Historical Sketch of Bazell and Clay Families

Historical Sketch of Bazell and Clay Families Early Settlers
Louisa Big Sandy News, 3 Feb. 1922, page 10

Historical Sketch of Bazell and Clay Families – John Mitchell Clay was born in Pulaski County, Virginia, on Oct. 7, 1821. He had one brother, William, some four years or more older than he, and quite a number of sisters, all of whom married and settled in Lawrence, Boyd, and Carter counties [in Kentucky]. The oldest, Betsey married John Riffe, grandfather of Judge Billie Rafe, of Louisa. Limmie married Isam Hogan, father of John, and Andrew Hogan of Garner, Boyd County, [Kentucky].

Another married Carter Ball of near Grayson, Carter County, [Kentucky]. Another Mont Bolt of Bolts Fork, Boyd County, [Kentucky] for many years a surveyor of Boyd County, [Kentucky]. Nancy married her cousin, James Clay, who settled just below the falls of Blaine in Lawrence County, [Kentucky]. The youngest daughter, Kizzie, married John M. Burns well known as a lawyer and judge of the courts and father of your townsman, M.S. Burns.

At the age of five years, his father, William Clay, with his family, moved to Lawrence County, Kentucky, and settled on East Fork near Seed Tick, where he grew to manhood and married Lucinda Bazell, daughter of Elias Bazell, who was a noted local Methodist preacher and a talented singer who frequently made trips down the Sandy River on rafts of timber and crowds would gather on the banks of the river to hear him sing as his rafts passed down.

Samuel Bazell [Bazzell] the father of Elias Bazell and grandfather of Mrs. Clay, at an early day, moved to Pike County, Kentucky, from North Carolina and settled on John’s Creek in Pike County, Kentucky, on the farm now owned by a Mr. Bevins, father of Grada Bevins: later they lived in Floyd County, [Kentucky] and thence to Falls of Blaine where they lived when their daughter married Mr. Clay.

Of this marriage six children were born, William and Leander in Lawrence County, Kentucky, when they moved to Missouri and remained three years where their oldest daughter, Rebecca, was born. In 1853 they moved to Lawrence County, Ohio, where Josie B. was born in 1854, Mandivell G. in 1856, John C. in 1860, and where they lived until they died. Lucinda in 1888 and John M. in 1902.

When the Civil War broke out, John M. Clay enlisted in the 5th WV Volunteer Infantry and served three years, taking part in the Battles of Cross Keys, Second Bull Run, and many others. William Clay, the father of John M., was born Nov. 7, 1777, in Giles County, Virginia, and died in Lawrence County, Kentucky at the age of 64 years. He was born on New River at a place called Clover Bottom.

They had trouble with hostile Indians. An uncle and aunt of Mr. Clay were killed by them and another uncle was taken prisoner and afterward killed. Part of the time they were compelled to live in forts. His father, William Clay, married Rebecca Cecil in 1800. Her mother was a Whitten and of a large family connection known as the Whitten and Cecil families.

She, Rebecca, was born in Montgomery County, Virginia in 1782 and died in Lawrence County, Ohio, in 1866, being 84 years old. She had been a member of the M.E. Church for upwards of 50 years and Mr. Clay’s family all belong to the M. E. Church.

Elias Bazell was the father of seven children, four boys, Wylie G., William H., Martin S., and James B., and three daughters, Lucinda J., Penina, and Merihah, all of whom are now dead. Wylie G., and Wm. H., both married at the Falls of Blaine, the former married Sarah Woods and the latter Amanda Woods, sisters, and also sisters to Polly Crank of Fallsburg and the mother of the Cooksey boys.

Martin Bazell married Anna Layne of Rock Camp, Ohio, and Capt. J. B. Bazell married Mary Winters of Lawrence County, Ohio.

All the boys served in the Union Army during the Civil War and the youngest, James Barksdale was a Captain of Company C, 5th WV Infantry.

Of the children of John M. Clay, William died at Ansley, Neb., in 1898, aged 54 years. Leander died at his home in Andis, Lawrence County, Ohio, in 1918, aged 7- years.

Of the remaining children Rebecca and Josie B., live at Aid, Ohio, John C., at Rock Camp, Ohio, near where he was born, and M. G. resides at Ep in Pike County, Kentucky, where he has been teaching school for the last 15 years.

William Clay, the only brother of John M. Clay, accompanied him and his family to Missouri in 1850 and remained there when John M. returned to Ohio. This proved to be a final separation of these brothers for when war was declared in 1861, William joined the Confederate Army and became estranged from his family or was lost or killed for he never returned to his family.

Elias Bazell married Elizabeth Ratliff of Pikeville in 1826. She was widely related to the citizenry of Pike and adjoining counties. One of her sisters was Caroline Richardson who died in Catlettsburg several years ago and was the mother of ex-sheriff “Shock” Richardson.

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