Gazlay Family History
 

Family HistoryFamily History - David Montross Gazlay


Key:1.“+” before a child’s name indicates the child has their own entry in the next generation.
 2.“born xxxx” indicates the child is under 18 years of age so the birth date is not shown.
This family history features David Montross Gazlay and three of his descendants down to the second generation.


First Generation
1. David Montross Gazlay,1 born 17 September 1835 in New York, the son of Charles M. Gazlay and Martha Ann _____;1, 2, 3, 4 died 31 May 1895 in Nassau, Rensselaer County, New York.4, 5 David married, first, 4 November 1858 in New York, New York, Anna Sophia _____6 (born ca. 1835, parents not determined;6 Anna died 29 October 1859 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California7). David married, second, 22 April 1861 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California, Mary Jane Shepherd13 (born ca. 1829 in England, the daughter of John Shepherd and Sarah Davis;8, 9, 10 Mary died 27 February 1864 in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York9, 11, 12). David married, third, Mary Malvina Jennings2 (born ca. 1845 in New York, parents not determined;2, 3, 14, 15, 16 Mary died 4 September 1921 in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York17, 18). David is buried in Hillside Cemetery, Stephentown, Rensselaer County, New York.4 Mary is buried in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, Kings County, New York.8, 19 Mary is buried in Hillside Cemetery, Stephentown, Rensselaer County, New York.17

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

Anna was apparently something of an entrepreneur, as evidenced by an announcement of her employment office, the only one exclusively for females and run by females, followed by over three months of advertisements, such as the one below, that ran both before and after her death.20

MRS. A. S. GAZLAY’S

FEMALE

EMPLOYMENT OFFICE,

249 Washington st., near cor. Stockton,

SAN FRANCISCO.

----

The only office in the city exclusively for Females and under Female Supervision.--Centrally and respectably located. No charge to employers. Country orders promptly attended to.

----

REFERENCES.

REV. DR. CHEEVER, Pastor Church of the Puritans, New York.

MRS. M. O. ROBERTS, corner 18th street, and 5th Avenue, New York.

REV. J. C. HOOLBROOK, First Congregational Church, San Francisco.

September 24th, 1859.--3m


The references cited in the advertisement are interesting. Anna’s connection to Rev. Cheever is not known, but Anna met and became friends with Rev. Holbrook and his wife on their travels from the east coast to California. In fact, after Anna’s death (shortly following the birth of her third child, Anna Sophia Gazlay, who also died a few days later), Rev. Holbrook and his wife adopted and raised Anna’s two surviving children. The Mrs. M. O. Roberts mentioned as a reference is undoubtedly Caroline, the second wife of Marshall Owen Roberts, a prominent American merchant who founded and operated the U.S. Mail Steamship Company, and later purchased and operated the competing Pacific Mail Steamship Company. These companies provided cargo and passenger transport between New York and San Francisco, by way of the Isthmus of Panama and other intermediate ports. It may be that Anna met Mrs. Roberts on her travels, or at least found a supportive reference for Anna’s female employment office.

Identifying Mary’s birth surname as Shepherd is based on circumstantial evidence. What is known is that a Mary S. Bowker married David M. Gazlay in San Francisco on 22 April 1861, that a Mary Gazlay died on 27 February 1864 in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York, and that a Mary S. Gazlay (or Gazley) is buried in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn in a lot belonging to the Shepherd family. This Mary Gazlay is believed to be David M. Gazlay’s wife. David, originally from New York, was known to be in California for several years starting in 1858, and returned to New York in late 1863 or early 1864, likely with his wife Mary.8

The name Mary S. Gazley tops the gravestone in Green-Wood Cemetery that also bears the barely readable name of Sarah D. Shepherd, who died on 20 May 1876 in Brooklyn. Sarah bought the grave lot in 1864, shortly before Mary’s burial, so one surmises that the lot was purchased specifically for that purpose. With both Sarah and Mary’s names appearing on the same gravestone, the presumption is that they were related, most likely as mother (Sarah) and daughter (Mary).8, 19, 21

Sarah Shepherd’s will names several children, including Sarah R., wife of William Bowker, residing in San Francisco (in 1876). Association of the surname Bowker with both Mary and Sarah, and both in San Francisco, seems more than a coincidence. It’s possible that sisters Mary and Sarah married Bowker brothers, but records suggest that John William Bowker first married Mary, and after her death married Sarah R.22

The sad funeral notice for both Mary and her daughter Carrie is shown below.17

DOUBLE FUNERAL TODAY

Mrs. Mary M. Gazlay, who died Sunday, and her daughter, Mrs. Carrie A. Hamilton, who died in the Homeopathic hospital Thursday night, will be buried this afternoon at West Stephentown following a double funeral at 3 o’clock in the Westminster Presbyterian Church.

The Rev. J. V. Moldenhawer, pastor of the Westminster church, will conduct the service. There are no surviving relatives. For the last three years Mrs. Hamilton was employed in the office of the Homeopathic hospital.


Child of David Montross Gazlay and Anna Sophia _____:

 2i. Anna Sophia Gazlay, born 27 October 1859;23 died 7 November 1859 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California.23

Children of David Montross Gazlay and Mary Malvina Jennings:

 3i. David Montross Gazlay, Jr., born ca. October 1865 in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York;2, 24 died 2 May 1873 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.24, 25 David is buried in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.25
+4ii. Carrie Augusta Gazlay, born 13 March 1867 in Manhattan, New York City, New York; died 8 September 1921 in Albany, Albany County, New York. Married Samuel James Hamilton.

  1. 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).
  2. 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).
  3. 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.]
  4. 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.]
  5. 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].
  6. 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.
  7. Deaths, Sacramento Daily Union, Sacramento, California. Available at Veridian Digital Library. 31 October 1859: In San Francisco, Oct. 29th, Ann S., wife of David M. Gazlay, and grand daughter of the late General Hitchcock, of London, Eng.
  8. Cemetery Record, Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York, Mary S. Gazlay indicating her dates of death and burial, residence in Brooklyn, and birthplace (England).
  9. New York City, Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (website: a860-historicalvitalrecords.nyc.gov), Certificate of Death, Mrs. Mary Gazlay, age 35, died: 27 February 1864 in Kings County (Brooklyn), born: England; buried: Greenwood; residence: 272 Pacific St. [This is a hand-written certification of death]. [On the reverese: For Mrs. Shepperd, 272 Pacific St.].
  10. U.S. Federal Census, 1860, California, San Francisco County, San Francisco, 2nd District, Page No. 91, Mary Bowker (31, N.Y.).
  11. Italian Genealogical Group, New York Death Index, Gazlay, Mary, 27 February 1864, Kings County, age 35 years, Cert# 1191.
  12. Deaths, Sacramento Daily Union, Sacramento, California. Available at California Digital Newspaper Collection. 26 March 1864: In Brooklyn (N.Y.), Feb. 27th, Mary S., wife of David M. Gazlay, of San Francisco.
  13. 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.
  14. New York State Census, 1905, Rensselaer County, Nassau, Second Election District, Page 1, Mary M. Gazlay (54, US, dress maker).
  15. U.S. Federal Census, 1910, New York, Albany County, Albany, Enumeration District 71, Sheet No. 1B, family of Mary M. Gazlay (60, New York, widow, 2 children, 1 living); daughter Carrie A. Hamilton (44, New York, widow, no children, dressmaker). They were living at 33 Chestnut Street; compare with 1920 census for “Mary Hamilton.”
  16. New York State Census, 1915, Albany County, Albany, Enumeration District 3, Page No. 9, family of Mary M. Gazlay (57); daughter Carrie Hamilton (38). [Both of their ages are low by several years compared with other records.]
  17. Funeral Notice, The Knickerbocker Press, Albany, New York, 10 September 1921, Mary M. Gazlay, died 4 September 1921, and daughter Carrie A. Hamilton, died 8 September 1921, both in Albany [Mary’s death record indicates she died in Poughkeepsie]. The article provides brief biographical details and their place of burial, shown as West Stephentown (believed to refer to Hillside Cemetery in Stephentown, Rensselaer County, New York, where Mary’s husband David Montross Gazlay is buried).
  18. New York, State Death Index, 1880-1956, available at familysearch.org. 1921, Mary M. Gazley, died 4 September 1921 in Pokeepsie [sic, Poughkeepsie], Dutchess County, New York. Her obituary indicates she died in Albany, but this death record is probably more accurate.
  19. Headstone, Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York, Lot 12808, Section 55, Mary S. Gazley and Sarah D. Shepherd. Visited and photographed by Karen Held in September 2012 and by Lee Gazlay in December 2012.
  20. The Placer Herald, Auburn, Placer County, California, available at Chronicling America (chroniclingamerica.loc.com), 24 September 1859 (and several other dates through 7 January 1860), advertisement for Mrs. A. S. Gazlay’s Female Employment Office in San Francisco. [Some newspapers, notably, the Daily Alta California, carry the advertisement under the name Cazlay.]
  21. Email between Karen Held and Lee Gazlay, September 2012.
  22. Last Will and Testament, Sarah D. Shepherd, 1876, that names four children: William J. Shepherd residing in the City of Brooklyn; Elizabeth, wife of William P. Smith residing at Seattle Washington Territory; Sarah R., wife of William Bowker residing at San Francisco, California; and Annie, wife of Benjamin Harned residing at Trenton New Jersey. Copy of probate documents in possession of Karen Held.
  23. Deaths, Sacramento Daily Union, Sacramento, California. Available at California Digital Newspaper Collection. 10 November 1859: In San Francisco, Nov 7th, Anne S. Gazley, infant daughter of David M. Gazley, aged 11 days.
  24. Deaths, New York Herald, available at www.fultonhistory.com, 3 May 1873, GAZLAY -- Suddenly, at Philadelphia on Friday May 2, 1873, David M. Gazlay, Jr., aged 7 years and 7 months.
  25. Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Death Certificates, 1803-1915, Return of a Death in the City of Philadelphia, Physician’s Certificate, David Montross Gazlay, Jr., age: in 8th year; died: 2 May 1873; born: Brooklyn, New York; father: David M. Gazlay; mother: May M. Gazlay; burial: 10th + Berrye/Perrye [? word is unclear].
Second Generation
4. Carrie Augusta Gazlay2 (David1), born 13 March 1867 in Manhattan, New York City, New York;1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 died 8 September 1921 in Albany, Albany County, New York.9, 10, 11 Carrie married, 25 February 1885 in Kings County, New York, Samuel James Hamilton5, 13, 14 (born ca. April 1862 in Ireland, parents not determined;5 Samuel died 17 April 1908 in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York12). Carrie is buried in Hillside Cemetery, Stephentown, Rensselaer County, New York.9

  1. New York Births and Christenings, 1640-1962, , Christening, Manhattan, New York City, New York, female, born: 13 March 1867; father: David Montrose Gazlay; mother: Mary Malvina Jennings Gazlay.
  2. New York, New York City Births, 1846-1909, Gazlay, female, born: 13 March 1867 in Manhattan, New York, New York; father: David M. Gazlay, born in NY; mother: Mary M. Jennings, born in NY.
  3. 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).
  4. U.S. Federal Census, 1880, New York, Rensselaer County, Nassau, Enumeration District 176, Page No. 12, family of Stephen Hollas (53, Mass., farmer); wife Lavantia Hollas (53, New York); daughter Aurelia Hollas (26, New York, makes collars); mother Caroline H. Hollas (81, Mass., widow); Carrie Gazlay (12, New York). Carrie is a step-niece of Lavantia through Carrie’s grandmother, Martha (nee ?) Coons, and her then-husband, Abram Coons, i.e., Lavantia and Abram are siblings. This Hollas family is living near Abram and Martha Coons.
  5. U.S. Federal Census, 1900, New York, Kings County, Brooklyn, Enumeration District 534, Sheet No. 6B, family of Samuel J. Hamilton (38, Ireland, Apr 1862, printer); wife of 15 years Carrie A. Hamilton (31, New York, Mar 1869, no children).
  6. U.S. Federal Census, 1910, New York, Albany County, Albany, Enumeration District 71, Sheet No. 1B, family of Mary M. Gazlay (60, New York, widow, 2 children, 1 living); daughter Carrie A. Hamilton (44, New York, widow, no children, dressmaker). They were living at 33 Chestnut Street; compare with 1920 census for “Mary Hamilton.”
  7. New York State Census, 1915, Albany County, Albany, Enumeration District 3, Page No. 9, family of Mary M. Gazlay (57); daughter Carrie Hamilton (38). [Both of their ages are low by several years compared with other records.]
  8. U.S. Federal Census, 1920, New York, Albany County, Albany, Enumeration District 73, Sheet No. 3B, family of Mary [sic] Hamilton (52, New York, widow); lodger James Smith (49, New York, architect, buildings). They are living at 33 Chestnut St., the same address that Carrie A. Hamilton lived at in 1910. Therefore, it is believed that this is the same person and that the first name is incorrect here.
  9. Funeral Notice, The Knickerbocker Press, Albany, New York, 10 September 1921, Mary M. Gazlay, died 4 September 1921, and daughter Carrie A. Hamilton, died 8 September 1921, both in Albany [Mary’s death record indicates she died in Poughkeepsie]. The article provides brief biographical details and their place of burial, shown as West Stephentown (believed to refer to Hillside Cemetery in Stephentown, Rensselaer County, New York, where Mary’s husband David Montross Gazlay is buried).
  10. Albany Evening Journal, Albany, New York, 15 July 1922, notice to creditors for Carrie A. Hamilton [the presumption being that she died before that date].
  11. New York, State Death Index, 1880-1956, available at familysearch.org. 1921, Carrie A. Hamilton, died 8 September 1921 in Alb. [Albany, Albany County, New York].
  12. Deaths, The New York Times, available at www.fultonhistory.com, 19 April 1908: HAMILTON -- At 285 Carroll St., Brooklyn, April 17, Samuel J. Hamilton.
  13. New York Marriage and Death Index - New York City, Samuel Hamilton and Carrie A. Gazlay, married on 25 February 1885 in Kings County.
  14. New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940, Samuel James Hamilton and Carrie Augusta Gaglay [sic, Gazlay], married on 25 February 1885 in Kings County, New York.