Oliver Gay (1771-1824)
Hannah Richards Gay (1767-1805)
Mary Fisher Gay (1776-1832)
George Gay (1809-1824)
Mary Gay (1811-1824)
Reuben Gay (1806-1828)
Oliver Gay was born on June 17, 1771, in Dedham. He was the son of Ichabod and Mary Gay. He served in the militia and achieved the rank of Lieutenant.
On May 19, 1794 he married Hannah Richards, the daughter of Eli and Mary Richards of Roxbury. Hannah Richards Gay died on July 18, 1805.
On February 8, 1806, he married Mary Fisher, the daughter of David and Abigail Fisher of Sharon. Mary Fisher was born on July 12, 1776 in Sharon.
Oliver and Mary had six children: Reuben, George, Mary, Hannah, Willard and Ebenezer. The children ranged in age from 4 to 18 in September, 1824 when a particularly acute strain of dysentery appears to have struck the family. On September 22, Mary Gay died of dysentery. She was 13. The next day, September 23, George Gay, then 15, died of the disease. And, on September 26, 1824, dysentery took Oliver Gay at the age of 54. He left his widow with four children.
A few years later, on April 9, 1828, the eldest child, Reuben, died “of fits.”
Mary Fisher Gay, Oliver’s widow and the mother of these children, died on Mach 21, 1832. The cause is unknown.
The grave of each of these members of the Oliver Gay family were marked with carved slate stones, some with elaborate epitaphs. These were recorded sometime prior to 1888:
In memory of Mary Gay, daug. Of Mr. Oliver and Mrs. Mary Gay, who died Sept. 22, 1824, Aet. 13 ys. \ In death's cold bed where Mary lies \ Breathless and cold with closed eyes, \ The glory of life has disappeared, \ Her fluent voice is no more heard \ Her social intercourse is over \ She that once loved can no more, \ Friendship cannot its charms impart, \ Nor can true love affect her heart.
In memory of George Gay, son of Mr. Oliver and Mrs. Mary Gay, who died Sept. 24, 1824, Aet. 15 ys. \ Hear learn the end of earthly hopes and fears, \ The hasty flight of numerous days and years: \ Reader, prepare to rest beneath the ground, \ Till the Archangel's awful trump shall sound.
Sacred to the memory of Mr. Oliver Gay, who died Sept. 26, 1824, Aet. 54 years.
Reuben R. Gay, son of Mr. Oliver & Mrs. Mary Gay, died April 9, 1828. \ His head is here beneath the stone, \ The grave conceals his graceful form, \ Faded in death now pale he lies \ And fills the mourner’s heart with sighs. \ The blooming youth a victim falls,\ No strength avail when Jesus calls.
In memory of Mrs. Mary, wife of Oliver Gay, who died March 21, 1832, Aet. 55.
Hannah G. Hartshorn died March 27, 1833, Aet. 20 years.
All of these stones have disappeared from Old Parish Cemetery. Although these gravestones are lost, it is possible the burials of the family took place in the open area surrounding Ebenezer Gay’s gravesite. It is marked on the town’s plot plan with the words “previous burials unknown.”
Hannah, Ebenezer and Willard lived to adulthood.
Hannah Gay married John Hartshorn; she died on March 27, 1833 at the age of 20. Her stone, which read: Hannah G. Hartshorn died March 27, 1833, Aet. 20 years, is also missing.
Brothers Ebenezer and Willard Gay raised their own families. Ebenezer Fisher Gay, the youngest child of Oliver and Mary, became a well-known resident of South Dedham. He died in 1871 and is interred in Old Parish (lot 82).. Willard, who married Emeline Rhoades, and died in 1882, is buried in Highland Cemetery.
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