Martin Gay was a metal smith and political figure in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...

. He represented Cumberland township in the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia from 1783 to 1784.

He was born in Hingham, Massachusetts

Hingham, Massachusetts

Hingham is a town in northern Plymouth County on the South Shore of the U.S. state of Massachusetts and suburb in Greater Boston. The United States Census Bureau 2008 estimated population was 22,561...

, the son of the Reverend Ebenezer Gay and Jerusha Bradford. Gay was married twice: first to Mary Pinckey in 1750 and then to Ruth Atkins in 1765. Gay went to Halifax

City of Halifax

Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...

 in 1776 when the loyalists left Boston

Boston

Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...

. He served as a justice in the Inferior Court of Common Pleas for Cumberland County

Cumberland County, Nova Scotia

Cumberland County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.-History:The name Cumberland was applied by Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Monckton to the captured Fort Beauséjour on June 18, 1755 in honour of the third son of King George II, William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, victor at...

. He was elected to the assembly in a 1783 by-election held after Hezekiah King's seat was declared vacant for non-attendance. Gay travelled to England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 in 1788 and then returned to Boston in 1792. He died there at the age of 82.

His brother Jotham

Jotham Gay

Johtham Gay was an army officer and political figure in Nova Scotia. He represented Cumberland County in the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia from 1772 to 1774....

 also served in the assembly. His son Samuel

Samuel Gay

Samuel Gay was a judge and political figure in New Brunswick. He represented Westmorland in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1786 to 1792 and from 1795 to 1802....

served in the New Brunswick assembly.