History of the Hayes Family and the Hayes Cemetery

Comment by Randy Presley 2/15/2003

The history of the Hayes Family and Hayes Cemetery is important because of the fact that this family came to Texas about 1846, owned much of the land in the area of Snow Hill and created a nearby cemetery that pre-dates Snow Hill. It was near the Hayes Cemetery that the Bethel Baptist Church was built which later was moved and became Snow Hill Baptist Church. The information below comes from writings of Traylor Russell who has family members buried in Snow Hill. He was a noted lawyer and historian of Titus County. Much of what we know today about the Snow Hill area would have been lost had it not been for his dedication to writing the history of the county and this area in particular.

The following is from writings of Traylor Russell made in 1979 so bear this date in mind as you read what follows:

"William Hayes came to Titus County about 1846. He purchased the land on which the Hayes Cemetery is located. It is not know whether there had been burials prior to his purchase, but there were burials during his ownership. When the land was sold to A. S. Hunt in 1903, two acres were dedicated for the cemetery.

Buried in the Cherry Cemetery in Morris County is the wife of William Hayes, Margaret Hayes, who died on August 25, 1847. Also buried there is M. D. Hayes, son of William Hayes b. May 13, 1847; d. March 5, 1848. The Cherry Cemetery is located about three miles north of the Hayes Cemetery. It has had no care for many years and will soon be lost and forgotten.

In the 1850 census of Titus County, William Hayes is shown as being 30 years of age, born in North Carolina. His children were: Margaret, girl, age 9, born in Tennessee; James K or possibly James P., boy, age 5, born in Tennessee; Milly, girl, age 3, born in Texas; and George, boy, 1 month, born in Texas.

William had married a second time in 1849, and this wife was Nancy Emeline. She is listed in the 1850 census as being 18 years old and was the mother of George.

Solomon Hays, William's brother born in North Carolina, was listed in the 1850 census. His family consisted of Milly, his wife, age 45 and three children: Candace, girl, age 18, born in Tennessee; Nancy, girl, age 16, born in Tennessee; and Milly, girl, age 11, born in Tennessee.

James Hayes, age 21, is also listed in the 1850 census. I do not know whether he was a son or a brother of Solomon. Cynthia, age 22, was his wife and Lydia or Lyndia, age 2, their daughter.

The family of William Hayes is shown in the 1860 census as: William Hayes, age 46; N. E. Hayes, age 26; Margaret Hayes, age 18; James P. Hayes, age 15; Milly Hayes, age 12; G. W. "George" Hayes, age 10; A. Hayes, age 7; C. C. Hayes, age 5; and S. E. Hays, age 3.

And again in 1870 census: William, age 50; Nancy E., age 37; George W., age 18; Acemith, age 18; Christopher, age 12; Asbell W., age 9; Josephine, age 5; and Viola, age 1.

Ashbell W. was known in the community as Willard, and Josephine was known as "Aunt Jo".

There were also other relatives who moved to Texas with William and Solomon Hayes. There was John W. Price, whose wife Mary was a sister of William and Solomon. Among their children was Solomon Hayes Price, the last person to be buried in the Hayes Cemetery. He is shown in the 1850 census as being 10 years of age in the 1860 census as being 20 years. In 1860 his wife B. J. "Bedie" was listed as being 23 years of age; and they had two children- J. W., boy, age 3; and William H, boy, age 10 months. There were other children born later, one of whom, Emily is buried in the Hayes Cemetery.

Living in the Snow Hill community was John Henderson, buried in Snow Hill. He was first married to Eliza Box, daughter of James F. Box, who patented a large tract of land in the Snow Hill area during the Republic. There were said to have been two children of this marriage, twins named Jim and Mary. Prior to 1860, John Henderson married Milly Ann Hayes, who is listed in the 1860 census as M. A. Henderson, age 21. I had been under the impression that she was the daughter of William Hayes, but this could not be so. He had a daughter named Milly, and so did Solomon; but William's Milly was only 12 years old in 1860, while Solomon's Milly would have been 20 or 21 depending on when the census was taken. So Henderson's wife must have been Solomon's daughter.

Also buried in the Hayes Cemetery is W. H. Johnson b. 1860 d. 1894. He was married to Josephine Hayes, and they had four children, Willie Justiss, wife of Joe Justiss; Oboe (or Obie) Johnson; Nora Johnson, wife of Allen Johnson; and Hayes Johnson, late of Mt. Pleasant. Another daughter of William Hayes, Lelia (called Viola in the 1870 census), married Charley Smith, who is buried at Snow Hill. Lelia died in 1902 and is buried in the Hayes Cemetery. No census of the Hayes families show a Lelia and William's Viola comes nearer than another in age to Lelia Smith. If I am wrong, I hope that some member of the family will give me the correct information. [Randy Presley would appreciate this information also]. Several of Charley and Lelia's children are buried at the Hayes Cemetery. Charley Smith and Josephine Hayes Johnson married about 1904. They are buried at Snow Hill. Buried at the Hayes Cemetery is Oneal Witt. He is the grandson of William Hayes, and his mother, Betty, was a daughter of William Hayes.

The Hayes Cemetery is now fenced and is very well kept. The fence covers about one half acre. Lying north of the fence is a Negro cemetery covering about one half acre, where there are a few monuments which are listed on page 15. There rocks marking other graves. These are probably slaves or the descendants of slaves who lived in the vicinity. This area is not fenced, and these monuments will be broken and lost in the years to come.

Traylor Russell, January 1, 1979"

[Traylor recorded all of the monuments in both Snow Hill and Hayes Cemeteries. Below I have entered what he refers to above as "Page 15" relating to the Negro section as well as what he recorded for the fenced area in Page 14.]

[Because there was a black family in Mt. Pleasant with the surname of Searcy, James mentioned above could possibly be a relative with an error in spelling.]

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