J. S. BAY, one of the
old settlers of this county and now a retired farmer, is living at his
comfortable home in Bloomington Township, he is pleasantly located on
section
15, and has at this place fifty-four acres of land. He also has a small
farm
south of his home, in the same township. Mr. Bay became a resident of
McLean
County in 1837, at once making his location in Bloomington Township,
and with
the exception of eight years has made this township his home since that
time.
During this interval he resided in Piatt County and carried on farming,
but
chose this locality for his final home.
The subject of our
sketch was born near Mechanicsburg, Champaign Co., Ohio, on the 30th of
March,
1816. His father, William Bay, was a native of Pennsylvania, and of
Scotch-Irish ancestry. He went to Champaign County, Ohio, in early
manhood, and
was there united in marriage with Miss Susanna Hudson, a native of
Baltimore,
Md., and descended from the same races as her husband. They lived in
Ohio for
some years after their marriage, and until after the birth of five
children.
The elder Bay then decided to go westward for a permanent location.
Accordingly, with his family, he emigrated to Indiana in 1824, and they
took up
their first location in Indianapolis, where they remained for a period
of
fifteen years, during which time five more children were added to the
household
circle.
In 1830, with his
wife and family, Mr. Bay removed to McHenry County, Ill., and afterward
came to
McLean County and settled one and one-half miles west of the city of
Bloomington. There they remained for ten years, and afterward removed
within
the city limits. While upon a visit at Galesburg, Knox County, the
father was
taken ill, and died there on the 30th of August, 1844. The mother
survived him
for a period of twenty-four years, and departed this life at her home
in McLean
County in September, 1808. They were most excellent and worthy people
and were
highly respected in the community. William Bay was an active member of
the
Methodist Episcopal Church and officiated as local minister the greater
part of
his life. He was not especially educated for this work, but possessed
fine
abilities as a speaker, and was more than ordinarily intelligent.
J. S. Bay commenced
doing business for himself when quite a youth, his first employment
away from
home being that of mail carrier between Indianapolis and Madison, Ind.
He held
this important position for eight years, and after the first year was
the
general and special agent of the post-office department and was only
sixteen years old when he then engaged as mail agent.
After coming to
McLean County Mr. Bay was married to Miss Sarah Routt, in February,
1840. Mrs. Bay
was a sister of ex-Gov. Routt, of Colorado. She was born in Kentucky,
but her parents
dying when she was young, she came North to Illinois with her uncle,
with whom
she lived until her marriage with our subject, and after becoming the
mother of
two children, died on the 17th of March, 1844, a little more than four
years
after her marriage. One of the children is deceased, and the other,
Sarah by
name, is the widow of Edwin S. Walker, who was a nephew of the late
Judge David
Davis; Cornelia died at the age of four years.
Mr. Bay was the
second time married, in Warren County, Ill., Sept. 27, 1846, to Miss
Alvina
Bay, who was a native of Ohio and was born Jan. 26, 1828. This lady
became the
mother of ten children, and departed this life Nov. 6, 1882, at the age
of fifty-four
years. The children of Mr. Bay by his second marriage were as follows:
Manfred
J., Lidia A. and William are married; Mary I. is deceased; Clara E. and
Hattie
are married; Fannie is deceased, and the remainder are at home — Edwin R., John S. and Charles E.
Mr. Bay married his
present wife in Vermilion County, Ill., Sept. 11, 1884. the lady being
Miss
Mary F. Reid, of Champaign County, Ohio. She was born Dec. 6, 1859, and
came to
Vermilion County, Ill., while a young child, where she was reared and
received
her education. She was one of the younger children of her parents'
family, and
at the age of seventeen became a teacher in the public schools, and was
thus
engaged in this township for some years before her marriage. She became
the
mother of one child, Ralph S., who died in infancy.
Mr. Bay has occupied
a prominent position among his fellow-townsmen since coming to this
locality.
He was Constable for twelve years and has served as Deputy Sheriff.
Politically
he is a stanch Republican, and both our subject and wife are members in
good
standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The homestead of Mr.
Bay is very pleasantly located, and his family are surrounded by all
the
comforts and many of the luxuries of life. Their home and its
surroundings
indicate the presence of cultivated taste and refinement, and they
enjoy the
highest respect of their friends and associates.
Portrait
and biographical album of McLean County,
Ill. : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of
prominent
and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and
biographies of all the governors of Illinois, and of the presidents of
the
United States. (Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1887), 133-134.
Transcribed by Judy Rosella Edwards
