Gazlay Family History
David Montross Gazlay
DIRECT DESCENDANT OF JOHN GAZLAY (from England c.1715)
David Montross Gazlay6 (Charles Gazlay,5 Aaron Gazlay,4 John Gazlay,3 John Gazlay,2 John Gazlay1)
David Montross Gazlay6 (Charles Gazlay,5 Aaron Gazlay,4 John Gazlay,3 John Gazlay,2 John Gazlay1)
Parents
| Father | Charles M. Gazlay (ca. 1815 - before 1880) |
| Mother | Martha Ann _____ (ca. September 1820 - 23 February 1909) |
Personal Information
| Record Created: 7 December 2013; Last Edited: 3 February 2022 |
| Person ID | 6171 |
| Name | David Montross Gazlay |
| Gender | Male |
| Born | 17 September 1835 in New York1, 2, 3, 4 |
| Married | 4 November 1858 in New York, New York to Anna Sophia _____5 |
| Married | 22 April 1861 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California to Mary Jane Shepherd6 |
| Married | to Mary Malvina Jennings2 |
| Died | 31 May 1895 in Nassau, Rensselaer County, New York4, 7 |
| Buried | in Hillside Cemetery, Stephentown, Rensselaer County, New York4 |
Biography
David Montross Gazlay led a fascinating life—publisher, printer, restaurateur, patriot, husband, father—and died at the early age of 59 years. He left a legacy of innovation in advertising in city directories. David published several noteworthy directories, periodicals, and other publications, and he played a key role in California’s decision to align with the Union on the brink of the Civil War. David left only one natural descendant who lived to adulthood, a daughter, and no natural grandchildren; his two adopted daughters both grew to adulthood and had descendants, some to present day.
A detailed biographical sketch is presented here: David Montross Gazlay
Person/Family
| Spouse 1 |  Anna Sophia _____ |
| Born | ca. 1835 |
| Married | to David Masterton |
| Married | 4 November 1858 in New York, New York to David Montross Gazlay |
| Died | 29 October 1859 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California |
| Children | of David Montross Gazlay and Anna Sophia _____: |
| 1. | Anna Sophia Gazlay |
| Born | 27 October 1859 |
| Died | 7 November 1859 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California |
| Spouse 2 | Mary Jane Shepherd (daughter of John Shepherd and Sarah Davis) |
| Born | ca. 1829 in England |
| Married | ca. 1849 to John William Bowker |
| Married | 22 April 1861 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California to David Montross Gazlay |
| Died | 27 February 1864 in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York |
| Spouse 3 | Mary Malvina Jennings |
| Born | ca. 1845 in New York |
| Married | to David Montross Gazlay |
| Died | 4 September 1921 in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York |
| Children | of David Montross Gazlay and Mary Malvina Jennings: |
| 1. | David Montross Gazlay, Jr. |
| Born | ca. October 1865 in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York |
| Died | 2 May 1873 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania |
| 2. | Carrie Augusta Gazlay |
| Born | 13 March 1867 in Manhattan, New York City, New York |
| Married | 25 February 1885 in Kings County, New York to Samuel James Hamilton |
| Died | 8 September 1921 in Albany, Albany County, New York |
Sources
- U.S. Federal Census, 1850, New York, Chenango County, Town of New Berlin, page 150, family of Abigail Gazlay, 68 NY; Charles Gazlay, 35, NY, pedlar; David M. Gazlay, 13, NY; Mary C. Gazlay, 8, NY. Relationships are not indicated but Charles is probably the son of Abigail (who is probably the widow of Aaron Gazlay).
- U.S. Federal Census, 1870, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, District No. 30, Page No. 15, family of David Gaylay [sic] (30); Mary Gaylay (25); Carrie (1); Monte (5).
- New York State Census, 1892, Kings County, Brooklyn, 8th Election District, Eleventh Ward, Page 3, David M. Gazlay (56, US, retired); Marey [sic] M. Gazlay (34, US). [Either Mary’s age is low by over 10 years, or this is a different person than David’s third wife.]
- Stephentown Genealogy, Hillside Cemetery, Gazley, D. M., born 9/17/1835; died: 5/31/1892; Inscription: “Erected by Nassau Council No. 22 of the A.P.A.” [sic, his gravestone show the year of death as 1895, and the word “Friend” precedes his name at the top of the gravestone; based on a photograph provided by Adine Wakefield, December 2010.]
- Marriage Records, Methodist Episcopal Church of New York City, Page 98 of handwritten marriage ledger, 4 November 1858, Gazlay, David M. (single, aged 22), and Masterton, Anna Sophia (widow, aged 23), (both of NY); witnesses: James T. Stafford, S. K. Rouley [?]. Scan of page provided by Adine Wakefield, December 2010.
- Marriage, Sacramento Daily Union, California. Available at California Digital Newspaper Collection, cdnc.ucr.edu. 25 April 1861: In San Francisco, April 22d, David M. Gazlay to Mary S. Bowker.
- New York, State Death Index, 1880-1956, available at familysearch.org. 1895, David M. Gazlay, died: 31 May 1895 in Nassau, New York [the document only shows Nassau; the index shows Nassau, Richmond, New York, but this must be an error; Nassau is in Rensselaer County, and he was know to have lived there late in life; he is also buried there].