Contra Costa County CA Archives Biographies.....Gay, James 1828 - 1879
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Author: W. A. Slocum & Co., Publishers (1882)

JAMES GAY, (deceased).—The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in
this work, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, October 12, 1828. When nine years of
age he took to a sea-faring life, and followed it until his coming to California
in April, 1849, when he arrived in San Francisco and entered the employ of the
Pacific Mail Steamship Company, and in it remained until his coming to Contra
Costa county in 1857. He first located on the place now owned by his widow, one
mile northeast of Clayton, where he carried on general farming up to the time of
his death, which occurred October 3, 1879. Mr. Gay was married in Clayton, May
5, 1871, to Mary Kirkwood, a native of Scotland, by whom there are four
children, viz: Nicholas, now adopted by his uncle, Nicholas Kirkwood; Jennie M.,
Margaret A. and Mary E. At the time of his demise the following obituary notice
of Mr. Gay appeared in the Contra Costa Gazette.

   "It is our painful duty to recognize the hand of Providence in calling
suddenly from our midst, by death, one of our most esteemed citizens—Mr. James
Gay. On Friday, October 3, 1879, Mr. Gay was at home with his family, and
enjoying, as was his habit, the society of his wife and four children, of whom
any and every husband and father might be proud. At noon he ate a hearty dinner,
and kissed his family before going to a neighbor's with a load of grapes, but
when nearly a half mile from home he received a stroke of apoplexy, and while in
the act of securing himself and team, some kind friends chanced to meet him and
rendered timely assistance, His uncle, Nicholas Kirkwood, and family, were soon
at his side, when he was carried home, where every possible assistance was
rendered him; but when the physician arrived death was evidently near, and in
two hours from the stroke he was dead, having been unconscious from nearly the
first. The sudden death of the deceased has given a shock to this community not
soon to be forgotten. The last man thought to be so near the gates of
death—reminding us all that 'in the midst of life we are in death.'

   "The funeral services took, place at the late residence of the deceased, on
Sunday, October 5,1879. There was a large concourse of people, who came to
sympathize, and show the appreciation in which the deceased was held.

   "The deceased was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, October 11, 1829. He came to
California in 1849, and the last twenty-two years of his life have been spent in
Contra Costa county, on his farm near Clayton, where, by his industry and
integrity, he has made many warm friends, and by whose death the community has
lost a citizen and neighbor whose place may never be filled. But where the blow
falls heaviest, there is a loss we can never describe. A kind husband and an
affectionate father can only be fully valued by those who have one, and to lose
one is a loss keenest felt where the blow falls heaviest. We commend the widow
and her children to the same Spirit who has taken the husband and father from
them to rest in peace, that when they, too, shall leave the shores of Time,
there may be a happy reunion. The Lord has kindly provided a Christian uncle,
who feels deeply and enters with deep sympathy into the feelings and wants of
the bereaved family. May the grace of God sustain them all."


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA,
INCLUDING ITS GEOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY, TOPOGRAPHY, CLIMATOGRAPHY AND DESCRIPTION;
TOGETHER WITH A RECORD OF THE MEXICAN GRANTS; THE BEAR FLAG WAR; THE MOUNT
DIABLO COAL FIELDS; THE EARLY HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT, COMPILED FROM THE MOST
AUTHENTIC SOURCES; THE NAMES OF ORIGINAL SPANISH AND MEXICAN PIONEERS; FULL
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY; SEPARATE HISTORY OF EACH TOWNSHIP, SHOWING
THE ADVANCE IN POPULATION AND AGRICULTURE;
ALSO,
Incidents of Pioneer Life; and Biographical Sketches
OF EARLY AND PROMINENT SETTLERS AND REPRESENTATIVE MEN;
AMD OF ITS TOWNS, VILLAGES, CHURCHES, SECRET SOCIETIES, ETC.
ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO: W. A. SLOCUM & CO., PUBLISHERS
1882.

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