GEORGE CAMPBELL HAYS; NO 13 “RALLS CO TIMES” APRIL 19, 1901 George C. Hays, the subject of this sketch is the last of the old settlers who came to New London in the early thirties. Like the tall and study oak, he has survived the storms and changes of time and today finds not a soul in this city that was here when he came sixty years ago. Two generations have come and gone since then and mighty charges have taken place that his early manhood dreamed not of. Mr. Hays was born in Overton County, Tennessee, September 25, 1828 and removed with his parents to Ralls County in 1835 settling in New London and this has been his home and abiding place ever since. His father was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, and his mother in Clark county Kentucky. His father was a soldier in the War of 1812 and was with the heroic Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans. His grandfather on his father’s side was a soldier in the war for national independence, hence our good old citizen may well claim noble ancestry even greater than the most noble Roman might proclaim. No greater heroes ever lived than those who followed the immortal Washington or Jackson, and history will never tire a record of their deeds while time doth last. After the war had ended and mother England for a second time had bitterly learned that our county could assert and maintain her national liberty, the father of our subject from battle duty walked home to his native hearth in Kentucky, clerked in a store for a season, then married a Kentucky girl and later with a family of five boys a daughter and colored servant, all loaded in a carriage with an extra horse behind in case of accident, followed the rude roads that then lead westward and landed in New London. The carriage was one of the finest of the time and cost about $600. The horse behind bore a large old time saddlebag which held all the freight the family brought. On top of this primitive baggage trunk, by times rode the boy George and when he entered New London in style as he thought, the natives guyed him as a pony express and mail carrier in one. This city was small then, no splendid public school and as now. About 150 souls, all told, with the primitive forest all about and Saverton the landing place in and out to the outer world. The elder Hays opened a general country store here, which he conducted the greater part of his life. Back in Kentucky and Tennessee the chief articles of commerce were ginseng and rags – the one wild and in abundance and the other ever present from rough contact with logs and brush out in the “clearing”, but here he dealt in cultivated products of the soil and the handi-work of good wives and daughters from wheel to loom and nimble fingers hardened by honest toil. Later, the elder Hays bought the large tract of land south and west of town, known as the James and Matson lands. This farm in connection with his store he managed for many years and finally laid down to sleep with his fathers at the ripe old age of 87 years. Of those in this locality who were here when Mr. Hays came are all gone to the great beyond but William Brown, whose sketch has appeared in these columns. But two of his schoolmates are living, that he recalls, and they are Thomas Butler and Mrs. Ed Penn of this city. The first vehicle that Mr. Hays remembers to have seen was made out of cross sections of huge logs fixed to wooden axles and linched pin to stay. When out soap these affairs were as noisy as a steam calliope and about as musical. His education was received here, partly in the schools such as they were and under the teaching of Jerry Lalor. This gentleman was a fine scholar, having been educated a Catholic priest, was far ahead of the average school master of his day, but would occasionally imbibe too freely of the rye. But be this as it may, he taught his pupils well and the mental training they received made of them leaders in public thought and progress. At the feet of this ripe scholar young man Hays leaned Greek and Latin and was often the only boy in the ancient language classes. With almost filial regard Mr. Hays reverence the memory of his old teacher. In 1846, desiring to see more of the world than within the circuit of his village home, in company with a cousin and a local attorney here by the name of John J. Slosson, he made a tour of the East. Starting from Galena, IL, he visited Wisconsin, the cities of Chicago, Buffalo, Syracuse, Albany, Niagara Falls, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington and Pittsburgh. The trip was made in all kinds of conveyances — wagon, stage, boat and railway. The latter constructed by laying timber “sleepers” lengthways with the track and to these the rails were fastened. On the trip he saw his first railway train and took his first car ride. He spent a week in Washington, much of the time in Congress. In the House of Representatives he saw much of Ex-President John Quincy Adams, then suffering from paralysis received on his way to Washington and from which he died two years later; frequently saw President Polk and observed Mr. Dallas as he presided over the Senate. Among the great men in that body and during this time when the vital question of slavery and Union was agitating the National Congress and bring to the fore front the greatest men of any age. Mr. Hays saw and heard Mr. Webster and john C. Calhoun, the one justly termed “the inexorable exponent of the Constitution” and the other who wished the word “Nullification” written on his tomb. He was greatly impressed with Mr. Webster, and today believes that this adopted son of the Bay State fully merits the proud place given him in the temple of our fame. On this trip Mr. Hays visited the battlefield of Lundy’s Lane. One of the hardest fought battles in the campaign of 1814, and the one in which General Scott won his greatest renown. John J. Crittenden and Stephen A. Douglas were also in the House at this time and Mr. Hays saw them often. The imperial Benton often “put in” with the elder Hays when he visited New London and our subject frequently heard him speak. While regarding Mr. Benton as an able statesman his all consuming pride and egotism was too much for Mr. Hays and hence was never counted among the admirers of this great son of our state, and peer to any in his day. In 1852 Mr. Hays cast his first vote for president and it was for General Scott, whom he has always regarded as eminent for the place he sought. In 1854 he was married to Miss Mary J. Wise on the old Judge Carstarphen place, now the fine country home of Enoch G. Matson – Dr. Hopson performed the ceremony and the one who stood by his side at that altar still abides with him and has been the comforter and beacon light of his home all these years. To this union there were born six children; one died while a boy of six, the others are living and all, save one within the shadow of the tall maple trees that guard like Spartan sentinels the portals of this quaint old home. Annie is the wife of William Wood and queen of his splendid prairie home; Cammie is the wife of Dr. Thomas J. Downing; Maggie the wife of Judge Reuben F. Roy; George E. engaged in the insurance business and Charles T., a bright and promising attorney of this city. In 1860 he saw the Prince of Wales, now King Edward VII, and well remembers the Prince as a pleasant-faced young man with a big retinue of attendants. Twas his first and only glimpse of royalty and that was enough such glare and glitter and useless pomp about a youth, not a wit better than thousands of poor lads in the city. Had little to commend the favor of our citizen, whose brave fathers drove the same little fellow’s big people from these shores never, it is hoped, to return. But there was one who eight years before visited St. Louis and whose noble presence and patriotic utterances Mr. Hays loves to remember. It was Louis Kossuth, the Hungarian patriot, who came here in 1852, to plead the cause of his country before, the American people and was everywhere received with hearty expressions of sympathy and good will. The former stood for all that is vain, offensive to freedom and repulsive to the spirit of the age, while the noble Hungarian represents the highest ideal in the affairs of men, the love of liberty and equal rights to all mankind. Mr. Hays admired Kossuth and will never forget the noble words spoken from the balcony of the old Planter’s Hotel by this man. In his early life James S. Green lived in New London and clerked for a man by the name of James Gerrish. The store stood near where the Bank of New London now stands, and there this bright and talented son of Missouri cultivated those great natural powers that made him peer to any man of modern time. Mr. Hays knew him well, regarded the young clerk as a remarkable man and by far the ablest statesman of his years, our friend has known. Early in life Mr., Hays espoused the Whig cause and cast his first presidential vote for that great and dignified citizen-soldier Winfield Scott, whose brave military career he admire. When the dreadful cloud of Civil War hung over out beloved country and to avert if possible, its awful results, even for a time, he voted for Bell and Everett. When the conflict of arms came he cast his lot and founded hope for the preservation of the Union with the administration of Mr. Lincoln, and for a short while did soldier duty under Major A. V. Johnston, who was afterwards killed at Centralia. To Mr. Hays slavery was distasteful. From youth up he renounced the doctrine of human chattel. He has seen, here in New London, the auction block and families torn asunder at the demands of gain, and all through life he has regarded liberty and freedom as a second gospel and like the old, fruitful in blessings to all mankind. Like other boys of his time, he went to the old Matson and Buford mills with his grist. These were water mills, but out on the farm owned by Benton Guttery, John Turley ran a horse mill and there many “turns” of wheat passed through as the ponderous wheel went round. “High patent” was unknown as was also dyspepsia and many other ills that flesh is heir to now. Barefooted until his 16th year, clad in homespun jeans in winter and linen white in summer, with cow-skin shoes made and fashioned by the local cobbler. This was the garb he wore, as it was of all the boys about and none were heard to call it common. Those days the entire community was helpful to one another and many men of genius rare lived within it. Slosson, the lawyer of the village, made his own shoes and built the first revolving hay rake used here. Later, David Hughes invented a homey machine and the hand corn planter, the first of its kind and parent of all that followed. In 1873 Mr. Hays joined the Christian church at this place during a revival conducted by Elder john A. Brooks and all these years our good friend has faithfully followed in his Master’s steps and after a long and well spent life waiting for the keel of his lifeboat to touch the shore. For twelve years he served the county as its treasure. He has taken little part of late years in public matters, though at all time has kept fully abreast with all important matters and earnestly watches the trend of public affairs. Of a long lived family we sincerely hope his years are many yet and though the friend of his younger days are nearly all on the other side, about him gather to-day others as warm and true as those of yore.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Jul 2013 12:22:45 +0000
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