Arriving In America

To escape the uncertainty of the political and religion uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at a great expense to soil for the colonies held by Britain. Those who were lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religion and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nation of the United States where they settled. The Gays, Taylors, Martins, Asberrys and Nettervilles were among some of the immigrants to arrive in North America. The demand for slave labor in the new nation led to trade in Africa that was through purchase or peaceful or warfare and raids. The purchased or captured slaves were placed in forts that served temporarily as prisons until the slave ship reached its quota. Upon their arrival to America, for those who survived they settled in the thirteen colonies. The thirteen colonies were Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Perhaps my ancestor, Nancy Johns (Jones) who was born about 1815 and died in 1913 was one of the Africans that was taken or purchased from her tribe and brought to the new nation. The 1880 census under “place of birth” column for her mother and father are left blank. Were Nancy’s parents descendants of Africa? Nancy’s children, listed in the 1870 census had names of Sarre, Peyton, Armlia and Sopha. Are these African names? Was the name of “Nancy” given to her by her slaveholder, and her surname “Johns” which later was spelled “Jones”, attached to her followed emancipation? The Great Migration was from the thirteen colonies to the Southern states. Migrating from Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, my ancestors found themselves in Woodville, Mississippi and Plaquemine, Louisiana. Arriving from Africa and settling in the new nation my ancestors now had the surnames of Taylor, Gay and even a Kellogg. The answer to who their slaveholders were will never be known. President Zachary Taylor had slaves. He had a plantations in Baton Rouge, Louisiana which is probably 10-15 miles from Plaquemine, Louisiana where my “Taylor” ancestors called home. John Henderson Gay, was of English and French descendant, and a branch of the family descending from Pocahontas. He had a son named Edward James Gay. There are some similarities in pattern of names of “European” Gay and my ancestor, Gay family. My great, great uncle was named Edward James Gay. My Gay ancestors in the 1800’s also had names of John, Henderson, Sophie and Edward. The “European”, Edward James Gay was born about 1816 in Liberty, Bedford County, Virginia, and was a wealthy merchant and farmer. My great, great, great, great grandmother, Nancy Johns (Jones) was born about 1815, in Liberty, Bedford County, Virginia. My great, great, great grandfather, Simon Gay was also born in Liberty, Bedford County, Virginia. Oral interviews have reported that my great, great grandfather, Anthony Gay had Indian bloodlines. My ancestors were not just cotton pickers. Living in the swamps of Louisiana, My Taylor ancestors held such jobs (occupations) titled swampers, cutting down huge Cypress trees, and loading them on waiting trucks that was used to make lumber. Duncan Stewart was a politician that served in the North Carolina legislature and senate. He later moved his family to Woodville, Mississippi. My great, great, great, great grandfather, William Veal is associated with the Stewart family and may be the William Veal patterned on a Stewart butler in a novel written by Stark Young “So Red The Rose”. During the civil war, my ancestors also served in the United States Colored Troops (USCT) in which some lost their lives. Years following emancipation, a Veal ancestor received eighty-one acres of land, a document signed by President Theodore Roosevelt dated, 1905.