The Gay and Warwick Families

 

The sources provide information about the lives of several pioneer families, offering insights into their experiences, challenges, and contributions to the region. Here's a discussion of two pioneer families, the Gay and Warwick families, and the Yeager family, based on the information available in the sources:

The Gay and Warwick Families

• Intermarriage: The Gay and Warwick families were connected through marriage, with James Gay marrying Martha Warwick. This intermarriage is a common theme among the pioneer families in this region, as is noted with the Kincaid family.
• Early Settlers: The Gay family, specifically James Gay, was among the early settlers in the region, with the family settling on a farm about six miles from Kerr's Creek. The Warwick family was also among the earliest settlers in the area, and the sources mention a Jacob Warwick who was on the assessor's list for Bath County in 1791.
• Conflicts with Native Americans: The Gay and Warwick families experienced firsthand the violence of the conflicts with Native Americans. The sources describe a raid on Kerr's Creek where the Indians killed James Gay's mother in September of 1759. Additionally, on a second occasion, the Indians captured James Gay's aunt and her three children. The Warwick family also experienced violence as shown by the story of Peter Warrick's company, which captured fifteen Indians.
• Captivity: The sources mention that members of the extended Gay family were captured by Native Americans. Eleanor Gay, later Mrs. William Kincaid, escaped capture by hiding in the woods. However, on another occasion, the Indians captured this same aunt and her three children. Two of the children of Mrs. Kincaid died in captivity, but she and the third child were returned to their family. It is noted that other children were mutilated by having their ears cropped.
• Later Generations: The Gay family eventually moved to Kentucky, along with the Stevenson family, when Mrs. Stevenson was just a bride about 1774. This migration is common of the time period, with many families moving further west as the country became more settled. Members of this family were also the first to introduce purebred cattle into Kentucky.
• Community Members: Members of the Warwick family, in addition to being among the earliest settlers, also participated in the community and government. Jacob Warwick was a justice of the Bath County Court in 1791.
• Land Ownership: Jacob Warwick bought 400 acres of land on Clover Lick in 1797.
• Other Notable Details: According to the sources, Jean Warwick was too old to have been a child of Elizabeth Dunlap Warwick. She had a child born in 1749. Jacob Warwick may have had a will that was never put into effect. The Warwick family was included in the list of people who lived or owned land in the Greenbank community.

The Yeager Family

• Immigrants: John Yeager came to the upper Greenbrier Valley from Pennsylvania by way of the South Branch and Crab Bottom. The Yeager family was among the many Germans that settled in the region.
• Land Acquisition: John Yeager took up many thousands of acres of land in what was known as the German settlement. John Yeager's son, Andrew, eventually came into the homestead in the 1820s.
• Community Life: The Yeager family was involved in the community and ran a tavern at Travellers Repose. Andrew Yeager also restored the pioneer home and tavern after his return from being a prisoner of war. Peter D. Yeager, son of Andrew, was a Confederate soldier.
• Business Acumen: John Yeager's son, John Yeager, and John Yeager's grandson, John Yeager, each operated a sawmill. A man named John E. Gum worked for John Yeager and sawed lumber.
• The Civil War Andrew Yeager, in 1861, was a refugee in Highland County when the tavern house was burned by the Federal troops.
• Tradition: The Yeager family had stories passed down about them. It was said that John Yeager, when he worked at the sawmill, would catch mountain trout to save time during the day.

These examples of the Gay, Warwick, and Yeager families illustrate the lives of pioneer families in this region. They faced dangers from Native Americans, built their own homes and livelihoods, were active in their communities and dealt with events such as the Civil War. The families also passed down their stories and family history through the generations. The hardships of their lives also show how resilient these pioneer families were.