George Kirby Gay was born in Gloucestershire, England in 1810. He traveled on foot to Oregon via California in 1835. On this trip he was wounded and his group were badly wounded and some killed in a battle with Rogue River Inians.
In January of 1837 he was a member of Ewing Young's "Great Cattle Drive" in which 700 head of cattle were purchased in California to bring to the Willamette Valley. Of those 700, only 500 cattle made it to the Willamette Valley after the 9 month trip.
In 1841-42 he and his first wife, Louisa, whom he married in Marion County, Oregon in 1838, built the first brick house west of the Rocky Mountains with the guidance of brick mason George Holman.
In 1843, at the Champoeg meetings, George Gay was named one of a committee to "devise measures for protection of domestic livestock in the Willamette Valley" [Wolf Meetings]. As a signer for Oregon's Provisional Government on May 2, 1843, George Gay's name is carved with 51 others in a monument at Champoeg State Park in Oregon. The monument was erected in their memory in May of 1901.
Champoeg State Park also honors the memory of George Kirby Gay with by displaying his portrait in their auditorium.
For a while during the 1840's George Gay was considered the wealthiest man in Oregon.
He and his wife, Louisa were known to have great parties in their brick house on the Polk and Yamhill County line and welcomed travelers such as Commodore Charles Wilkes to stay in their home.
George Kirby Gay was married 4 times during his life. His first wife, Louisa, the mother of his nine children, died around the time Henri was born. Their known children are as follows:
1. Mary Ann Gay who married Hiram Simkins
2: Joseph Witcum Gay who married Philomene Bercier and then Mary Sinclair Weston.
3. John Kirby Gay who married Marguerite Gervais
4. Alfred Gay
5. Paul George Gay
6. William Edouard Gay
7. Adaline Bellay Gay who married Elisha McKinley and then William Dent
8. Louisa Gay who married Francois Gervais and then Benjamin William Cave
9. Henri St. Clair Gay.
His third wife was the daughter of Donald Manson and his fourth wife (Mary Ann Rubidow/Rubidou) was the daughter of Madame Dorion who came to the Oregon Territory with the Wilson Price Hunt party of explorers.
In January of 1837 he was a member of Ewing Young's "Great Cattle Drive" in which 700 head of cattle were purchased in California to bring to the Willamette Valley. Of those 700, only 500 cattle made it to the Willamette Valley after the 9 month trip.
In 1841-42 he and his first wife, Louisa, whom he married in Marion County, Oregon in 1838, built the first brick house west of the Rocky Mountains with the guidance of brick mason George Holman.
In 1843, at the Champoeg meetings, George Gay was named one of a committee to "devise measures for protection of domestic livestock in the Willamette Valley" [Wolf Meetings]. As a signer for Oregon's Provisional Government on May 2, 1843, George Gay's name is carved with 51 others in a monument at Champoeg State Park in Oregon. The monument was erected in their memory in May of 1901.
Champoeg State Park also honors the memory of George Kirby Gay with by displaying his portrait in their auditorium.
For a while during the 1840's George Gay was considered the wealthiest man in Oregon.
He and his wife, Louisa were known to have great parties in their brick house on the Polk and Yamhill County line and welcomed travelers such as Commodore Charles Wilkes to stay in their home.
George Kirby Gay was married 4 times during his life. His first wife, Louisa, the mother of his nine children, died around the time Henri was born. Their known children are as follows:
1. Mary Ann Gay who married Hiram Simkins
2: Joseph Witcum Gay who married Philomene Bercier and then Mary Sinclair Weston.
3. John Kirby Gay who married Marguerite Gervais
4. Alfred Gay
5. Paul George Gay
6. William Edouard Gay
7. Adaline Bellay Gay who married Elisha McKinley and then William Dent
8. Louisa Gay who married Francois Gervais and then Benjamin William Cave
9. Henri St. Clair Gay.
His third wife was the daughter of Donald Manson and his fourth wife (Mary Ann Rubidow/Rubidou) was the daughter of Madame Dorion who came to the Oregon Territory with the Wilson Price Hunt party of explorers.
George Kirby Gay was born in Gloucestershire, England in 1810. He traveled on foot to Oregon via California in 1835. On this trip he was wounded and his group were badly wounded and some killed in a battle with Rogue River Inians.
In January of 1837 he was a member of Ewing Young's "Great Cattle Drive" in which 700 head of cattle were purchased in California to bring to the Willamette Valley. Of those 700, only 500 cattle made it to the Willamette Valley after the 9 month trip.
In 1841-42 he and his first wife, Louisa, whom he married in Marion County, Oregon in 1838, built the first brick house west of the Rocky Mountains with the guidance of brick mason George Holman.
In 1843, at the Champoeg meetings, George Gay was named one of a committee to "devise measures for protection of domestic livestock in the Willamette Valley" [Wolf Meetings]. As a signer for Oregon's Provisional Government on May 2, 1843, George Gay's name is carved with 51 others in a monument at Champoeg State Park in Oregon. The monument was erected in their memory in May of 1901.
Champoeg State Park also honors the memory of George Kirby Gay with by displaying his portrait in their auditorium.
For a while during the 1840's George Gay was considered the wealthiest man in Oregon.
He and his wife, Louisa were known to have great parties in their brick house on the Polk and Yamhill County line and welcomed travelers such as Commodore Charles Wilkes to stay in their home.
George Kirby Gay was married 4 times during his life. His first wife, Louisa, the mother of his nine children, died around the time Henri was born. Their known children are as follows:
1. Mary Ann Gay who married Hiram Simkins
2: Joseph Witcum Gay who married Philomene Bercier and then Mary Sinclair Weston.
3. John Kirby Gay who married Marguerite Gervais
4. Alfred Gay
5. Paul George Gay
6. William Edouard Gay
7. Adaline Bellay Gay who married Elisha McKinley and then William Dent
8. Louisa Gay who married Francois Gervais and then Benjamin William Cave
9. Henri St. Clair Gay.
His third wife was the daughter of Donald Manson and his fourth wife (Mary Ann Rubidow/Rubidou) was the daughter of Madame Dorion who came to the Oregon Territory with the Wilson Price Hunt party of explorers.
In January of 1837 he was a member of Ewing Young's "Great Cattle Drive" in which 700 head of cattle were purchased in California to bring to the Willamette Valley. Of those 700, only 500 cattle made it to the Willamette Valley after the 9 month trip.
In 1841-42 he and his first wife, Louisa, whom he married in Marion County, Oregon in 1838, built the first brick house west of the Rocky Mountains with the guidance of brick mason George Holman.
In 1843, at the Champoeg meetings, George Gay was named one of a committee to "devise measures for protection of domestic livestock in the Willamette Valley" [Wolf Meetings]. As a signer for Oregon's Provisional Government on May 2, 1843, George Gay's name is carved with 51 others in a monument at Champoeg State Park in Oregon. The monument was erected in their memory in May of 1901.
Champoeg State Park also honors the memory of George Kirby Gay with by displaying his portrait in their auditorium.
For a while during the 1840's George Gay was considered the wealthiest man in Oregon.
He and his wife, Louisa were known to have great parties in their brick house on the Polk and Yamhill County line and welcomed travelers such as Commodore Charles Wilkes to stay in their home.
George Kirby Gay was married 4 times during his life. His first wife, Louisa, the mother of his nine children, died around the time Henri was born. Their known children are as follows:
1. Mary Ann Gay who married Hiram Simkins
2: Joseph Witcum Gay who married Philomene Bercier and then Mary Sinclair Weston.
3. John Kirby Gay who married Marguerite Gervais
4. Alfred Gay
5. Paul George Gay
6. William Edouard Gay
7. Adaline Bellay Gay who married Elisha McKinley and then William Dent
8. Louisa Gay who married Francois Gervais and then Benjamin William Cave
9. Henri St. Clair Gay.
His third wife was the daughter of Donald Manson and his fourth wife (Mary Ann Rubidow/Rubidou) was the daughter of Madame Dorion who came to the Oregon Territory with the Wilson Price Hunt party of explorers.
