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Ebenezer Gay (Lieutenant)
b. 12/26/1725 in Litchfield, CT
d. 7/16/1787 in Sharon, CT
Buried at Hillside Cemetery along with about thirty two other
members of the Gay family
* * *
The Gay-Hoyt House, of which he was the builder and owner
(SHS), and Gay Street have brought us to take a look at this
man's life and deeds of 61 years. (The guide will relate the
aforesaid info)
* * *
During the Revolutionary War, the militia of Sharon was responsible
for protecting food and weapons stored within the district.
The Selectmen were the caretakers, one of whom was MAJOR EBENEZER
GAY. Major Gay was in charge of the local detachment of Colonel
Charles Burrell's 14th Connecticut Militia Regiment. In the
summer of 1776, Sharon's selectmen initiated important defensive
measures to protect their stores owing to 8000 British troops
that had landed on Staten Island and were planning an attack.
More than 100 ships lay anchored in the New York harbor. Tories
(loyal to England) were becoming aggressive, worrying local
residents. Rumors spread that the British would control the
Hudson River Valley and then proceed to invade the New England
colonies. The British troops needed flour, fresh meat, produce,
and fruit. THE FARMING COMMUNITY OF SHARON, CT HAD WHAT THEY
NEEDED!
Highlights:
- 1725b. - 1787d. @ 61
- 1743, Ebenezer's father, John Gay, Esq., settled in Sharon;
purchased home lot # 39 from Israel Holley. He lived to
be 94 and his sons were: John, Ebenezer, Fisher, and Perez
- 1752 married Ann Coles (she died in 1764)
- 1754 birth of son David (only child of 10 to survive Ebenezer;
the rest had short lives)
- Ann had 3
- Elizabeth had 7
- 1760 - 1784 service to civic and church life
- 1760 - 69 Constable
- 1763 and six times hence served as Tax Collector
- 1766 and thirteen times hence served as Selectman
- 1770,1772 Grand Juror
- 1772 - served on a committee to investigate a possible
water pollution problem as the result of a proposal
by a Peter Pratt to erect a tannery at a spring below
a public meeting house (NOTEWORTHY BY TODAY'S STANDARDS)
- 1775 and seven times hence Town Treasurer
- 1775 - 1778 Assemblyman
-
1765 married Elizabeth Fairbanks
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Sharon Land Records show that from the 1750's on Ebenezer
bought and sold land
-
1768 purported to have become a merchant when he purchased
part of the 25th home lot
-
1776, the Sharon Selectmen initiated offensive measures
to protect their supplies (food and weapons); Major Gay
was in charge of the local detachment of Colonel Charles
Burrell's 14th Connecticut Militia Regiment; Gay's detachment
numbered from 300 to 500 men
-
1777, served on a committee to care for families of soldiers
serving in the Continental Army, thus, not charging a
"two shilling tax" on the pound as was required to help
finance the war
-
1777, Major Gay promoted to Lt. Colonel
- 1778, Lt. C. Gay served on a committee to procure clothing
for the Continental Army
- Gay, himself, paid for large quantities of military
equipment and supplies, accepting unsupported CT Promissory
Notes as reimbursement
- Thus, lost his fortune (like many other fellow patriots)
and even though he borrowed extensively in the hope
of achieving financial recovery, the possibility of
CT as a source of military supplies during a war time
did not present itself again in Gay's lifetime
- He died intestate on July 16, 1787
- 1785 records show a mortgage deed recording that a store
was one of the buildings standing on the land where the
merchant's brick dwelling house on the Green was erected,
possibly by builder, Amos Marchant in 1775/76
NOTE: Men's attire in the 18th century included stockings,
breeches, a waistcoat (vest) made from the farms' flax crop
or sheep's wool. Basic colors were brown, black, and dark
blue.
- J. Nickson
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