The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-08-17
A MEMORIAL SKETCH OF AN
ABLE, CHRISTIAN WOMAN
The Story of the Life of Mrs. John Willis Hays, Told
by Theodore Bryant Kingsbury.

-.
John Willis Hays, relict of the late ven
Grated, respected and accomplished John
w Hays, who died in 1901 She was born
at Health's Seat, Granville county, on
the Goth November, 1885 Her father was
DR.. Samuel Duty, and her mother was
born Fannie Harris, of the we'll known
family of that name in that old historic
county. Her grandfather Harris came
from Wales. Her grandmother, Rachael
Thomas, who married Richard Duty, is
supposed to have been closely related to
DR.. Benz. Rush, of Pennsylvania, ia
nous man in his day Her grandmother
Earl was born Watts, and is thought
to have been first cousin OF the cele-
brated hymn writer, DR.. Isaac Watts. of
England. Mrs. Hays came to oxford IN
November, 1870 when her father became
a resident of that town. She joined the
Methodist church in 1S49. She was gradu-
ated at Greensboro Female College in
Nav 1853. the late famous Rev. Dr.
Charles f. Deems presenting the diplo-
ma. On March 23rd, 1859, she was mar
RED to Mr. John W. Hays, and through
long married life they illustrated the
beauty of sincere attachment and deep
love such as do not mark very many
marriages in the one thousand. / knew
both when in their ''teens," and was
nresent at their very blissful marriage,
my wife accompanying me.
Mrs HAYS | have long known and
much admired because of her many gifts,
and her very superior mental endow-
ments. She was remarkably intellectual.
Living at oxford from my third year I'M
til | was thirty one, save when at Love-
lows Military Academy at Raleigh and
at the University of North Carolina,
knew her intimately as l did her gifted
and admirable husband. They were
among the nearest and truest of my per-
sonal friends in a long life, and l hold
their memories in tender esteem. | nave
said that Mrs. Sallie Hays was the most
intellectual woman / have known III
Granville county since 1860. If she had
an equal | did not have the honor of
her acquaintance, nor has the reputation
. of such a rival reached my ears nave
long inclined to the opinion that she
was mentally above any woman ever
born in that large and superior county.
She had many accomplishments, ana
mind of surprising brilliancy and re-
source 1t was vigorous, acute, quick.
keen ready. She had real wit that
u.
spirit and piquancy. 1 think she had
something too of humor, but it was less
contagious and impressive than her ready
wit In conversation she was full OF
life and interest. / have known but few
of her sex who equalled her for her
brightness of mind that corruscated, and
her animation and powers of easy, I'M
restrained talk were delightfully."- refresh
off hu there
no poison in her arrows and no blight or
corrosion in her iibes. She was often
buoyant and felicitous, and it was really
a pleasurable entertainment to chat
with her when in her best mood. / never
saw her when she was not sparkling
and brainy She did not appear to be
striving for effect, but it was spontane-
Gus and natural and easy.
Mrs. Hays was too strong, too potentlal
not to be prominent among women. She
was not ambitious for display, did not
figure in newspapers, and was not in
any way society woman" But she
was brainy, resourceful, resolute, earnest
religious. She filled in a modest, wo-
manly way a prominent place in the
town, and was an ornament as we'll as a
benefaction. She lived too long at Ok
d
services and gifts to be passed over as
the mere record of a day to be soon for
gotten. Men receive ample eulogy and
full resolutions and much notice in the
public prints. Why may not a noble
woman-rarely gifted, most useful,
worker for the good of society and civili-
zation-be remembered, and her name
honored as men (many not comparable
to her) are generally honored with
elusive puffery reminding one OF
Byron's singing lines as to the insin-
certify of epitaphs-
when all is done, upon the tomb is seen,
Not what he was. but what he should
have been"
Mrs. Hays was fine example of the
best womanhood-not seeking notoriety,
not ga publicist," as one wrote of her,
but a general worker-earnest, effective,
influential, solicitous for the right,
friend and helper of the young, seeker
after the best in this life as we'll as
constant seeker after the blessings or
the life beyond. She served her God
and her people long and faithful, with
an unselfish, earnest devotion. When age
came, and with it the burden of ill
health, and with them accommodating
sorrows and bereavements, she pressed
on as best she could still seeking to
bless. She always maintained an active
interest in the training of her Sunday
school children, and even almost down
to the close of her well-spent life she.
and not infrequently, substituted for
her daughter in the graded school of
Oxford-and during the last year of her
life. noble example that of devotion
to duty and benignant acts She had
distinct, certain high qualities as a
teacher-was a natural teacher made,
specially gifted for that work What a
marvellous difference there is in teaching
and hearing a recitation! She belonged
to family of teachers She had twelve
sisters, and nearly all were teachers.
Mrs. Hays taught music in the Green's
boro Female College for awhile after
she was graduated. She at one time had
n "homee school, for children and later
on was for years one of the principals
OF the Oxford Female Academy.
Mrs. Hays was reader of good books,
and was better cultured in literature
than most women of good parts. She
wrote decidedly we'll. / recall an incident
or Ill