Census Information on Emily Gay and Lavinia Gay Stevens
and her sister, Lavinia Gay Stevens. I was particularly interested in this because of statements from two sources saying that Emily Gay's sister had married Jonathan Walker, "the man with the branded hand." Walker was the subject of a poem by John Greenleaf Whittier. (Click here for more about that.) However, nothing I could find on Walker indicated that that could be true. What John found also indicates that there is almost certainly no truth to the story. Dan, For your interest, just some info On Emily Gay and her family. Everything indicates that Emily had a sister Lavina and they were both born in Dedham, but I could not find birth records on line to prove it. There was a record of Lavina’s marriage in Andover to a Moses Stevens. From the 1850 census Lavina was living in Andover and in 1870 she was living in Milford. On the actual census, which is below, in the column titled “ family numbered in the order of visitation “ she was actually living next to her sister Emily. Never found a Death notice for Lavina, she may have died in another state?? From page 764, Adin Ballou’s “History of the Town of Milford” Emily Gay, Daughter of Jotham and Lydia (Richards) Gay, Born July 10, 1818 Dedham, MA Homoeopathic Physician, Single, Became a member of the Hopedale Community in 1842 and withdrew in 1862. (From a paper I had she was listed as an original member of the Hopedale Community) 1813 Marriage Intention Mr. Jotham Gay & Miss Lydia Richards, both of Dedham, April 24, 1813. Town Page Detail: Dedham Church Marriage May 23, 1813 Mr. Jotham Gay & Miss Lydia Richards, both of Dedham. Town Page Detail: Dedham Church Death Lydia Gay Born 27 Mch 1795 Died 6 Jany 1820 A25y Wife of Jothan Daughter Abiathar Jr. & Elizabeth (Richards) Richards Cemetery Transcription Dedham, Massachusetts Death Gay Jothan Born 16 Apr 1791 Died 17 May 1848 A57y Cemetery Transcription Dedham, Massachusetts Death; Vol. 348, Page 426, Milford, MA From Death Record; Emily Gay, Physician, Died May 14, 1883 Milford, Age 64-10-4; Cause of Death; Accident Born Dedham, MA, Daughter of Jotham and Lydia (Richards) Gay New England Historical Genealogy Society Records Will; Emily Gay, 1883, Worcester, MA, Case # 2229, Last place of residence Milford Gay: Lavina R., of Dedham, a. 32 y., d. Jotham and Lydia, and Moses A. Stevens, widr., a. 40 y., machinist, s. Joel and Olive, Sept. 6, 1848. Married at Andover, MA Page 147 and Page 315 of Andover Marriages Massachusetts Town Marriage Records about Moses A. Stevens Name: Moses A. Stevens Spouse: Lavina R. Gay Marriage Date: 6 Sep 1848 Marriage Place: Andover Source: Vital Records of Andover Full Text: STEVENS, Moses A., widr., a. 40 y., machinist, s. Joel and Olive, and Lavina R. Gay of Dedham, a. 32 y., d. Jotham and Lydia, Sept. 6, 1848. 1870 United States Federal Census about Emily Gay Name: Emily Gay Birth Year: abt 1820 Age in 1870: 50 Birthplace: Massachusetts Home in 1870: Milford, Worcester, Massachusetts Race: White Gender: Female Value of real estate: View image Post Office: Mendon Household Members: Name Age Emily Gay 50 1880 United States Federal Census about Emily Gay Name: Emily Gay Home in 1880: Milford, Worcester, Massachusetts Age: 61 Estimated birth year: abt 1819 Birthplace: Massachusetts Relation to head-of-household: Self (Head) Father's birthplace: Massachusetts Mother's birthplace: Massachusetts Occupation: Keeping House Marital Status: Single, White, Female 1850 United States Federal Census about Moses A Stevens Name: Moses A Stevens Age: 42 Estimated birth year: abt 1808 Birth Place: Maine Gender: Male Home in 1850 (City,County,State): Andover, Essex, Massachusetts Family Number: 730 Household Members: Name Age Moses A Stevens 42 Charlotte E Stevens 12 Geor W Stevens 10 Harriet S Stevens 6 Lavina R Stevens 35 1870 United States Federal Census about Lavinia R Stevens Name: Lavinia R Stevens Birth Year: abt 1817 Age in 1870: 53 Birthplace: Massachusetts Home in 1870: Milford, Worcester, Massachusetts Race: White Gender: Female Value of real estate: Post Office: Mendon Household Members: Name Age Lavinia R Stevens (Name Spelled Lavinia and Lavina) 53 Harriet L Stevens, Daughter, no occupation 26 Susan M Hastings, Teacher 29 **See actual census page below Line 16 Stevens, Lavinia R., Age 53, Keeping House Line 19 Gay, Emily, Age 50, Homeopathic Physician Hopedale Community Menu HOME |
dressed in her bloomer costume, whose only justification was its convenience, carrying her little medicine chest, hurrying along with her swinging arms and gait, doubtless reaching her patient's side in good time, even if a runabout had not been heard of." Imogene Mascroft, Hopedale Reminiscences GAY, Emily, dr. of Jotham and Lydia (Richards) Gay, b. Dedham, July 10, 1818; homoeopathic physician; has always lived a single woman; became a member of the Hopedale Community in 1842, and withdrew in 1862; has res. many yrs. at Hopedale, and still does. She has earnestly endeavored to make herself useful in her vocation, and rendered many good services to suffering humanity. She has survived much sickness and adversity, but still bears up hopefully for this life and the spiritual one of eternity. Ballou, Adin, History of Milford, 1882, pp.764 – 765. |
Emily Gay
This ad ran for years in the Practical Christian. |
Richard Walker may have been the man who was confused with "the man with the branded hand," mentioned in the first paragraph in the census information text box above. Another possibility would be Samuel Walker. |