The Lay Family of Oil City, Pennsylvania

The earliest record of a Lay in Pennsylvania is of the eccentric Benjamin Lay, of Abington. He was born in Colchester, England, and for a time followed the sea. In 1710 he was in Barbadoes, where he witnessed much of the suffering caused by slavery. He was engaged there as a merchant, but soon left in disgust, coming to Pennsylvania and settling at Abington, ten miles from Philadelphia. He was a member of the Society of Friends, and it is said that at one time he was known to every man and woman in Philadelphia, and to nearly every child. He had two hobbies, hatred of slavery and of animal food. Many interesting stories are related of him, and it would seem that he was a thorn in the side of his Quaker brethren, who kept slaves. He is said to have been but four feet in height, and an ancient print of him shows a full beard. He wrote a book against negro slavery that was printed by Dr. Franklin in 1737. He died in February, 1759, aged eighty-two years, at the residence of Joshua Morris, and is buried in the Friends’ burial ground at Abington. There is no mention of his having a family, nor do the records of the Abington monthly meeting bear the name of any other Lay. The census of the United States, taken in 1790, does not disclose the name of any Lay living in Pennsylvania at that date. Histories of York give no one of the name in York township or borough in 1783. Hence the conclusion is irresistible that John Lay, the progenitor of the Lays of Oil City, was a descendant of the Lays of Connecticut, and came to York, Pennsylvania, after the census of 1790 was taken. John was a persistent name in the Connecticut family, and in the absence of any contrary evidence, John of York may safely be considered a descendant of John (1) Lay, of Lyme, Connecticut, who first appeared in (then) Saybrook, later Lyme, in 1648. He had two sons, both named John:

1. John Lay, by a first marriage.
2. John Lay, by a second marriage.

This has led to much conjecture and no little confusion. There were many Johns in each generation, usually bearing a distinctive title, as: “senior,” “junior,” “second,” “third,” etc. There are two branches of the family recognized as having separated from each other in the second American generation. The Lays of New York descend from Robert Lay, of Westbrook, Connecticut, a descendant of one of these two sons of John (1) Lay, named John.

(I) John Lay

The first connected definite record of the progenitors of Charles H. Lay, of Oil City, is of John Lay, who was born on the hillside of the west side of Codorus, and buried in York, Pennsylvania. He was a coppersmith, engaged also in the kindred business of tinsmithing. He married (first). He married (second) a widow, Mrs. Ruby, of German parentage.

Children by his first marriage:

1. Charles Lay, of whom further
2. George Lay
3. Josiah Lay
4. Margaret Lay.

(II) Charles Lay

Charles, son of John Lay, was born in York, Pennsylvania, October 3, 1798, died in California. He continued his residence in York until the year 1822, then moved to Erie, Pennsylvania, where he worked at his trades of coppersmith and tinsmith, which he had learned with his father. In addition to this business he also conducted a general store. In 1832 he contracted and built a one mile section of the French Creek canal and moved his residence to Franklin, Pennsylvania. When his contract was completed he again moved, settling in Pittsburgh, where he was engaged in building engines to be used on the inclines by which canal boats were taken over the Allegheny mountains on the old Pennsylvania canal. Afterward he ran the engine at Incline No. 5 for a year, then moved to Columbia, Pennsylvania. When the railroad was built from Baltimore to York, Pennsylvania, he ran the first engine that passed over it. Later he moved with his family to York, Pennsylvania. In 1849 he joined a party of gold-seekers and went to California, where all trace of him was lost. He left Sacramento with considerable gold on his person, and it is supposed he was attacked by robbers and murdered.

He married, February 18, 1824, Ann Catherine Bartols, born in Baltimore, Maryland, February 6, 1799, of German parentage, died in Columbia, Pennsylvania, August 4, 1842.

Her twin sister Margaret was the mother of:

1. John Randall, of Memphis, Tennessee.

Children of Charles and Ann Catherine (Bartols) Lay:

1. Charles Henry Lay, of whom further.
2. William Lambert Lay, born February 18, 1827, died in Oil City, Pennsylvania, December 10, 1896; he married Harriet Lentz.
3. John Columbus Lay, born September 10, 1829; married Mrs. Eliza Jane Erwin, born in 1837, at Scotch Hill, Clarion county, Pennsylvania.
4. Newton Lay, born January 4, 1832, died at Balize, Honduras, August 24, 1858.
5. Oliver Lay, born February 27, 1835, died at Oil City, Pennsylvania, March 10, 1873.
6. Mary Ann Lay, born March 22, 1838; married, February 12, 1863, Andrew Bunker; children:
   1. Fannie Bunker
   2. Mary Bunker.

(III) Charles Henry Lay

Charles Henry, son of Charles and Ann Catherine (Bartols) Lay, was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, March 18, 1825, died in Oil City, Pennsylvania. He became a manufacturer of printing inks in Philadelphia, with his brother, William L. Lay, and John R. Campbell. Later he moved to Oil City, where he became engaged in the lumber business. He was a man of wealth and influence; a member of the Episcopal church and a Republican in politics. He married, December 23, 1852, Isabel Rogers Campbell, born February 14, 1830, died November 7, 1908, daughter of Alexander and Abby T. (Russell) Campbell (see Tillinghast VII). Children:

1. Charles Hamilton Lay, of whom further.
2. Russell Campbell Lay, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 11, 1855, died in Karns county, Texas, March 27, 1863.
3. William Dennett Lay, born July 31, 1858, in Philadelphia, died there June 15, 1859.
4. William Russell Lay, born in Karns county, Texas, March 18, 1863; married, July 12, 1886, Tirza Leona Hill, born September 3, 1864, in Oil City, Pennsylvania; children:
   1. Margaret Isabel Lay, born May 14, 1887
   2. Frances Trask Lay, November 8, 1889
   3. Joseph Hill Lay, March 12, 1896
   4. Lawrence Campbell Lay, March 23, 1904.
5. Alexander Lay, born in Oil City, Pennsylvania, November 19, 1866, died there June 2, 1867.

(IV) Charles Hamilton Lay

Charles Hamilton, son of Charles Henry and Isabel Rogers (Campbell) Lay, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 14, 1854. He is a resident of Oil City. Prior to the dissolution of the Standard Oil Company he was treasurer of seven subsidiary companies, and at present is treasurer of the National Transit Company. He married, June 6, 1877, in Oil City, Pennsylvania, Alice Gertrude Colling, born in Medford, Minnesota, October 13, 1858, daughter of W. H. Colling. Child:

1. Russell Colling Lay, born January 3, 1879; married Rebecca White, born November 22, 1880; children:
   1. Isabel Priestley Lay, born September 29, 1906
   2. Eleanor Mable Lay, February 9, 1909.

(The Tillinghast Line)

(I) Elder Pardon (3) Tillinghast

Isabel Rogers (Campbell) Lay, wife of Charles Henry Lay, was a direct descendant of Elder Pardon (3) Tillinghast, a soldier under Cromwell, who was born at Seven Cliffs, near Beachy Head, England, in 1622, son of Pardon (2) and Elizabeth Tichbourne Tillinghast. He came to Connecticut in 1646, thence to Providence, Rhode Island, where he was a proprietor in 1665, having been a resident of Newport in 1663. In 1681, and for many years, he was minister and elder of the First Baptist Church of Providence. In 1711 he gave to the church a deed of the meeting house and lot. He was a cooper and engaged in commerce and storekeeping, owning a storehouse and wharf. He was a deputy to the general court, 1672-80-90-94-96-97. He was overseer of the poor in 1687 and for seventeen years member of the town council, his service being almost continuous. Morgan Edwards asserts that he was remarkable for his plainness and piety. In deeding his property to the church he stated the consideration as “The Christian love good will and affection, which I bear to the Church of Christ in Providence which I am in fellowship with and have the care of, as being Elder of the said Church.” His will was proved February 17, 1718. He was buried in his own lot at the south end of the town of Providence.

He married (first) Butterworth. He married (second) April 16, 1664, Lydia, died 1718, daughter of Philip and Lydia (Masters) Taber.

Children (the first three by the first marriage, the remaining nine by the second):

1. Sarah Tillinghast, died young.
2. John Tillinghast, a deputy in 1690.
3. Mary Tillinghast, married Benjamin Carpenter.
4. Lydia Tillinghast, married John Audley.
5. Pardon Tillinghast, of whom further.
6. Philip Tillinghast, a merchant, in 1690 a soldier in the expedition against Canada, justice of the peace, for twelve years deputy and at the same time member of the town council; his estate inventoried five thousand pounds, a very large fortune for his day; married Martha Thomas, who bore him fifteen children.
7. Benjamin Tillinghast, also a merchant; married Sarah Rhodes and left an estate almost as large as his brother Philip.
8. Abigail Tillinghast, married Nicholas Sheldon.
9. Joseph Tillinghast, a merchant; married (first) Freelove Stafford, (second) Mary Hendon.
10. Mercy Tillinghast, married Nicholas Power.
11. Hannah Tillinghast, married John Hale.
12. Elizabeth Tillinghast, married Philip Taber.

(II) Pardon (4) Tillinghast

Pardon (4), son of Elder Pardon (3) and Lydia (Taber) Tillinghast, was born in Providence, Rhode Island, February 16, 1668, died in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, 1743. He was a deputy in 1702-04-06-08-14-19-20-22-25. From 1705 to 1710 he was justice of the peace. He left an estate of three thousand pounds; to the Baptist church he left twenty-five pounds “Towards defraying the necessary charge in spreading the Gospel.” He married (first) Mary Keech. He married (second) March 25, 1699, Sarah Ayers.

Children (Mary, Philip, John, Joseph and Mercy by the first marriage; Pardon by the second):

1. Mary Tillinghast
2. Philip Tillinghast
3. John Tillinghast
4. Joseph Tillinghast
5. Mercy Tillinghast
6. Pardon Tillinghast, of whom further.

(III) Pardon (5) Tillinghast

Pardon (5), son of Pardon (4) and Sarah (Ayers) Tillinghast, was born at East Greenwich, Rhode Island. He married Avis, daughter of Benjamin and Avis Norton. Children:

1. Pardon Tillinghast, of whom further
2. William Tillinghast, married Sarah Holmes
3. Martha Tillinghast, married Benjamin Slucum
4. Avis Tillinghast, married James Carpenter.

(IV) Pardon (6) Tillinghast

Pardon (6), son of Pardon (5) and Avis (Norton) Tillinghast, married Abigail, daughter of John and Isabel Rogers. Children:

1. Mary Tillinghast, married John B. Mumford
2. Abby Tillinghast, married Rev. Caleb Greene, a minister of the Baptist church
3. Martha Tillinghast, of whom further
4. Pardon Tillinghast, married Elizabeth
5. William Tillinghast, married Elizabeth Champlin
6. John Tillinghast, married Mary Ann Sanford.

(V) Martha Tillinghast

Martha, daughter of Pardon (6) and Abigail (Rogers) Tillinghast, married Charles Russell, of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Children:

1. Mary Russell, died July 26, 1862, married Dr. Peter Van O’Linda
2. Martha Russell, died November 15, 1845, married James Allen
3. John Somer Russell
4. Abby Russell, of whom further.

(VI) Abby Russell

Abby, daughter of Charles and Martha (Tillinghast) Russell, was born May 5, 1799, died December 29, 1833. She married Alexander Campbell. Child:

1. Isabel Rogers Campbell.

(VII) Isabel Rogers Campbell

Isabel Rogers, daughter of Alexander and Abby (Russell) Campbell, married Charles Henry Lay (see Lay III).

See: Genealogy of the Allegheny Valley Pennsylvania

Source

Jordan, J. W. 1840-1921. (1913). Genealogical and personal history of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania. New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co.

This genealogy is based upon the source cited above. Only the structure and formatting have been changed for clearer presentation; the genealogical and biographical content has been preserved.