Ninian Bay, [Thomas Ninian Lewis Bay] a man of French extraction, was born August 23, 1812. His family moved from St. Francois County to Dent County where they lived on Sinkin, Nancy John, an Irish descendant, became  the wife of Ninian. To this union eleven children were born: George Washington, Dan, Joe, Greenberry Wade, Alfred, John, Bill, Sarah (Margaret), Amanda (Jurittie), Polly and Jane. Ninian was a farmer, teacher and minister on Sinkin.  NOTE: Ninian was the son of Robert Bay (1779-1835) & Mary Hamilton (1784-1935) who both died in Franklin Co MO. Elizabeth 'Jane' married Nehemiah Smith (1833-1948). He is buried at West Fork Sutterfield Cemetery in Reynolds County and has a double headstone with Annis E. Smith (1872-1955). Mary Ann 'Polly'  married Jeremiah 'Jerry' Sapaugh, Sr.  Amanda 'Jurittie' married James Nathaniel Highley. Sarah married Henry Gulliver Thompson.

Living during the Civil War, Ninian was a Southern sympathizer. While busy stacking hay one day, Ninian and son Greenberry Wade heard someone coming. In order to protect his son, Ninian told him to get up in the  hay and hide as best he could. The noise they heard was bushwhackers, who took Ninian from his home on Sinkin about a mile up the creek and murdered August 9, 1862.

Four months later, the bushwhackers returned and killed two sons, George and Dan, on December 19, 1862. The wiveds of these two men buried them both in the same grave along-side their father in the Bay Cemetery on Sinkin Creek.

Joe, the third son, was shot at by the bushwhackers. He went home and got another horse and was never seen or heard of again.

The fourth son, Greenberry Wade, was born January 4, 1843. He homesteaded 160 acres on Sinkin where all of his children were raised. Greenberry married Elizabeth Parlee Swiney January 19, 1871. To this union two children were born, Jurittie and Sue. Elizabeth passed away December 19, 1874, and was buried in Burnett Cemetery on Sinkin.

Greenberry Wade married a second time to Elvira Copeland. She was born September 2, 861 in Iron County. To this union seven children were born: John W., Lewis E., Lou Ceba, George W., James L., Laura and Edgar. The family lived and farmed on Sinkin for their entire lives.

John W. united with Mary Rebecca Byerly and to this union these children were born: Lola Edith, Roy, Virgil, Edna, Jim, Earl, Ethel, Charles, Margaret, Irene, June, Ross, John and Emily. During their first  year of marriage, they lived on a farm adjoining the Bay Cemetery on Sinkin. Later the family moved to the Epstein place on Sinkin, and then to the St. Louis area and eventually returned to Sinkin. NOTE: FAG has a second wife for John, Anna Lou Pruitt.

Lewis E. united with Clara Ales from Dent County. Their children are Eugene, Nedra and Mary. When Lewis's brother John left the farm on Sinkin, Lewis and his family moved in. Upon John's return to Sinkin, Lewis moved to Oklahoma. After the dust storm in Oklahoma, they returned to Missouri for a short time and then moved to Oregon where he is buried.  Memorial

Lou Ceba was united with Ed Swiney. The Swiney's home was about a mile from the Bay farm where Ed and Lou Ceba made their home. Their children are: Thelma, Kirby, Albert, Elsie, Lizzie, Ed, Lewis, Lily Dale, Faye and Kenny.

George married Jenny Bunch from Big Creek. Their children are Hazel, Theila, Venrona, Wilburn, Wayne and Elnore. After living on a farm near Sinkin for about five years. George and younger brother James L. bought a farm near Salem where they moved. He lived there until 1938 at which time he moved to Oregon and was killed in the log woods.

James L. married Ethel Williamson from North Missouri. James L. traveled as a salesman in the west and south during his brother George's stay at the farm. He returned to Sinkin where he farmed and milled. Their children are Audrey, Jerome, Jim, George and Gene.

Laura was united with Burt Ramsey. They moved to the Lead Belt Area for a few years and returned to his home farm on Barren Fork. From there they moved to the St. Louis area and did some contracting and later entered the grocery business. Their children are Homer, Maudeline, Alberta and Jack.

Edgar left home at an early age and moved to Oregon where he lived with a cousin. He joined the army in World War I and returned to Dent County where he married Delphia Stephens. He and Delphia later moved to California where he is buried.

At the present time, all of Greenberry Wade's children, two sons-in-law, Burt and Ed, and one daughter-in-law, Mary Rebecca, are deceased. The other four daughters-in-law, Clara of Oregon, Jenny of Colorado, Ethel of Missouri, and Delphia of California, are still living. ~ By Roy Bay & Jeanne Bay Dillon. Submitted to MOGenWeb by Sarah Thompson.

NOTE: Although this family lived in Dent County, the area where they lived adjoins Shannon County and the family had close ties to Shannon County.