Bios: WILLIAM BAY: Lawrence County, Pennsylvania

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  Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lawrence Co transcribers.
  Coordinated by Ed McClelland

  Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
  
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  Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
  Lawrence County Pennsylvania
  Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
  
  An html version with search engine may be found at 
  
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/lawrence/1897/
  
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    WILLIAM BAY,
    
    [p. 528] an honored resident of Neshannock township, where he is engaged in
  the pursuits of agriculture, was born on the farm which he now owns and
  operates, March 8, 1826. He is the grandson of William V. Bay, and son of
  Margaret Bay.
    
    William V. Bay, who was a native of Washington Co., Pa., came to what is
  now Lawrence County, but then known, as a portion of Mercer County, and
  settled on the banks of the Shenango River in Neshannock township as early as
  1804, being then thirty years of age. Later on, in 1818, be purchased the farm
  now owned bv his grandson, the subject of this brief history. He served as a
  private through the War of 1812. He married Dorcas Johnson, a native of
  Maryland, and to them were born six daughters and one son, as follows:
  Charlotte, who married Robert Thompson of Neshannock township; Comfort, who
  married Adam Shoaff of Neshannock township, their children being named: Lot,
  William, Tibatha, George S., Charles, P., James, Nancy, George, and Smith,
  last four deceased; Elizabeth, who married Robert Thompson of Neshannock
  township, a nephew of the Robert Thompson mentioned abovetheir children
  were, Nancy J., Eliza, William T., T. Mehard, and Charles; Margaret, the
  mother of our subject, who married Alonzo Hosier of Neshannock township, whom
  she bore one child, Chauncey; Sarah, who married Thomas Lindsey of Neshannock
  township, and they have one child living, Lilly Anne; Nancy, who married John
  Thompson of Neshannock township, and has three childrenJane A., deceased,
  Robert S. and Sarah; Thomas F., who married Nancy Wilson of Beaver County,
  and has twelve childrenHillery W., Hugh P. W., Charlotte, Christina, Mary
  A., Dorcas, Kate P., James E., who died when confined as a prisoner of war in
  Andersonville Prison, James, who died in infancy, Harriet, Isabella W., and
  Amanda. Our subject's grandparents were United Presbyterians, and his
  grandfather was a sturdy Whig in political convictions. He died in 1853, and
  his wife followed him five years later, when aged eighty-four years.
    
    The first thirty-eight years of our subject's life were spent in acquiring
  an education, and then in work on the home farm; on Jan. 5, 1864, he enlisted
  in Co. H, 100th Reg. Pa. Vol. Inf., under Capt. Lee Morrow and Col. Leasure,
  and remained in the service eighteen months and twenty days, being discharged
  by general order at the cessation of hostilities, and complete overthrow of
  the rebels. He then returned to the old homestead in Neshannock township,
  where he has remained ever since with the exception of five years. At first a
  Whig, he easily drifted into the Republican ranks, and is now included among
  that party's stanchest supporters in the township; he has been constable,
  overseer of the poor, and has also held the county office of jury
  commissioner for the full term of three years.
    
    He has twice taken upon himself the marriage vows. His first wife, whom he
  married in 1860, was Nancy McCracken of Scott township, and by their union
  two children were born, one of whom died in infancy. The survivor, Nancy,
  married Charles W. Cox of East Lackawannock township, Mercer Co., Pa., and
  has three children: Jessie, Lulu, and Olive. His second marriage was with
  Mary Marks of Greenville, Pa., in 1870, and one child resulted from this
  marriage, Elizabeth Iona. Mr. Bay is a United Presbyterian in respect to his
  church membership and attendance. He has a fine dwelling, good barns and
  out-houses, a choice assortment of farming implements and accessories, and
  everything necessary for the carrying on of agriculture in a first-class
  manner. He is one of the leading men of the county, and has contributed his
  share toward its progress and development. The Bay family have held an annual
  reunion ever since 1872.