Janet, Our GAYs could tie somehow way back in VA. Below is just about all I know about Rhoda Gay Spivey. There was a Milly Gay who m. Benj. Spivey's brother Brittain Spivey; they were not sisters, but I haven't established a relationship yet. There was a William Gay who appears in Southampton Co. VA land records beg. abt. 1800. He gave land to Jeremiah and James Gay. I have Southampton Co. marriage records for Gay grooms, but don't see any of the names you mention. The Gay family you have in Dade Co. in 1850 could be related. That is about the time that Rhoda and Benjamin arrived. There had to be some reason for them coming to MO. I have not found them in any 1850 census, and Benj. must have died before the 1860 census. Their (presumed) son Brittain had land (1859) in Polk Co. in the far southwestern corner with one farm between him and Dade Co. Brittain was in 6th Cav. Vols. and discharged for disability. Dade Co. abstracts note that he died intestate in 1866 (I have not seen the full record A272-273). --Barbara Berry Meger Descendants of James Gay 1 James Gay .. + Patience Draper m: May 21, 1804 in Southampton Co., VA .........2 Rhoda Gay b: Abt. 1805 in Southampton Co., VA d: Aft. 1860 in MO .............+ Benjamin Spivey b: Bet. 1780 - 1790 in Southampton Co., VA d: Bef. 1860 in MO m: August 04, 1824 in Southampton Co., VA ....................3 Brittain Spivey d: April 16, 1866 in Dade Co., MO ....................3 Sarah Spivey b: Abt. 1842 in North Carolina ........................+ H. P. Christy ....................3 Anna B. Spivey b: Abt. 1845 ........................+ Joseph Claypool m: in Polk Co., MO ....................3 Adeline Camilla Spivey b: June 08, 1848 in Northampton Co., NC d: May 03, 1926 in Pittsburg, KS ........................+ Andrew Chumley Lyngar b: October 18, 1845 in Claiborne Co., TN d: October 23, 1906 in Pittsburg, KS m: February 17, 1867 in Dade Co., MO