La Vernia: http://losttexasroads.com/places/51-la-vernia-wilson-county-texas

1900 census of Justice Precinct 6, Wilson Co TX
Name Age
Marion Lay 46 KY KY KY
Nannie Lay 39 MO MO MO
Susie F Lay 18 TX KY MO
Yetta Lay 17 TX KY MO
Arthur Lay 14 TX KY MO
Jessee Lay 12 TX KY MO
Charlie Lay 10 TX KY MO
Sallie Lay 8 TX KY MO
Mamie Lay 5 TX KY MO
Elizabeth Lay 2 TX KY MO
J D Beakley 29 MO MO MO (boarder)

1910 census of Justice Precinct 6, Wilson Co TX
Marion Lay, head, m, w, 54, married 29 years, TX, KY, KY, hotel keeper
Nanie - , wife, f, w, 49, married 29 yers, MO, TN, MO
Susie - , daughter, f, w, 28, single, TX, TX, MO
Salie - , daughter, f, w, 18, single, TX, TX, MO
Mamie - , daughter, f, w, 15, single, TX, TX, MO
Fred - , son, m, w, 12, single, TX, TX, MO

Texas Death Index, 1903-200013

Name: F. M. Judge Lay
Death Date: 17 Jun 1918
Death County: Wilson
Certificate: 27015

Francis Marion Lay's obituary appeared in the Floresville Chronicle Journal on 21 June 1918:

"Judge F. M. Lay, 65, a native Texan and resident of LaVernia for more than half a century. For 30 years, he has served consecutively as Justice of the Peace, a number of times being elected to office over his protest. For years he has been propietor of the Lay Hotel of LaVernia. His children are Miss Susie Lay of Kingsville, Mrs. Otto J. Tuschka of Globe, Arizona, Misses Sallie, Mamie, Libby of LaVernia, Jesse Lay of San Marcos, Charles Lay with the U. S. Marines, and Fred Lay. Charter member of the LaVernia Masonic Lodge."

The estate of F. M. Lay was probated in 1919.219 The Application for Community Administration, Estate of F. M. Lay, Deceased:

"Petitionor, Mrs. Nannie Lay, states that her husband F. M. Lay died on 17 June 1918 at LaVernia, Wilson County, Texas. Surviving children: Miss Sue Lay, 37; Mrs. Otto Tuschka, 35; Jesse L. Lay, 31; Charlie Lay, 29; Sallie Lay, 27; Mrs. R. G. Treon, 24; and Fred Lay, 16. Deceased died intestate. All property situated within Wilson Co Texas."

The estate was eventually appraised as "one house and lot in LaVernia, Texas, $3000.00; 25 acres one-half mile west of LaVernia, Texas, $1000."

Nannie J. Green is listed as a boarder in the household of the Daniel B. Lay family in the 1880 census of Wilson Co TX. Curiously, she is recorded as black; see multimedia file photo. The census was taken in June 1880, five months before she married Francis Marion Lay.

In 1921, Jess and Mabel Lay moved to San Antonio to care for Nannie Lay, then 60 years old. "Grandma" Lay's husband, Frances Marion Lay, had died in June of 1918 at the family home in La Vernia, Wilson County, Texas. Nannie Lay moved to San Antonio in 1919, where she lived alone at 734 Essex Street.220 She had diabetes and Jess worried that she needed care, particularly in preparation of her meals. Mabel Lay and Nannie Lay quarrelled frequently because Nannie would not follow her prescribed diet, and would sneak into the kitchen to eat sweets.

Nannie Lay died at the Santa Rosa Infirmary in San Antonio on 26 March 1931 of a diabetic coma that commenced the day before her death. Her death certificate indicated that she had suffered from diabetes mellitus for 7 years.

Her name is given in some places as “Nannie Jennie” in some places. Her name is given as Nancy Jane in the obituary for Francis Marion Lay that was published in the Floresville Chronicle-Journal on July 5, 1918. I give this newspaper article credit for having her actual name since she was still alive at the time it was written and probably had a part in proofing the obituary. The name on her grave marker in the LaVernia cemetery is “Mother Nannie Lay, 1861-1931” and her name in the 1910 census of Wilson County is “Nanie.”

Although family tradition is that she moved to San Antonio in 1919 (see above), she was still listed as living in La Vernia, Wilson Co TX, in the 1920 census (29 January 1920):

Name Age
Fanny M Lay 58 head widow MO TN TN
Salley Lay 27 dau single TX MO TX
Fred Lay 17 son single TX MO TX
Gilbert Lay 7 grandson single TX TX ??

The 1929 San Antonio City Directory listed Nannie Lay (widow Francis M.) living at 734 Essex with her son Gilbert Lay.

The 1930 census of Bexar Co TX records them as well:

Lay, Nina head age 69, widow MO TN MO
Lay, Gilbert adopted son age 17, single TX United States TX

These census records suggest that Gilbert is Charles Gilbert Lay, Jr.

The Funeral Notice for Mrs. Nannie Lay was published in a local newspaper on 27 March 1931:

“Funeral services for Mrs. Nannie Lay, 70, who died Thursday morning at a local hospital, will be held Friday afternoon with the Rev. L. C. Beasley officiating.

“Mrs. Lay, a native of Missouri, had lived in San Antonio for 12 years.

“She is survived by two sons, J. L. Lay ot this city and C. G. Lay of Fort Worth, three daughters, Mrs. O. J. Tuschka of Globe, Ariz.; Mrs. Richard Wells of Lavernia, Mrs. R. G. Treon of San Benito; four sisters, Mrs. Emma Robinson of Venice, Calif.; Mrs. Joe Dobbs of Ohio, Mrs. Phoebe Davis and Mrs. J. H. Erb of San Antonio.

“Interment will be in Lavernia, following services here.”

Nannie died of a diabetic coma.