Husband George Hays 1 2
Born: Abt 1778 - Raymelton, County Donegal, Ireland
Christened:
Died: 1828 - ? Armstrong Co, PA 3
Buried: - Union Presbyterian Cemetery, Cowansville, East Franklin Twp, Armstrong Co, PA
Marriage: - Raymelton, County Donegal, Ireland
Wife Elizabeth "Bettie" Hays 2
Born: - Raymelton, County Donegal, Ireland
Christened:
Died: 1841 3
Buried:
Children
1 F Hannah Hays 3
Born: - Ireland
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: David Johnston ( - ) 3
2 M Samuel Hays 3
Born: - Ireland
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: [Unk] McDonald ( - ) 3
3 F Fanny Hays 3
Born: - Ireland
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Alexander Foster ( - ) 3
4 M Robert Hays 1 3 5 6
AKA: Robert Hayse 4
Born: 16 Aug 1812 - County Donegal, Ireland 3
Christened:
Died: 1877 - Fairview Twp, Butler Co, PA 3 6
Buried:
Spouse: Deborah Jane McKee (1815-1883) 1 5 6 7
Marr: 9 Feb 1836 3
5 F Margaret Hays 3
Born: - Ireland
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: William Boden ( - ) 3
6 F Bridget Hays 3
Born: - Ireland
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: John Foster ( -1854) 3
Spouse: James McClatchey ( - ) 3
7 M David Hays 3
Born: - Washington Twp, Armstrong Co, PA
Christened:
Died: 13 Dec 1864 - Annapolis, MD 3 8
Buried:
Spouse: Elizabeth Plat ( -Aft 1913) 3
Marr: Abt 1850
General Notes: Husband - George Hays
The name Hays has various other forms, de la Haye, Hay, Hayes, and is found all over the United Kingdom, and meant originally "dweller at the hedge or hedged inclosure". The branch of the family here under consideration came to this country from Ireland, and had a coat of arms and crest, a representation of which the founder brought with him.
Hayes of County Donegal, Baronet of Drumore Castle. Arms: Argent, a chevron, between three griffins' heads, erased, sable. Crest: A griffin's head, erased between two dragon's wings, sable. Motto: Dieu me conduise.
The family of Hay (or Hays as they generally spelled their name after making their new home in the North of Ireland) have prominent place in the history of Scotland. It is said that about the year 980, in the reign of Kenneth III., the Danes having invaded Scotland, they were encountered by the king near Lancarty, in Perthshire. The Scots at first gave way and filed through a narrow pass, where they were stopped by a countryman of great strength and courage and his two sons, with no other weapons than the yokes of their plows. Upbraiding the fugitives for their cowardice, he succeeded in rallying them, and the battle being resumed the Danes were defeated. After the victory was obtained, the old peasant, while lying on the ground, wounded and fatigued, cried, “Hay, Hay,” which word became the surname of his posterity, and the king, as a reward for his signal service, gave him as much land in the carse of Gowrie as a falcon should fly over before it settled; and a falcon being accordingly let off flew over an extent of ground six miles in length, after called Errol, and lighted on a stone, still called “falcon stone.”-This is taken from the “Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames” by Clifford Stanley Sims.
The first of the family to settle in America was George Hays, who came from County Donegal, Ireland, town of Raymelton, where he was born. By occupation he was a farmer. He came to America about 1821-22 accompanied by his wife, with their family, then consisting of six children). They started for America, embarking on a sailing vessel at Londonderry, Ireland, and they landed at St. John, N. B., after a six weeks' sail. After remaining there a couple of months, during which time Mr. Hays worked in a tobacco factory, they proceeded to Quebec, Canada, and there reshipped to Norfolk, VA, thence continuing their journey to Baltimore, MD, where David Hays, his wife's brother, had a wholesale grocery business. A short time afterward they came overland by way of the Baltimore and Pittsburgh pike, through Gettysburg, Chambersburg, Greensburg, and from there by way of Freeport to Kittanning. The old Miller farm was the first place Mr. Hays looked at, but he refused to buy it because the timber was too small. He continued north on the Kittanning and Wattersonville road to the home of his sister's husband, John Foster, where the family stopped a few days. One and a half miles from there George Hays found land to suit him, 125 acres, heavily timbered with chestnut, oak, etc., about one mile northwest of Sherrett, in Washington (formerly Sugar Creek) township. He soon built his log cabin, began to clear out a farm, and made a permanent home, living there with his family until his death. [HAC 1914, 640]