the family who built the Jay Villa Plantation near Evergreen. This Andrew was married to Caroline Elizabeth Ashley, and they reared four children; David Jay, b. 1845, d. 1869; Wilson Ashley, b. 1848, d. 1877, m. Annie B. Howard; Andrew, b. 1851, d. 1903, m. Georgia Aurelia Robson; and Mary Margaret Caroline, b. 1857, m. William Henry Robson.

More genealogy of this family will be continued in next week’s column. The source for this writing is the records of Winston Dow Jay, a descendant who resides in Headland, Alabama. Appreciation is expressed to him for sharing his research and family records.

Anyone who might have addition information on this Jay family is requested to contact this writer, Curtis Thomasson, at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-222-6467; or E-mail: cthomasson@centurytel.net.