My Genealogy Hound

JOHN KAY. A goodly proportion of the residents of Greene County are native-born citizens — the sons of those who came hither in the primitive days, and hewed out for themselves a home from the wilderness. Mr. Kay may be properly mentioned as among these, and was born in Spring Valley Township, January 19, 1852. Of this township his parents, Samuel and Millie (Peterson) Kay, were also natives, where they were reared and married October 28, 1847. There were born to them three children — Mary, who died young; Martha, the wife of John DeHaven, of Taylor County, Iowa, and John, our subject.

Samuel A. Kay was a farmer by occupation, and departed this life in his prime, December 12, 1863. His wife died a year later, and thus at the early age of twelve years the subject of this notice was left an orphan. The parents were both members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the father, politically, was a sound Republican. The paternal grandfather, John E. Kay, was born in New Jersey, whence he emigrated to Philadelphia, and when a young man came to Harveysburg, this State, with his grandfather Bates. In this vicinity he spent the remainder of his life. After coming to Ohio he was married to Miss Marinda Haynes, and there was born to them one child only, a son, Samuel A., the father of our subject.

After his marriage Samuel Kay settled in Spring Valley Township, locating, in 1854, on a farm just north of New Burlington. This comprises ninety-seven acres of land, which he cultivated until his death, August 31, 1882, at the age of seventy-four years. The wife survived her husband less than a year, her death taking place May 19, 1883; she was seventy-two years old. Mr. Kay voted for Lincoln the first time he ran for President, but after the war allied himself with the Democratic party. Both he and his wife united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which they remained consistent members until their death. The family is of English origin.

The subject of this notice acquired a common-school education, and after the death of his parents made his home with his Grandfather Kay. There fell to his portion ninety-six acres of land. He was married September 29, 1875, to Miss Alice E. Rowe, who was born in Ross County, this State, October 3, 1851. Mrs. Kay is the daughter of William P. and Sarah (Baird) Rowe, the former of whom was born September 19, 1815, in Vermont. He came to this State, settling at Washington Court-House when a young man, and was subsequently married. He first settled near Greenfield, then removed to the vicinity of Wilmington, and in 1869 changed his residence to New Burlington. There his death took place October 28, 1889. The wife and mother had preceded her husband to the silent land, her death taking place in October. 1883. Five of the seven children born to them lived to mature years, viz.: James, who served in the Seventy-ninth Ohio Infantry during the late war, and is now a resident of Hillsboro; Jennie, who became the wife of Witworth DeWolfe, of New Burlington, and died January 27, 1876; John, who died in the hospital at Baltimore during the late war; Adolphus, a resident of Xenia, and Alice E.

William Rowe was a carpenter by trade, and traced his ancestry to England. Mr. and Mrs. Kay are the parents of one child only, Carrie C., who was born in September, 1876. Another member of their family is a young girl, Esther Morris, who has made her home with them for some years. Mr. and Mrs. Kay are members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church.