Gazlay Family History
 

FamilyLydia D. Davis

Parents

FatherSamuel Davis ( - )
MotherSarah ‘Sally’ Ball ( - )

Personal Information

Record Created: 26 September 2011; Last Edited: 8 October 2022 
Person ID3116
NameLydia D. Davis
GenderFemale
Born 20 August 1823 in Erie County, Pennsylvania1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Married ca. 1850 in New York to Dickinson Gazlay2, 12
Died 9 June 1913 in Buffalo, Erie County, New York1, 12
Buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo, Erie County, New York1

Biography

Lydia’s obituary provides details of her life:12

OBITUARY.

Lydia D. Gazlay.

Yesterday afternoon Mrs. Lydia D. Gazlay died in her 90th year at her home, No. 136 Bird Avenue. Her recollection went back to the days when horse cars ran from Black Rock to Buffalo along the towpath and when the first New York Central trains ran along Niagara street to the Falls from the Black Rock station, then at Auburn avenue and Niagara street.

Mrs. Gazlay was born in Erie county, Pa., on August 20, 1823, and came in 1844 to Black Rock where she lived on Niagara street near Bird avenue. In 1885 she united with the Riverside Methodist Episcopal church, then on Dearborn street, and at the time of her death was its oldest member. In Civil War times she was an active worker in the Christian and sanitary commissions, when each church formed committees to provide boxes of food, clothing and other comforts for soldiers. In the years following the war, when union fairs were given by Methodist Episcopal churches to raise funds for aiding weaker congregations, Mrs. Gazlay represented Riverside. The last time she engages in public service was in October, 1871, when she worked vigorously for an entertainment given by the Y.M.C.A. for the sufferers in the Chicago fire. Her interest in religious activities is shared by other members of her family. One nephew, the Reverend William O. Stunts, Ph.D., sailing the last day of June for missionary work in Peru, and another nephew, Bishop Homer C. Stunts, being Methodist Episcopal bishop of South America.

Mrs. Gazlay was the widow of Dickinson Gazlay and the mother of Mrs. Ellen G. Ryerson and the late Richard D. Gazlay and the grandmother of Mrs. William Hipkiss, Elsie Ryerson Gazlay, Mrs. May G. Harris and Mrs. John J. Stickles. The funeral will be held from her home on Wednesday afternoon.

Person/Family

Spouse 1FamilyDickinson Gazlay (son of William C. Gazlay and Patty Dickinson)
Born 1817 in Onondaga County, New York
Married ca. 1850 in New York to Lydia D. Davis
Died 17 December 1897 in Buffalo, Erie County, New York
  
Children of Lydia D. Davis and Dickinson Gazlay:
  
1.FamilyEllen I. Gazlay
Born 25 July 1850 in Erie County, New York
Married 5 February 1874 to George Woolsey Ryerson
Died 1 October 1925 in Seattle, King County, Washington
  
+2.FamilyRichard Gazlay
Born 1853 in Erie County, New York
Married to Ellen Jane Hill
Died 21 January 1884 in Buffalo, Erie County, New York
  

Sources

  1. Find a Grave (website). Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo, Erie County, New York, Lydia D. Davis Gazlay, born: 20 August 1823 in Erie County, Pennsylvania; died: 9 June 1913 in Erie County, New York (from record, which provides the names and links for her parents, siblings, husband, and two children).
  2. U.S. Federal Census, 1850, New York, Erie County, Black Rock, family of Dickson Gazley (32, NY); Lydia Gazley (27, PA). The Census indicates they were married within the year.
  3. New York State Census, 1855, Erie County, Buffalo, 11th Ward, family of Dickenson Gazley (38, Orleans, harness maker); wife Lydia Gazley (31, Penn); child Helen I. Gazley (4, Erie); child Richard Gazley (1, Erie).
  4. U.S. Federal Census, 1860, New York, Erie County, Buffalo City, Page No. 51, family of Dickerson Gasley (42, NY, c____ capt); Lydia Gasley (26, Pa.) [her age is low by 10 years compared to other records]; Ellen I. Gasley (9, NY); Richard Gasley (6, NY); Elizabeth Perrin (35, Novascotia, servant).
  5. New York State Census, 1865, Erie County, City of Buffalo, 2nd ED, 11th Ward, Page 16, family of Dickinson Gazlay (48, Onandaga, ??); wife Lydia Gazlay (41, Penna, 2 children); child Ellen Gazlay (14, Erie); child Richard Gazlay (11, Erie); servant Susan Hooper (65, Renslier).
  6. U.S. Federal Census, 1870, New York, Erie County, Buffalo, Page No. 136, family of Dickinson Gazlay (53, N.York, forwarding ___); Lydia Gazlay (47, Penn.); Ella Gazlay (20, N.York); Richd Gazlay (16, N.York).
  7. U.S. Federal Census, 1880, New York, Erie County, Buffalo, Enumeration District 167, Page No. 38B; family of Dickinson Gazley (63, New York, bridge tender); wife Meledia D. Gazley (56, Pa.); border Charlotte Underhill (63, New York, widow).
  8. New York State Census, 1892, Erie County, Buffalo, 5th ED, 22nd Ward, Page 3; family of Richard [sic, Dickinson] Gazley (74, retired); wife Lydia Gazley (68); Ellen G. Ryson (41, school t.); lydia Gazley Jr. (16, housek); Elsie R. Gazley (14).
  9. U.S. Federal Census, 1900, New York, Erie County, Buffalo City, Enumeration District 187, Sheet No. 1A; family of Lydia D. Gazlay (76, Pennsylvania, Aug 1823, widow, 2 children, 1 living); daughter Ellen G. Ryerson (49, New York, July 1850, school teacher, widow, 1 child, 1 living); grand daughter Elsie R. Gazlay (23, New York, May 1877, school teacher); border, sister Sylvia D. Rogers (73, Ohio, Feb 1827, widow, 1 child, 1 living); servant Elizabeth E. Rexinger (24, Canada, July 1875, immigrated 1888).
  10. New York State Census, 1905, Erie County, Buffalo, Fifth Ed, Ward 22nd, Page 3; family of Lydia D. Gazlay (81); sister Sylvia D. Rogers (78); daughter Ellen G. Ryerson (54, teacher); grand daughter Elsie R. Gazlay (28, teacher).
  11. U.S. Federal Census, 1910, New York, Erie County, Buffalo City, Enumeration District 181, Sheet No. 8B; family of Lydia Gazlay (86, Pennsylvania, widow, 2 children, 1 living); daughter Ellen G. Ryerson (59, New York, teacher, high school, widow, no children); sister Silvia Rogers (83, Ohio, widow, 1 child, no children); grand daughter Elsie R. Gazlay (32, New York, teacher, city school); border Alice G. Conally (43, New York, stenographer, shop).
  12. Obituary, Buffalo Morning Express, Buffalo, New York. Available at fultionhistory.com. 10 June 1913, Lydia D. Gazlay, died on 9 June 1913. The article provides vital and biographical details, and names of her late husband, son, and surviving daughter and grandchildren.