Good morning, Camille!
As I mentioned, Henry A. Gabay was as far back as I've been able to trace the family and he came to America from the Netherlands. He married Mary Maddy who was from England. They lived in New York City, NY and raised a family and worked as tobacconist and cigar maker (I think he must have opened his own shop eventually but have not proved that yet). My grandmother, Mary Elizabeth changed her name to Ruth Espranza Gabay. She told my mother and others that there was Castillian Spanish in the family tree. Though her father was an Episcopalian, I feel that there is Jewish blood in the veins somewhere. I know from my research that a good many Gabays in the Netherlands ARE Jewish and I know that the Gabay line in Spain was also Jewish. My grandmother married a Jewish man but he did not practice his religion. Her children were raised without a family religion, but did attend Christian churches. My mother converted to Catholicism before she married my father. We are practicing Catholics. I don't know if this interests you or not. I find the religious aspect of genealogy fascinating.
So, I'd like to know about the French connection with the Gabay name. Tell me your story, if you will.
Cindy