Transcribed by Janette West Grimes

November 25, 1954

* CAL’S COLUMN *

( Continued from last week)

married at Manchester, Tenn. on August 17, 1848. She died at Manchester, but we have no date. Wm. Yoakum, born in Leavenworth, Kansas, July 28, 1840, married Caroline McBride. G. W. McBride baptized Henry Cousen Pearson at Linden, Tenn. on Sept. 23, 1883. It would appear that G. W. McBride was a Methodist minister about three fourths of a century ago here in Tennessee, for we find one other record of his baptism, that of Archibald Pearson on April 5, 1885 in Knox County, Tennessee. On December 2, 1818, John McBride married Susan Cline.

We have some more McBride information, but we are pressed for time and will have to wait till a later date to get the additional information together.

PEAY FAMILY GENEALOGY

By Edward Manley

The Butler County, Ky. Peay families descended from three brothers, namely, David W., Newman Mitchell and it is believed Joseph, Jr., sons of Joseph, Sr., born in South Carolina. Joseph Peay, Sr. removed to Coffee Co., Tennessee early. It is a tradition that Joseph, Sr. was a son of John Peay, native of Ireland, and the earliest ancestor. This has not been proven, also the wife of Joseph, Sr. was supposed to have been a Miss Hunt, native of Cincinnati, Ohio. John Peay was supposed to have been in the War of 1812.

The first census of the United States, 1790, had three male Peays listed, each as head of the house, namely, Austin, Nicholas, and George. They were censused in Fairfield County, S. C. The wills of the three are recorded in South Carolina.

The 1850 census was the first one to name wives, children, ages, and etc. where previous censuses recorded the name of the head of the house, the number of males and females and slaves. The 1850 census of Coffee Co., Tenn. listed the name of the two brothers, David W. and Newman Mitchell Peay, with their families. David, the older brother, was born in South Carolina, aged 40 as of 1850, and David had married Ellender Kats in Coffee Co., Tenn., 1841. By the 1850 census, they had six children, namely Lucil [male], Rebecca, Sarah J., Roseanna, and Andrew J., and Napoleon Bonaparte, ages ranging from 8 years to six months. By 1860 census, David W. Peay was residing in Butler Co., Ky. and censused in Berry's Lick community and five more children had been born, namely William F., George E., John W., David E., and James M. The 1870 census added one more birth, a child named Grant, making a total of 12 children.

Newman Mitchell Peay, the younger brother of David W., was censused in Coffee Co., Tenn. in 1850. Sometime before removing to Butler County, Ky., 1852. He was a Baptist clergyman and a Captain in the Civil War, Co. D., 11th Ky. Inf. [Federal Army]. He died in 1884 and his wife died in 1900, both buried on the home farm in the family cemetery. The farm is near the headwaters of Grassy Lick Creek, near Dimple. The old log house nearly one century old still stands and the hand-hewn logs are in good condition. The wife of Newman Mitchell Peay was Mary Catherine Henry, daughter of Isaac Henry. Mary was born October 30, 1813, in Tennessee. Isaac Henry's age appears to be 72 in the census of Coffee County, Tennessee, 1850 and his birth state given as North Carolina. It is another tradition that Mary Catherine Henry was a niece of Patrick Henry.

The ten children of Newman Mitchell and Catherine [Henry] Peay were, namely, Saphronia C., Joseph Henderson, George H., Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Elizabeth E., Elmira Victoria, Amanda P., Ezekiel Emerson and Berry Mitchell Peay. The last named child was born in Butler Co., Ky. The others in Tennessee.

Date on the ten children of Newman Mitchell Peay follows: Saphronia C. married Sutton E. Belcher of Butler; Joseph Henderson Peay married Eliza Jane Tabitha Hood, daughter of Jarret, native of Virginia who settled in Butler; George H. Peay remained single, served in 62nd Ky. Cav., then removed to Cherokee Co., Kansas, later being found murdered on his farm; Thomas Jefferson Peay married Mary Alice Hunt, daughter of John and Anna [Jenkins] Hunt, pioneers of Huntsville; James M. Peay served in 12th Ky. Inf., remained single and was found dead on a road and is buried in Madisonville death believed to be caused from a heart ailment; Elizabeth E. Peay remained a spinster and died at the age of 91, Butler Co., Ky., Elmira called "Mira" married Zach J. Mathis; Ezekiel Emerson Peay married Miss Belle Whitaker, daughter of Christopher and Nancy of Butler, Berry Mitchell Peay married Miss Asberry McCoy, daughter of Patton and Eliza, of Butler Co., Ky.

This writer is more familiar with the descendants of Thomas Jefferson Peay [son of Newman Mitchel] than any other of the Peay families. Thomas Jefferson Peay married Mary Alice Hunt, a younger sister of my grandmother, Sallie Ann Hunt, born 1836, Huntsville. Thomas Jefferson Peay was the rover of the Peay descendants, continually moving from county to county in Missouri, including Caldwell, Christian, Green, and Newton counties, also Cherokee County, Kansas. He was a private in the 11th Ky. Inf. [Federal Army] discharged in 1862 after measles impaired his health; taught in Ky. and Missouri common schools, married July 9, 1865 in Butler Co., Ky. the Rev. Moses Zebulon Fortner officiating in the home of Jasper Newton Long.

Thomas Jefferson and his wife, Mary Alice Hunt, were the parents of 11 children, namely, Vida Ophelia Clifford, Bertha Gertrude, Minnie Letitia, Theresa May, Birdie Lulu, Wilbur Doane, Anna Maud, Wayne Clay, Homer and Charles Peay. The first three children, born in the 1860's, were with their mother visiting in Huntsville in Jan. 1873 when diptheria caused the deaths of the three children within one week. Theresa died in 1874 and the seven remaining children are living. Minnie, 83 in December 1953, resided in Ash Grove, Green Co., Missouri; Birdie in California; Wilbur Doane in Calvin, Okla; Anna Maude in Muscatine, Iowa; Wayne in Washington Co., Okla; Homer in Oklahoma; and Claude in Tulsa, Okla.

Joseph Peay believed to be the third brother and his wife, Elizabeth H. A. were censused in Butler Co., Ky. in 1860. Their children were Wm. D.; Elizabeth Victoria, Thomas Powell Wand Peay. By the 1870 census, daughter Rhoda had been born and Joseph, the father, had died. I have the 1850, '60, '70, and '80 censuses of the Peay families for Butler Co., Ky. and also their married children who remained in Butler.

Austin Peay, former Governor of Tennessee, was distantly related to these Peay families mentioned.

J. M. Peay, for many years a Baptist minister in Muhlenberg County and neighboring counties, was born in 1832, Bedford County, Tennessee, and related. His two wives were Elizabeth Chapman and Laura Batsel. The History of the Hazel Creek Church, Muhlenberg County, published during a biography of this Elder J. M. Peay. In the 1870 census, his children were James H., Ellis, Nannie, Sallie, Maggie, and Jennie. Perhaps others were born later. The son, James H. became a prominent minister in Arkansas. Elder J. M. Peay preached a sermon at the New Hope Church, Muhlenberg County, July 5, 1863. The sermon impressed the congregation and he was urged to publish the same. J. G. Ford, printer for the Green River Baptist Association in Hartford, Ohio County, published the same in 1864.

In the 1860 census of Ohio Co., Ky., there was listed a William Peay, aged 48, born in Tennessee, and his wife, Jemima, and their children, namely: Rhoda, Sarah, Richard D., Susan, and Wm. A. J. Peay.

James Robert Peay, aged 75, and a resident of Innis [Ennis] Muhlenberg County, whose death occurred in Oct. 1954 was a son of Lecil and Martha and a grandson of David W. and Ellender [Katz] Peay; and a great grandson of Joseph Peay, Sr.

Ada [Peay] Gidcumb, who died in Butler Co., Ky. in May 1951, was the wife of Ira Gidcomb. Ada was a daughter of Barry Mitchell Peay, grand-daughter of Newman Mitchell Peay and a great-granddaughter of Joseph Peay, Sr. Ada's survivors were: Sons, Spurgeon and Moody and one daughter, Mrs. James E. Dotson.

Aubrey Peay of Huntsville [and Gus] is a son of Lonnie, grandson of George E. Peay, great-grandson of David W., great-great-grandson of Joseph, Sr.

Berry Mitchell Peay [son of Newman Mitchell Peay] and his wife, Asberry McCoy were the parents of: Everet B. James Crofford, Walter C., Ada, Gertrude C., Artie Newman and Aubrey Peay.

A Peay family story repeated often years ago in Kentucky was on the humerous side. The Peay families were usually large and it was a struggle for an family [regardless whose family] to get by during certain hard times known in parts of Kentucky. In one Peay family the children were born often and a kindly neighbor decided to ask the other neighbors to do a bit of charity work for one Peay family to tide them over temporarily.The kind solicitor asked one neighbor lady to donate as another Peay child was to be born shortly to the already large family. The neighbor is quoted as refusing and stating that this Peay family should not have any more children. The kindly solicitor explained that it was God's will that another child was to be born and quoted a passage from the Bible that the Lord expected people to marry and replenish the earth. The answer from the irritable neighbor was "Yes" but the Lord did not say to sprinkle the earth with Peays."

It cannot be denied that the Peay descendants can be proud of their ancestors. Many clergyman were among the descendants. Any Peay family record is solicited to file with other records especially descendants willing to leave their records for posterity.

Edward Manley

448 West 64th St.

Los Angeles 3, Cal.

The above interesting letter is copied from the Green River Republican, J. Guy Cook's paper, published at Morgantown, Butler Co., Ky. The editor of Cal's Column gives credit to the publication of our former employee and still our friend of several years standing. We have a little information on the Peay family. It is as follows: Buried in the Old City Cemetery of Nashville is Sarah E. Peay born Jan. 19, 1823; died Sept. 4, 1868, daughter of Sam and Mary Winfred, Buckingham County, Va. In the Bascom Cemetery near Verville, Tennessee are buried: T. T. Peay born in Williamson Co., Tenn. Feb. 29, 1812; died Oct. 3, 1895. Nancy, wife of T. T. Sept. 8, 1823; died Sept. 15, 1850. The children of T. T. by his first wife were: Mary, born March 6, 1837; Martha, born Sept. 30, 1839, married to Dr. T. K. Bostick, Sept. 2, 1857; Nannie, born Oct. 5, 1842, married T. B. Fultz, May 31, 1868. T. T. Peay and his first wife were evidently separated for we find a daughter, Pauline, born by the second marriage March 16, 1847. The first wife, whose name was Nancy, died as above given on Sept. 15, 1850. Other children by the second wife were: Alice, date of birth not given; Emma, born Aug. 31, 1855, and married J. W. Paty Dec. 19, 1876; Tommie, born Aug. 14, 1858, and married J. W. Sanders May 5, 1886. Alton Peay was born April 20, 1863 and married Alice Tarrant in November 1888. The children of Maggie Peay Sanders and her husband were: Herbert, Howell, Sara, Mildred, Aultman, Madeline, and Woodie. These records are taken from a Bible that formerly belonged to Mrs. Sanders.

Rev. John M. Peay was born in Rutherford Co., Tennessee May 19, 1832. He removed to Ky. in his youth. After attending the common schools, he finished his education under Rev. J. S. Coleman at Beaver Dam, Ohio Co., Ky. He united with Sandy Creek Baptist church in 1853, was licensed to preach in 1854, and was ordained at Beaver Dam in 1857. In 1858 he took charge of the Baptist Church at South Carrollton where he still labors. He has been pastor of three other churches most of the time since he was ordained. He is a powerful and practical preacher, and has been a very successful pastor. He is a vigorous writer and has published several works, which have met with popular favor. He is also senior editor of the Student, ans educational journal, published in South Carrollton.

Rev. Richard Dawson Peay, A. M., is a brother of John M. Peay. He was born in Coffee County, Tenn. Nov. 10, 1846. He was baptized into the fellowship of Green River Baptist church in Ohio County, Ky. in 1864. He entered Bethel College in 1866, graduated with the honor of his class in 1871, was ordained at South Carollton in 1872, and immediately took pastoral care of Portland Avenue Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky. After remaining three years in Louisville, he accepted a call to the church in Henderson, Ky. In 1879, he became the principal of the high school in Henderson, meanwhile preaching on the Lord's day to the church at that place.

The above sketches of the Members of the Peay family are taken from William Cathcart's Baptist Encyclopedia, which was published in 1881, when both ministers were still alive.