Seventh Generation

2583. Joseph Elzie Hays³⁰⁷² was born on 6 December 1822 in Russell Co., KY. Joseph died in Russell Co., KY on 23 January 1904 and was buried at Stone Cemetery in Jamestown, Russell Co., KY in January 1904 .³⁰⁷³

"Sketch of Joseph E. Hays.

"At his home in Jamestown, on the 23rd of last month, there passed from the walks of man, one who in many respects was a remarkable man.

"In a less isolated locality that that in which he spent most of his life, Joseph E. Hays might have been as distinguished as many of those whose names are known to multitudes. But, for him home, for much of his life, he chose the little town of Jamestown, remote from railroad lines and from the busy mass of the world, and far removed from any of its great centers of thought and action.

"And yet it seems that no one has undertaken to write anything of the life of this well-known citizen and lawyer. There is much that might be written. Certainly the story of the 82 years of life of one whose talents and industry distinguished him among his fellows, can be be told in the limits of a brief article. So much must be omitted.

"Hon. Joseph E. Hays was born in Russell county, Ky., December 6, 1822. He was the son of Gabriel Hays and Martha Coffey Hays, who came here from Virginia some years before Russell county was created, and when this section was mostly a wilderness.

"His paternal grandmother was Jane Moore Quigly, of London, England, while his maternal grandmother was Jennie Witherspoon, a member of a distinguished North Carolina family. Both of these grandparents were cultured and intellectual women, and the grandson either inherited or early developed a burning desire for an education.

"In that day schools and teachers were few and far between, but the boy who really means to educate himself and accomplish something in the world, keeps saying to himself; 'where there's a will, there's a way.'

"And the boy, Joseph E. Hays, found away, though oftentimes it was far from being an easy one. By a firelight made of boards and dry sticks he learned to read, of evening, after the day's work was over. It was not always over, however, with the night fall, for his parents, as well as everybody else, perhaps in the vicinity at that time, were poor, and it is said, his labors were sometimes carried far into the night. The family had to be supported and the father was an invalid.

"As an illustration of the lack of conveniences in this section, in that early day, it is said that he learned to cipher on a slate rock.

"But not baffled by adverse circumstances he attended country schools two short terms, then raised a tobacco crop to earn money with which to attend Zion Academy, in Adair county. If the writer is not mistaken this school was at that time presided over by a Virginia gentleman, Prof. Carnes, who had been well educated in one of the file colleges of that alder [sic] state.

"The writer has heard Mr. Hays say that when he quit school he recited the contents of Latin Grammar, missing nothing of importance, without a question being asked, except a general one, such as 'Tell what you know about this book,' or something of the kind. It was at this school, Zion Academy, which Mr. Hays attended for two terms, that he learned Latin and Greek.

"I am not sure whether it was before or after this, but think it was before, that Mr. Hiram Rowe met the young man, and learning of his anxiety to learn, as well as recognizing his ability to do so, offered to teach him surveying. The offer was promptly accepted and it was arranged that the lad should go to the home of Mr. Rowe and begin his studies at once. So well did he apply himself and so readily did he master the subject, that at the remarkably early age of sixteen Mr. Rowe's pupil and protégé was surveyor of the county.

"After leaving school, and after having taught a few terms, when not attending school, Mr. Hays studied medicine and began to practice, but soon abandoned it to study law with Hon. Sam Bell Maxey. At this time he was about 23 years old.

"After being admitted, he began, at Burkesville, Ky., in partnership with Mr. Cheek, the practice of the profession he was to follow for half a century. It was here that he met and married Miss. Sophia M. Saufley, a daughter of Henry Saufley, of Virginia.

"After his marriage he removed to Jamestown, and began to practice here and in adjoining counties. At the bar of this section of that time were such men as Gov. Bramlette, Judge Fountain T. Fox, of Danville, Hon. Sherrod Williams, Col. T. P. Hill, Littleton Beard, Judge T. Z. Morrow, Hons. Tim Cravens, Ephrain and John S. Van Winkle and Major Tom Winfrey. There were giants in those days and it is eulogy enough for any lawyer to say that he met and held his own with these men.

"At one time Mr. Hays practiced in six or seven counties and when in his prime probably received a larger sum annually in fees than is now earned by any two or three lawyers in this district.

"Two or three of the Stone Bro's., Hon. J. F. Montgomery and others read law with Mr. Hays, when they were preparing for admission to the bar.

"Mr. Hays, though in active practice for fifty years, held few offices. He was County Attorney of Russell county, Police Judge of Jamestown, and frequently sat as special Judge of the Circuit Court. It was while acting as Police Judge that he closed the saloons in Jamestown, it is said almost at the risk of his life, so bitter was the feeling on the subject.

"Mr. Hays was at one time a candidate for Congress, but withdrew before the election was held.

"In politics he was a strong Democrat. He was a slave owner and an ardent Southern sympathizer. He belonged to that school of Southern politicians who believed that slavery was right, that the negro was a 'slave race,' and that the right of property ought not to be interfered with by any legal or constitutional enactment whatever, at least not without just compensation.

"I do not know, but I doubt that his were ever changed by the trend of events since the war, for he was singularly tenacious of any opinion, once thoroughly formed.

"Mr. Hays was thrice married. His first wife died in early life a few years after they moved to Jamestown. His second wife was Miss Mary Coffey, of Russell county. To this union were born four children; Sophia M., Horam Rowe, Mary A. and Rosaline Owsley. Of these, only one is now living, the first named, Mrs. Sophia M. Stone. Their mother died at the birth of the youngest daughter. Afterward, Mr. Hays married the lady who now survives him, was Miss Elizabeth Young.

"Mr. Hays had been for 39 years a member of the Christian church.

"Studying the question for himself, he came o believe that Jesus is the Christ and the Savior of mankind, and accepted him as his personal Savior. The writer is told by those who know that in his latter days he spent much of his time in reading the Bible, in meditation and in prayer.

"It is not amiss to say here that he had two words of counsel for young men, which he mentioned with great emphasis when occasion offered. They were, 'Be temperate, be industrious.' And he followed his own advice in these respects. He used neither tobacco nor intoxicants, in any form. And as a lawyer his industry seemed to have no limits, when the interests of his client were at stake. He always said he was not a very robust boy, and he attributed his wonderful physical powers solely to temperate habits and hard work.

"We can not undertake, in this article, any thing like a satisfactory study of Mr. Hays' character as a man or of his professional attainments. As said before, in a wider field, a wider fame might have been his. He believed in himself. This sort of faith is even an important factor of success.

"During the strenuous days of middle life he made some enemies. Who does not, if he does any thing worth the doing? He was not always, understood, I believe, by some with whom he came in contact, nor did he ever seek popularity as a good within itself. He said once, that if he had the approval of his own conscience, he little cared what other men might say. This was characteristic of the man.

"In his own words, his life had been 'one of duty.' What more, if it was simply one of duty, as he saw it, what more can be required of any man?

"On public questions where any moral issue was involved, he always espoused the side that he believed would promote the moral good of the community.

"Frugal and simple in his own havits he spent money lavishly upon others who had any claim upon his bounty.

"But now, life's fitful fever is over. The vast majority of mankind, so far as the world can see or know, seems to do little but eke out an existence, for a few short years, at most; then they die, are buried, and forgotten.

"Surely then one who by his own efforts, in the face of poverty and adversity, and starting life in a remote and primitive community, raised himself to a position of affluence and to an honorable and even distinguished place in his profession, is entitled, when he quits the walks of men, to more than passing mention.

"But then, men build their own best monuments, to wit, their own deeds and their own character and influence. These do not die with our death.

"I leave then the subject of this sketch to something better than this poor effort of mine - to the commemoration of his own self-builded [sic] monuments, to the biography written by him in the hearts and lives of those who knew him.

"This biography can not be wrong. Peace, then, to his ashes, rest to his soul."

Col. Joseph E. Hays [sic], was born in Russell County, Ky., December 6, 1822, and is a son of G. and Martha (Coffey) Hays. G. Hays was born in Virginia and came to Kentucky with his parents and settled in Adair County, now Russell County; he was born in 1792, and died in 1846, and was a son of G. Hays, Sr., who was a native of Scotland. G. Hays, Sr., came over to the American colonies and went into the war of Revolution, arose to the position of major, and served in that capacity until independence was achieved.

Late in life he was sheriff of Adair County, Ky., out of which Russell County was carved. Martha (Coffey) Hays, was born in Adair, now Russell County, was a daughter of Cleveland Coffey, a native of North Carolina who was an early settler in Adair, now Russell County, Ky.; he was a farmer and stock-trader, and a son of Joel Coffey, also a native of North Carolina, whose father, Joel Coffey, Sr., was of English parentage. Joseph E. Hays is of Scotch descent on his father's side, and of English on his mother's. He is the eldest of four living children, viz: Joseph E., Dr. L. G., of Bates County, Mo.; Mrs. E. J. Grimes, and Mrs. Lucy Breeding.

Mr. Hays was of poor parentage, his father was a life-long invalid, and he is self-educated. In youth he was generally hired out as a menial servant, but on Sundays, nights and leisure times was very studious. When seventeen years of age he was deputy county surveyor under Hiram Rowe, and about the age of nineteen he began teaching school, which occupation he followed for about five years. At the age of twenty-one he was elected a militia captain, and arose to the position of colonel of the militia of his county. He then read law with Gen. Rice Maxey, and in the fall of 1846 was admitted to the bar. He soon reached the front rank in his profession, and in 1852 was elected to the office of county attorney for Russell County, and was re-elected by the voters of his county at the close of his first term. October 19, 1848, he married S. M. Saufley, of Virginia, daughter of Adam Saufley. She died March 14, 1853, a member of the Presbyterian Church. March 26, 1854, Mr. Hays married Mary A. Coffey, of Russell County, Ky., a daughter of Elias Coffey. Four children bless this union, viz: Mrs. S. M. Stone, now the wife of Judge W. S. Stone; Hiram Rowe, Mary A. and Rosa L. When the civil war between the States broke out, Mr. Hays having been a life-long Democrat, and being then the largest slaveholder in his county, sympathized with the South, and was broke up by the war and the destruction of slavery. At the close of the war he again resumed the practice of his profession with increased energy. He was appointed by the late Judge F. T. Fox, master commissioner of the Russell Circuit Court, and served in that office ten or twelve years. May 24, 1869, Col. Hays' second wife died. August 8, 1874 he married Miss C. E. Young, of Wayne County, Ky., daughter of Major G. W. and Margaret Pemberton Young. After the war Col. Hays had a leading practice in many counties and soon accumulated another fortune for his locality, and is still vigorous, efficient and leading in his profession.

His son, Hiram Rowe, was born December 7, 1858, and was educated in the Christian college of Columbia, Ky. He read law with his father, and was admitted to the bar at the age of seventeen years and six months. He taught the public school in Jamestown, Ky., when only fourteen years old. He was one year in the State of Texas, and when twenty years old returned home, and located in Monticello, Wayne County, Ky., to practice his profession. About the following year he was elected county attorney for Wayne County, and at the close of that term was re-elected and served out a second term. He married Miss Eva, daughter of S. R. Owens, a distinguished physician of Pulaski County, Ky. Hiram R. Hays was a man of more than ordinary ability, and of rare personal popularity, and but for the failure of his health, would soon have reached the head of his profession, as well as distinguished political preferment. After his marriage, one daughter, Mary Owen Hays, was born to the union, and he fell into pulmonary consumption, and died at Dr. Owens', January 14, 1888, and was interred with the departed members of the family of his bereaved wife. He was honored Freemason, of high degree, and left many friends who mourn his loss. In the fall of 1882 he was a candidate for Congress, with good prospects, and while on the canvass was seized with hemorrhage of the lungs, at Munfordville, in Hart County, and compelled to withdraw from the field. Col. Joseph E. Hays and all his family save the first wife, are members of the Christian Church, and he for nearly twenty years was an elder in his congregation. He and his son were always firm Democrats.

Joseph Elzie Hays and Sophia M. Saufley were married on 19 October 1848 in Kentucky. They appeared in the census on 10 September 1850 in Russell Co., KY.⁹⁴⁵⁵ Sophia M. Saufley was born circa 1822 in Virginia. Sophia died in Kentucky on 14 March 1853.³⁰⁶⁶

Joseph Elzie Hays and Mary Ann Coffey³⁰⁶⁷ were married on 25 March 1854 in Russell Co., KY.^3068,3069 They^3068,3069 appeared in the census on 1 June 1860 in Russell Co., KY.³⁰⁷⁰ They³⁰⁷⁰ appeared in the census on 1 June 1860 in Russell Co., KY.³⁰⁷¹ Mary Ann Coffey, daughter of Elias Coffey and Mary Coffey, was born on 4 July 1828 in Russell Co., KY.³⁰⁶⁴ She was born on 10 February 1830.⁵⁵⁹ Mary died in Russell Co., KY on 24 May 1869 and was buried at Stone Cemetery in Jamestown, Russell Co., KY in May 1869 .^3065,3066

Joseph Elzie Hays and Mary Ann Coffey had the following children:

Joseph Elzie Hays and Elizabeth C. Young were married on 8 August 1874. They appeared in the census on 23 June 1880 in Jamestown, Russell Co., KY.⁹⁴⁵⁶ They⁹⁴⁵⁶ appeared in the census on 25 June 1900 in Jamestown, Russell Co., KY.⁹⁴⁵⁷ Elizabeth C. Young, daughter of G. W. Young and Margaret Pemberton, was born circa 1842 in Wayne Co., KY.