Aaron Gay

by Maud Lorie Gay West

Aaron Gay was born 22 Aug. 1848 in Pottawattamie Co., Iowa near Council Bluffs, Iowa, while his family was crossing the plains with the Mormon Pioneers. His father was Noses Gay and his mother was Lucretia Davis, both were born in Mass.. His family arrived in Utah in 1853 and they went directly to Spanish Fork. In 1854 his father died, leaving his mother with six Sons and one daughter. His life was the same as all boys in the early days in Utah. They used to bring the cows home from where they had been feeding, bare footed. He fought the Indians, having to move to Palmyra, Utah, for some time, but the Indians stole their cattle and so they moved back to Spanish Fork.

As a young man he guarded the homes from the Indians. While guarding the house of Charles Packet, he met and fell in love with my grandmother, Emeline Packet, and in March of 1872 they were married in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. He had a freighting company and hauled all kinds of freight to Pioche, Nevada. And at one time he was Marshall of Spanish Fork.
When they were first married, they lived in Spanish Fork where his children were born. They later moved to Lake Shore, Utah, and bought a 75 acre farm. This they farmed for some time. During this time he was called to go on a mission. He and grandmother talked this over and decided he should go then. Their oldest son William Aaron Gay (my father) was 19 years old and helped run the farm and care for the cattle while he was away.

In those days, traveling was very slow. He finally arrived in England and was sent on to Scotland, where he preformed a wonderful mission. But owing to the cold and hard walking and scarse food, his health broke down from which he never fully recovered. At one time, he and his fellow missionaries were sent to another town, which meant traveling by boat. He was impressed by a warning, so he and his companion stayed there. When the boat was part way, it caught fire and part of the people were killed. He was gone two years on his mission. I suspose he worried exceedingly about his small family left at home. But, on coming home, he decided to go into business with his brother, who, doing to his inability as a businessman, they went broke and my grandfather lost his lovely farm. They also had a lovely ranch up Spanish Fork canyon which they also lost.

They moved to Mammoth, Utah, a thriving mining town. He tried his hand at carpenter work. While working there, a large rock dropped on his head and they thought he would die before they could get him out. But he lived many years after this. His wife, Emeline had to support the family by sewing and keeping a boarding house.

In 1900, they moved to Provo, Utah, living in the Provo 2nd Ward for 10 years. He wasn't well the rest of his life. Their daughter died leaving a baby girl to raise and they took the baby to raise. She only lived 10 months. Their son—in—law died leaving 3 small children which they helped to take care of, while their mother worked.

My grandparents went to the County Infirmary to work. He was head of the farm work, and she was an attendant. But this work was too much for him, so they quit the Infirmary. He died 14 Oct. 1910. My grandfather Gay was a tall man, well built, weighing 200 lbs. I remember him as a kind man and very generous. He was buried in Spanish Fork Cemetery.

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Obituary of Aaron Gay Deseret News 20 Oct. 1910

Aaron Gay died yesterday from general disability. The deceased was born 22 Aug. 1848 in Iowa. He came to Utah in 1852 with his parents and located in Spanish Fork, when he moved to Provo. The deceased leaves a wife and three children and several grandchildren and other relatives and a large circle of friends.

The funeral services will be held at the residence — 1046 W. 6th S. Friday at 10:00 o'clock. After which the body will be shipped to Spanish fork for burial services will be held in Spanish Fork also.