Christopher Fay is the father of Patrick S. Fay (1848-1912) who was the stepfather (or adopted father) of Frank L. Fay, industrialist and state senator of Greenville, PA.

I would like to hear from others who might be researching this guy to compare notes and to make sure my data is correct.

Birth

Per his tombstone, he was born 1805 in Ireland. I do not have any birth records.

Arrival

Probably 1849 in New York.

Appears on page 60 in Immigrants in Madison County, New York, 1815-1860 compiled by Isabel Bracy. Published 1990 by Heart of the Lakes Pub. in Interlaken, N.Y. I requested a lookup from someone who owns this book and received a listing of everyone with the Fay surname:

FAY, Bridget—Sullivan 1854, Ireland, Boarder
FAY, Christopher—Cazenovia 1849, Ireland, Farmer
FAY, John—Cazenovia 1838, Ireland, Shoemaker
FAY, John—Lenox 1855, Ireland, Laborer
FAY, Pat—Cazenovia 1851, Ireland, Farmer
Mary—Cazenovia 1851, Ireland, Wife

Marriage

He was married to Ann Dardis, also Irish. They were married before 1848, possibly as early as 1831, presumably in Ireland. I do not have a marriage certificate. They were the parents of Patrick S. Fay of my line.

Children

1. Fanny
   She was born around 1832 in Ireland and emigrated with her family around 1849. She appears in the 1850 federal census with her family (see below) but not in the 1855 state census so she presumably married and left home.
2. Ann
   She was born around 1832 in Ireland and emigrated with her family around 1849. She appears in the 1850 federal census with her family (see below) but not in the 1855 state census so she presumably married and left home. I found a marriage record that might fit: Ann Fay, born about 1833 in Ireland, married on 25 Apr 1854 in Roxbury, Massachusetts, USA, at the age of 21. Her mother was Ann Fay; no father was listed. (Ann’s father had died in 1862 so this fits.) She married John Broughton, age 23, born in Ireland. His parents were Cornelius and Mary Broughton.
3. John
   Born 1837 in Ireland. Emigrated with his family around 1849. He appears in the 1850 census with his father (see below).

   He appears in the 1855 New York State Census as an apprentice shoemaker in Cazenovia for Peter Lacount. In 1860, at the age of 23, he is back at home with his parents in Cazenovia.

   Died 1863 – may have been a Civil War soldier, based on his death date. Need to look into this some day.

4. Margaret/Mary Anne
   She was born ca. 1844 in Ireland. She appears in the 1850 and 1855 censuses listed below with her family but not in the 1860 census. She would have been around 16 at that time so perhaps she married or took a job somewhere. I did find a Mary A. Fay, 17 years old, working as a servant in the household of bank cashier B. Rush and Margaret Wendell in Cazenovia, the same town where her family was living at that time. So presumably that is her but I can’t really confirm it. As a further point of interest, the Wendells live just next to a Dardis family, perhaps relatives of Mary Anne’s mother Ann, who was a Dardis.
5. Patrick
   Patrick was born 1848 in Ireland and was brought to the U.S. as a baby, probably around 1849. He became the stepfather/adoptive father of Frank L. Fay of my direct line.
6. Joseph A.
   Joseph was the first to be born in the U.S., in about February 1850 probably in Syracuse, Onondaga, New York, USA.
7. Andrew J.
   Andrew J. was born August 1852 in New York.
   He may have married Mary A. (last name unknown) whose dates are 1843-1912 (he shares a tombstone with her) sometime after 1900. I don’t have any info on her. He appears to have no children.

   His residence records mirror his brother Patrick’s until the year 1880 when I cannot find him. However, he does appear in the New York State census for poorhouses in 1886 and in the federal census for 1900 in the Onondaga County Penitentiary.

   He died Saturday, December 28, 1907, in Cleveland, Ohio. From the Cazenovia Republican: Mr. Andrew Fay, a former resident of this place and a cousin or Mr. John Dardis of this village, died at his late home in Cleveland, Ohio, Saturday morning. The remains were brought here for burial in St. Agnes’ Cemetery Tuesday morning.

   

   Thursday January 2, 1908, The Cazenovia Republican page 5 New York Andrew Fay Died -detail

   Below is his tombstone picture from findagrave.com. He was buried in Saint James Cemetery in Cazenovia, NY.

   

   Andrew J. Fay tombstone picture Cazenovia NY

Residence

Christopher and his family seem to have moved around New York state but stayed in the counties of Madison and Onondaga in upstate New York.

1850

I first find him living in Syracuse Ward 2 in Onondaga County, NY, in 1850. He seems to be 34 years old this year and his wife Ann is 37. Living with them are two eighteen-year-old girls, Fanny and Ann; their son John, 12; Margaret, 6; Patrick, 2; and Joseph, 6 months. The date the census was taken was August 10, 1850, so Joseph must have been born in February of that year. All are born in Ireland except for little Joseph, who was born in New York. This places the family’s arrival after Patrick’s birth in 1848 and before Joseph’s birth in February 1850. Christopher’s occupation is a little difficult to read but I think it says, “At Work.” See below.

1855

On June 11, 1855, Christopher appears in the New York state census for LaFayette, Onondaga County. He is 50; his wife Anne is 42. They have lived in the town for 4 years. Christopher is unemployed. At home are James, 13; Mary Anne (or Margaret), 11; Patrick, 7; Joseph, 5; and Andrew, 3. See below.

1860

The 1860 federal census finds the family in Cazenovia in Madison County, New York. Christopher is a 55-year-old laborer. Ann is 47. Son John is a 23-year-old storekeeper. Patrick is 12. Joseph A. is 10. Andrew is 8. See the image below.

1865

The 1865 New York state census has not yet been transcribed. I am keeping an eye out for it to be finished. This group is working on it: http://www.unyg.com/blog/index.php/2009/09/the-1865-and-1892-new-york-state-census-online/comment-page-1/.

1870

In 1870, they are back in Syracuse. Christopher has died by this time so we just find Ann with some of her children. She is 57, “Keeping House,” and has a personal estate value of $300. James, 28, is a Brakesman. Patrick, 23, is a Conductor. Joseph, 22, is a Brakesman. Andrew, 17, is “At Home.” See below for the original record.

1875

On June 5, 1875, the New York state census for Geddes, Onondaga County, New York, shows the 62-year-old Ann living with her four boys in a frame house worth $900. Patrick is 27. James is 30. Joseph is 25. Andrew is 23. All are laborers.

1880

By 1880, the boys are gone, living on their own presumably, and Ann is alone.

1890

The 1890 census was destroyed so we don’t have any records for Ann in that year. Ann died in 1894 and is buried beside her husband in Saint James Cemetery.

Death

1862 at the age of 57. I cannot find a death certificate or obituary.

Burial

Saint James Cemetery, Cazenovia, Madison County, New York, along with wife Anne and son John. (See http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=92984723&ref=acom)