Bay Ancestors

An American Adventure

"Near Harrisburg", Pennsylvania - The birthplace of Cyrus Bay is given as "near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania" in a county history biographical sketch. No documentary evidence of his birthplace has yet been located by this researcher. Several documents related to Cyrus indicated his father was David Bay.

Wayne County, Ohio - In 1840, a David Bay was enumerated in Plain Township, Wayne County, Ohio, heading a household of seven, which included a male age 10 to 15 who could be Cyrus, age twelve at the time. Also enumerated was a female age 5 to 10, who could have been the ten year old Mary Bay who would later marry Benjamin Crull in Wayne County in 1847.

Nearly thirty years later, Mary and Benjamin Crull's son Marquis de Lafayette Crull married Cyrus and Lucinda Bay's daughter Lora Arecelia Bay in Henry County, Illinois. Was Mary Bay related to Cyrus Bay, perhaps a sister residing in 1840 in their father David Bay's household in Wayne County, Ohio?

Porter County, Indiana - Cyrus Bay married Lucinda Frame in March 1850 in Berrien County, Michigan. Lucinda came to Porter County from Preble County, Ohio, with her father Newton Frame when she was just a year old. The extended Frame family established homes throughout Porter and surrounding counties. Cyrus and Lucinda raised their family of at least eight children, many of whom remained in the Porter County area. A carpenter by trade who constructed his own home about 1875, Cyrus served in the 99th Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Cyrus' origins are unknown at this time, although there are indications that he was born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.

Cook County, Illinois - From about 1880 through the mid-1890s, Cyrus and Lucinda made their home in and around Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, as evidenced by voter registation records. Lucinda died in Chicago in 1894. It is believed that Cyrus returned to Porter County, Indiana soon thereafter.Eldest son David Bay also resided in the Cook County area. Son Levi Bay, earning his living as a mail carrier, resided in Chicago, as did daughter Lucy Elizabeth Bay and her husband Edward Phillips. Daughter Ella Maude Bay and husband Charles Demmon both died in Cook County, Charles in 1912 and Ella surviving until 1941. Daughter Grace Bay married Charles Brown, this couple also making their home in Chicago.

Henry County, Illinois - Cyrus' oldest daughter, Lora Arecelia Bay, married Marquis de Lafayette "Fett" Crull in Henry County, Illinois in 1878. The couple were enumerated in Henry County in 1880, but had relocated to Porter County, Indiana by 1900. Fett's mother was Mary Bay, who married Benjamin Crull in Wayne County, Ohio in 1847.

Lake County, Indiana - Levi Bay married Margaret Hammond in 1898. The couple established their home in Gary, Lake County, Indiana in 1903, raising a family of four children while farming and managing a milk cooperative. George Bay, the youngest son of Cyrus and Lucinda, also resided in Gary, Indiana, and died there in 1947.

©2004 Sue Phillips - Material on this site may be quoted or reproduced by those engaged in non-commercial genealogical research without prior permission, provided appropriate credit is given to the compiler. Any commercial use of this material without prior permission of the compiler is prohibited.

Updated: Friday, January 2, 2004