Ward Gazlay
Ward Gazlay5 (William Gazlay,4 Jonathan Gazlay,3 John Gazlay,2 John Gazlay1)
Parents
| Father | William C. Gazlay (ca. 1781 - 27 September 1858) |
| Mother | Patty Dickinson ( - ) |
Personal Information
| Record Created: 16 October 2011; Last Edited: 3 February 2022 |
| Person ID | 3111 |
| Name | Ward Gazlay |
| Gender | Male |
| Born | 24 December 1814 in Onondaga Hollow, Onondaga County, New York1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 |
| Baptized | 12 December 1816 in Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York7 |
| Married | 18 August 1840 in New York to Louisa B. Hood6 |
| Died | 7 April 1886 in Flint, Genesee County, Michigan1, 8 |
| Buried | in Glenwood Cemetery, Flint, Genesee County, Michigan9 |
Biography
The following biographical sketch of Ward Gazlay is taken from a biographical portrait of his son, Harlan Page Gazlay, who is referred to as “our subject.”6
[Ward Gazlay] was born in Onondaga Hollow, Onondaga County, N. Y., January 24, 1813. [the correct date is believed to be 24 December 1814] His wife, the mother of our subject, was known in her maidenhood as Miss Louisa B. Hood, and was also a native of New York, having been born September 21, 1851, at Knowlesville. [the correct date is believed to be September 28, 1821]. The parents were married August 18, 1840.
Ward Gazlay was educated in his native county and for a time before coming West acted as captain of a canal-boat. In 1837, the date of his coming to Michigan, he purchased property on the corner of First and Saginaw Streets, south, in Flint and also located one hundred sixty acres in Gaines Township, Genesee County and made a purchase in Flint Township, besides owning land in Mt. Morris Township. After locating his property he returned to New York and was married, after which he brought his bride to the Wolverine State.
Our subject’s father owned the first harness shop in Genesee County, his first location being on Saginaw street, south, occupying the same building with Benjamin Cochran. He then purchased the old Presbyterian Church which he moved to the location of his old shop and by his ingenuity and energy remodeled it and besides having a convenient harness shop rented a portion to three tenants. This building did good service for twenty-six years, until the big fire in that place. The business success which he afterward attained is illustrated in the fact that immediately after the fire he went to Detroit and restocked his shop and the next day was ready for business. Soon after he made arrangements to erect a brick block which still bears his name. In dimensions it is 44x80 feet and three stories in height. Mr. Gazlay, Sr., occupied the second story as his place of business until his death, April 7, 1886, having been engaged in successful business here for half a century. He did not meddle in public affairs, but gave his attention to his business and at the time of his death owned considerable property. In religious matters he was a member of the Presbyterian Church, holding the office of Trustee in that body. At the time of his death he left a family of six children—Elizabeth, Mrs. Brooks; Sarah, Mrs. Withey; Harlan Page, our subject; Helen C.; Alice J., Mrs. Clark, and Otis F. The mother of our subject died December 29, 1882.
Person/Family
| Spouse 1 |  Louisa B. Hood |
| Born | 28 September 1821 in New York |
| Married | 18 August 1840 in New York to Ward Gazlay |
| Died | 22 December 1882 in Flint, Genesee County, Michigan |
| Children | of Ward Gazlay and Louisa B. Hood: |
| +1. | Charles Henry Gazlay |
| Born | 11 September 1841 in New York |
| Married | to Lora A. Andrews |
| Died | 17 March 1880 in Flint, Genesee County, Michigan |
| +2. | Elizabeth N. Gazlay |
| Born | 15 May 1844 in Flint, Genesee County, Michigan |
| Married | 20 January 1866 in Flint, Genesee County, Michigan to Louis M. Brooks |
| Married | to _____ Watkins |
| Died | 13 November 1900 in Flint, Genesee County, Michigan |
| 3. | Sarah L. Gazlay |
| Born | 1 March 1846 in Flint, Genesee County, Michigan |
| Married | 5 June 1889 in Flint, Genesee County, Michigan to James E. Withey |
| Died | 9 April 1918 in Flint, Genesee County, Michigan |
| +4. | Harlan Page Gazlay |
| Born | 20 August 1850 in Flint, Genesee County, Michigan |
| Married | 14 April 1877 to Margarette Esther Houghtaling |
| Married | 9 April 1908 in Flint, Genesee County, Michigan to Frances Emily Shepherd |
| Died | 21 February 1915 in Flint, Genesee County, Michigan |
| 5. | Helen C. Gazlay |
| Born | 18 June 1852 in Flint, Genesee County, Michigan |
| Died | 1 July 1942 in Flint, Genesee County, Michigan |
| 6. | Clara Angeline Gazlay |
| Born | 16 July 1854 |
| Died | 20 October 1855 |
| 7. | Alice J. Gazlay |
| Born | 1 September 1856 in Flint, Genesee County, Michigan |
| Married | 12 October 1887 in Flint, Genesee County, Michigan to Albert N. Clark |
| Died | 7 February 1889 |
| 8. | Jennie Gazlay |
| Born | ca. 1859 in Michigan |
| 9. | Silas Ward Gazlay |
| Born | August 1861 |
| Died | 25 June 1863 |
| 10. | Otis F. Gazlay |
| Born | 29 December 1864 in Michigan |
| Died | 21 January 1910 in Flint, Genesee County, Michigan |
Sources
- Michigan, Genesee County, Return of Deaths for 1886; Gazlay, Ward, died April 7, 1886 in Flint, Michigan, age 71 years 3 months 14 days, harness maker, widowed, born in New York, parents: William Gazlay, Martha Gazlay [the name of his mother here is believed to be an error]. His birth date constructed from this information is 24 December 1814. However, other sources gives his birth date as 24 January 1813.
- U.S. Federal Census, 1850, Michigan, Genesee County, Flint, Page 209, family of Ward Gazley (36, NY, saddler); Louisa Gazley (31, NY); Charles H. Gazley (8, NY); Elizabeth Gazley (6, Mich.); Sarah L. Gazley (4, Mich.); Theodore J. Wells (18, NY, saddler); Mary Chase (15, NY).
- U.S. Federal Census, 1860, Michigan, Genesee County, Flint, Page No. 57, family of Ward Gazlay (46, NY, harness maker); Louisa B. Gazlay (38, NY); Charles Gazlay (17, NY, harness maker); Elizabeth Gazlay (15, Mich.); Sarah Gazlay (13, Mich.); Harley Gazlay (11, Mich.); Hellen Gazlay (9, Mich.); Alice Gazlay (4, Mich.); Jennie Gazlay (1, Mich.).
- U.S. Federal Census, 1870, Michigan, Genesee County, Flint, Page No. 1, family of Ward Gazlay (57, New York, harness maker); Louisa B. Gazlay (48, New York); Sarah Gazlay (24, Michigan); Harlan Gazlay (19, Michigan, harness maker); Helen C. Gazlay (18, Michigan); Alice Gazlay (13, Michigan); Otis F. Gazlay (5, Michigan).
- U.S. Federal Census, 1880, Michigan, Genesee County, Flint, Enumeration District 74, Page Nos. 17, 18, family of Ward Gazlay (67, NY, harness maker); wife Louisa Gazlay (58, NY); daughter Sarah L. Gazlay (30, Mich.); daughter Hellen C. Gazlay (27, Mich.); daughter Allice J. Gazlay (23, Mich.); son Otis F. Gazlay (15, Mich.).
- Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer, and Tuscola Counties, Michigan, Chicago, Chapman Bros. 1892. Digitized copy available at Google Books. Pages 707-708, biographical sketch of Harlan Page Gazlay, indicating his birth as 25 August 1850, Onondaga Hollow, Onondaga County, New York, and including details about his wife, children, parents, and siblings.
- Early Records of the Valley Presbyterian Church, Syracuse, New York. Records from 1810. Submitted by Barbara Hatch. Copied by Minnie L. C. Coleman, Syracuse, New York, 1930. Available at Rootsweb. Infant Baptisms, Liber I, include, on page 8, children of William C. and Patty Gazlay, baptized on 12 December 1816: Miles, Ward, Martha, and Lucy Ann (her record between that of Miles and Ward). On Page 11, children of William C. and Patty Gazelay, baptized in February 1821: Dickinson, and Mary.
- Magazine, Detroit Society for Genealogical Research, Volumes 44-46, 1980; Page 136, death of Clara Angeline Gazlay on 20 October 1855, age 1 year, 3 months, 4 days, daughter of Ward and Louisa B. Gazley [constructed birth date: 16 July 1854].
- Find a Grave (website). Glenwood Cemetery, Flint, Genesee County, Michigan; Ward Gazlay, born 1813, died 1886 (from record which indicates the names of his wife Louisa Wood [sic]Gazlay and children Elizabeth Gazlay Brooks Watkins, Charles Gazlay and Otis Gazlay; Ward’s headstone is unreadable).