The Spiker Family Gathering Place

Geneaology and History Portal

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PROFILE OVERVIEW

 
Full Name:
Missouri Gay Zinn		 
 Known As:Gay 
    
 Date of Birth:June 23, 1884 
 Date of Death:May 20, 1967 
    
 Spouse:Jacob Spiker 
    
 Father:Marion Bukey Zinn 
 Mother:Alice Bush 

 

TIMELINE

 
Birth:
June 23, 1884
Horn Creek, Gilmer County, West Virginia, USA		 
 Marriage:at age 22 to Jacob Spiker April 14, 1907
Bear Run, Ritchie County, West Virginia, USA		 
 Occupation:"none" 
 Death:May 20, 1967 at age 82 
Ritchie County, West Virginia, USA		 
 Burial:May 22, 1967
South Fork Cemetery, Ritchie County, West Virginia, USA
 		 

DID YOU KNOW?

 

 When Gay was born:
  

Top News Headlines
  

President - Chester A. Arthur
Vice President - None
  

One of the Top Songs for 1884 -- "Rock-a-Bye Baby"
Some of the Hot Toys /Games -- "Parcheesi"    "Snakes & Ladders"    "Cap Guns"
  

Average Costs throughout the US in 1884

  • Bread averaged $.02 p/loaf
  • Milk would run you about $0.16 p/gallon
  • The median home value was $5300
  • The average income was $515 p/year
 

Fun Facts, Interesting Tidbits & Puzzling Trivia
  

* Although her first name was "Missouri," everyone called her "Gay".  No-one questions this until Melanie Fouse began looking for grandmother's birth record.

In the birth record book located at www.wvculture.org she found Gay's name listed with three of her sisters on the same page. At first Melanie thought she had found an unknown sister that must have died early in life, because Gay was listed as "Lillie G. Zinn" with Marion Bukey and Alice as her parents. Then she noticed that Lillie had the same birthday as Gay! Where was the Missouri name?

Melanie then went back to the US Federal Census records to see again what name Gay was using. On the 1910 Fed Census, Gay is listed as "Missouria G.". Then in 1920, she is listed as "Gae M.".   Never is she listed as "Lillie Gay" except in the Record of Births. With no birth certificate and no social security card, she could call herself anything she liked.

Melanie did find a "Missouri Zinn" in Preston County on the 1860 Census. She was daughter of a George D. Zinn. Then we found a "Lillie G. Zinn" in Sinking Creek, Lewis County in 1920. She was the wife of Thomas C. Zinn. Perhaps our Gay knew one of these women but her names and how she got them remains a mystery to her descendants.

* Read Gay's Diary

* Read Gay Zinn and Jacob Spiker's "Courting Letters"

 

FAMILY TREE

PHOTO & IMAGE GALLERY

Isaac Monroe & Catherine Bradford Spiker Decendants
 
Jake & Gay's Wedding Photo
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Gay Zinn Spiker Death Certificate
 
Jacob & Gay Spiker's Headstone
 
 

 

 

 

The Paths Through our Garden

            Continue exploring our garden:
 
  The Spiker Family Tree -- See how deep our roots grow.
  Grow Healthy Trees -- The story behind our family's Medical Tree
  Heirloom Gardening - We're showing off some of our favorite family heirlooms.
  Planting the Seeds -- Getting the children involved in our family's history.
  Gardening Tools -- Just a few genealogy related tools and links we use to trace our lineage.