Edward James Gay (1816–1889)

Edward James Gay

Edward J. Gay (February 3, 1816 – May 30, 1889) was a financier and member of United States Congress. He was born at Liberty, Bedford County, Virginia, in the United States. Gay was the grandfather of Edward James Gay, who also served in the U.S. Congress.

Early history

His family moved to Illinois in 1820, then four years later to St. Louis, Missouri. For several years he studied under a private teacher in Belleville, Illinois; he attended Augusta College in Kentucky in 1833-34 and returned to St. Louis, where he was engaged in commercial affairs from 1839 to 1860. Although he had no formal business education, Gay was a dedicated student of industrial and political economy from early manhood on.

From St. Louis he moved to Louisiana, where he became interested in manufacturing and planting. He was prominently connected with the erection of the Merchant's Exchange Building in St. Louis., and he was the first president of the Louisiana Sugar Exchange of New Orleans.

Gay was originally opposed to secession from the Union, but once the American Civil War began, he stood firmly behind the Southern Confederacy.

Political career

Although not inclined towards politics, Edward J. Gay was persuaded in 1884 by his friends and associates to run for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He defeated William Pitt Kellogg, the last survivor of carpetbagging in Louisiana, in the election and became a member of the 49th Congress as a Democrat. He was re-elected to the 50th and 51st Congresses.

Gay died at his home, the Saint Louis Plantation in Iberville Parish, on May 30, 1889, while still in office. He was buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery, in St. Louis, Missouri.

His St. Louis Plantation was added to the National Register of Historic Places, in 1975.

References

• Edward James Gay at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana 1st district E. Livingston White Johnson White Slidell Sére St. Martin Dunbar Eustis Bouligny Sypher Lawrence Gibson Hunt St. Martin Wilkinson Meyer Estopinal O'Connor Fernández Hébert Tonry R. Livingston Vitter Jindal Scalise 2nd district Gurley Thomas Ripley Chinn Dawson la Branche Thibodeaux Conrad Bullard J.A. Landry Hunt Taylor Mann Sheldon Ellis Hahn Wallace Lagan Coleman Lagan Davey Buck Davey Gilmore Dupré Spearing Maloney T.H. Boggs Maloney T.H. Boggs L. Boggs Jefferson Cao Richmond 3rd district Brent Overton Bullard Garland Moore Dawson Harmanson Penn Perkins Davidson Newsham Darrall Acklen Darrall Kellogg Gay Price Broussard Martin Montet Mouton Domengeaux Willis Caffery Treen Tauzin Melancon J.M. Landry Boustany 4th district Bossier Morse Moore Jones Sandidge Landrum Vidal Newsham McCleery Boarman Smith Levy Elam Blanchard Ogden Breazeale Watkins Sandlin Brooks Waggonner Leach Roemer McCrery Fields McCrery Fleming 5th district Blackburn Morey Spencer Leonard Young King Newton Boatner Baird Ransdell Elder Wilson Mills McKenzie Passman Huckaby McCrery Cooksey Alexander McAllister Abraham 6th district Nash E. Robertson Lewis Irion E. Robertson S. Robertson Favrot Wickliffe Morgan Sanders, Sr. Favrot Kemp Sanders, Jr. Griffith Sanders, Jr. Morrison Rarick Moore Baker Cazayoux Cassidy Graves 7th district Pujo Lazaro De Rouen Plauche Larcade Thompson Edwards Breaux Hayes John Boustany 8th district Aswell Overton Dear Allen Doc McSween G. Long S. Long G. Long C. Long Holloway At-large Robertson Butler Johnston Sheridan Territory Clark Poydras