Hayes Family

Jeremiah Hayes, who was born in County Cork, Ireland, in 1816, and Hanorah Mahoney, born in 1817, were united in marriage in their native county, Cork. As residents of Ireland, three sons were born to them, namely, John, Jeremiah, and Daniel. Prior to 1850, this young couple with their three small sons took passage on a sailing ship to the shores of the United States. The family eventually located in Crawford County, Ohio. Near Tiro in Crawford County, three more children were added to the family. These younger children were James, Michael, and daughter, Mary Ellen.

These were trying years for the struggling family and charitable neighbors (the Gladhills) fostered young Michael for a length of time. Eventually Crestline became a rapidly growing railroad center. Crestline was located at the junction of what was later known as the Big Four (C.C.C. and St.L.) and the main line of the once prominent Pennsylvania System. The three older Hayes brothers became career railroaders. John, the eldest, advanced to the position of engineer on the best passenger train on the Big Four. Jeremiah was a passenger conductor and Daniel held a responsible position with the same railroad.

John Hayes took as his bride Margaret Costello and resided in Crestline. They were the parents of 12 children. Many of this family deceased at an early age and are interred at St. Joseph's Cemetery, Crestline. Three of the boys held responsible positions in the business world. John R. and his brother Paul were associated with the Crestline bank. During the Franklin Roosevelt administration, Paul was appointed postmaster of Crestline and held this position until his retirement. Ralph Hayes was assistant Secretary of War under Newton D. Baker in the Woodrow Wilson cabinet during World War I. He was a vice-president of the Coca-Cola Corp. and later became a director of the New York Foundation. Margaret, mother of the large family, passed away in 1896 at the age of 42 and is buried in the family plot in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Crestline.

John Hayes Sr. remarried to Miss Mary Dunn of Columbus and to this union was born one daughter, Lauretta. She married Mark Laibe who was associated with the Goodyear Co. They presently reside in retirement in Florida. John Hayes Sr. met an accidental death while oiling his engine in the Cleveland yards of the Big Four R.R. His death occurred in 1915 and he is interred with his second wife in Columbus.

Jeremiah Jr., after his marriage, took residence in Cleveland. He and his wife had a family of three, John J., Walter, and Esther. Jeremiah Jr., deceased in 1912 and his widow Catherine in 1941. Esther died as a young woman, unmarried. The three are at rest in Cleveland. John J. and Walter are in retirement in Fort Myers, Fla.

Daniel took as his wife Margaret Brennan and they resided in Columbus. They were the parents of one daughter, Anna, who died at the age of three. To this union, seven sons were also born, namely: Jerry, George, Philip, Joe, Danny, Charles, and Raymond. All resided in Columbus and are now deceased.

Now to return to the senior Hayes family. In 1864, Jeremiah Sr. and his wife Hanorah with their three youngest children, James, Michael, and Mary Ellen, migrated to Henry County. The elder Hayes purchased from John S. Ankeney and others an 80-acre tract of land in Section 26 of Marion Twp. for $800. It was a prize piece of land at that time due to its location on the Belmore-Defiance Ridge, high above the dismal swamps that predominated the area. Their first home was a log cabin much like those inhabited by all other early settlers. The original deed was signed Aug. 13, 1864, and recorded Oct. 4, 1864. This tract of land has been in the Hayes name since 1864.

1864 marked the beginning of many arduous years of toil in clearing the land and preparing it for the plow. Large trees of elm, oak and maple fell victims of the saw and axe. Eventually the log house was replaced by a rather comfortable three-bedroom home, complete with a cistern pump and walnut wainscoting in the kitchen, a parlor with a glowing hard coal burner and other conveniences common to the time. Many times during these years of back-breaking toil, young Michael, tiring of his lot on the farm, would return to Crestline, hoping to join his brothers on the railroad. The older brothers discouraged him in these attempts and persisted that he return to the farm and care for his aging parents.

James Hayes, who had come from Crestline with his parents in 1864, other than work on the farm, was employed as switchman and watchman on the B&O Railroad in Hamler. He died as a young man and is buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery, New Bavaria.

Mary Ellen Hayes married Frank Hopkins Johnson. They made their home in nearby Bartlow Twp. in Section 31. To this union were born two children, John J. Johnson on May 29, 1883, and Charles E. Johnson on Aug. 22, 1884. The elder Johnson met his death in the mid-1880s while falling timber on his farm in Bartlow Twp. His interment was at Sacred Heart Cemetery, New Bavaria. In 1889, Mary Ellen then married Richard B. Reese, the Civil War veteran. Their descendants were Howard F. Reese born Jan. 31, 1892, and Harry E. Reese born Oct. 15, 1894. Mary Ellen Reese died Jan. 14, 1897, leaving Mr. Reese with two young sons as well as two stepsons, the Johnson boys. It was then that Michael and Helena Hayes took the Johnson boys into their home. The Johnsons remained with the Hayes family until their marriages - John J. to Elizabeth Konzen and Charles E. to Hattie M. Creager. Mary Ellen Reese is buried in St. Paul's Cemetery, Hamler.

In the period from 1864 to 1888, the Jerry Hayes Sr. family attended Sacred Heart Church on the Ridge. The five-mile trek was made often by foot and at times by lantern light. Old settlers recall the sawdust trail that enabled the church-goers to cross the many marshy areas on the way. Michael Hayes humorously told of walking to Mass in inclement weather, barefooted and wearing mittens. It was on these trips to worship that Michael became acquainted with the young lady who later became his wife and mother of his family. She was Helena Spangler, daughter of Anna (Mess) Spangler and Frederick Spangler. The late D. A. Collins would relate how Helena would stand on the porch of her home and scold the "Irish brats" from the east for "inspecting" the fruits of the Spangler orchard as they passed by on the way to Sacred Heart. Apparently Michael was able to explain the situation to the young Miss Spangler and they were married in Sacred Heart Church on June 4, 1891, with Sophia Spangler and Peter C. Zierolf as attendants. To this marriage, the following children were born: George M., Hanorah A., Margaret E., Gladys M., Walter F. (deceased at the age of 2), and John L.

George McClellan Hayes was a graduate of Hamler High School. He was a baseball and public dancing enthusiast, having promoted dances in what was known as LaFountain's Hall. He was a farm owner and operator and never married. He was born March 15, 1892, deceased June 6, 1975, and interred at St. Paul's Cemetery, Hamler.

[Photo, p. 239a] Michael Hayes and Helena Spangler on their wedding day, June 4, 1891.

Hanorah Anna Hayes graduated from Hamler High School and attended Bowling Green and Defiance College. She was a public school teacher, having taught in the rural schools as well as a number of years in the Hamler School. She married William Gluss on Nov. 29, 1922. He was a road builder and contractor affiliated with Gluss Brothers Construction Co. of Hamler. To this union were born Mary Catherine, Susanne Elizabeth, and William Michael Jr. William Sr. preceded his wife in death on May 9,1962, (he was born Aug. 7, 1893). Hanorah, whose date of birth was Dec. 18, 1893, died Jan. 7, 1970. Both are interred at St. Paul's Cemetery, Hamler. Mary Catherine Gluss graduated from Hamler High School and also is a graduate of Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Toledo. She married Roger McKinley of Findlay on June 10, 1950, and they have two children, Roger Michael and Tracy Anne. Roger M. is a graduate of Ohio State University and is now studying law at Capital University. He married Katy Knight of Findlay and they live in Columbus. Tracy Anne graduated with a business degree from Bowling Green State University and now works at the National Bank of Findlay. A son, Timothy, died at birth in 1951.

Susanne Elizabeth Gluss graduated from Hamler High School. She married Burdette Thayer of Napoleon on May 29, 1948, and they have four children: Stephen, Richard, Anne, and Timothy. Stephen is employed at Campbell Soup Co., Richard at Snyder's Chevrolet Co. and Anne and Timothy are students in the Napoleon Schools. William M. Gluss, a Hamler High School graduate and U.S. Army veteran, married Jeanette (Kleman) Schnipke on Aug. 1, 1970. She is the mother of Phyllis Schnipke Niese, Donald, Norman, Helen, Joyce, and Victor Schnipke. A daughter, Carol Marie Gluss, was born to them July 14, 1971. William Jr. owns his parents' farm and is also assistant rural mail carrier out of Hamler.

[Photo, p. 239b] Hayes "Surrey With the Fringe On Top." In large buggy: Norah, Margaret, Michael and Helena Hayes; in small buggy: John Johnson and George Hayes.

Margaret Ellen Hayes, born Feb. 15, 1896, was a graduate of Hamler High School as a three-year high school, and enhanCed her education as a Vacillate of Napoleon High School - a four year school. She pursued a career in banking at the Bank of Leipsic Co, with tenure extending from July 17, 1923, having served as an assistant cashier from 1950, until retirement on Nov. 13, 1963. She is not married and resides on the family farm in Section 26 of Marion Twp.

Gladys Marie Hayes, born Nov. 21, 1904, was a graduate of Hamler High School and also took her fourth year of high school at Holgate. She was a bookkeeper for the Gallup-Prentiss Elevator and is married to John S. Okuly who owns and operates a farm near Rawson in Hancock County.

John Lawrence Hayes, born Aug. 13, 1914, graduated from Hamler High School in the class of 1932. He was an active participant in his high school athletic program and as an individual has helped promote baseball and basketball teams in the area. He has taken an active interest in his church affairs and is presently Democratic Central Committeeman from Marion South and is a member of the Henry County Board of Elections. On Oct. 23, 1948 he married Dolores M. Schwab, the daughter of Frank and Mary Schwab of Custar. To this union were born two children, Jerry Michael and Kathleen Marie. Jerry Michael Hayes, a graduate of Hamler High School, gained his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Dayton in 1971. He received his Master's degree from U.D. in 1974, and is now employed as assistant loan officer at the National Bank of Defiance. He married the former Cynthia J. Schroeder of Leipsic on Jan. 23, 1971. Kathleen Marie Hayes graduated from Patrick Henry High School, attended the University of Dayton, and graduated from Sawyer College of Business, Toledo. On Dec. 9, 1972, she married Randall L. Punches, eldest son of Margaret and the late Harold Punches. Kathleen is presently employed as women's editor of The Crescent-News, Defiance.

Michael Hayes was active in the business life of his community. Other than the operation of his farm, he was a buyer and shipper of livestock and conducted a cloverseed and wool business. He served as township trustee for 20 years and was a member of the Hamler School Board for many years. He was a prime organizer of the Putnam, Henry County Pioneer Picnic, which was a very popular attraction prior to 1917. He was a charter member of St, Paul's Parish, Hamler.

In 1920, Mr. Hayes replaced the home in which his children were born with a rather imposing two-story brick and asphalt shingle home. He loved to entertain their many friends and relatives, During the summer months of the 1920s, the Hayes home often resembled a small hotel with ballplayers, vacationers from the cities, and friends enjoying the Hayes hospitality.

Michael Hayes died March 10, 1939, having attained the age of 83. Helena Hayes died July 18, 1949. Both are interred in St. Paul's Cemetery, Hamler.

Submitted by John Hayes