The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1917-06-29
NOTABLE OLDFOLK
OF CINCINNATI
Geo. W. Hayes Career
Court Crier Forty-six
Years-was Useful
Citizen.

1t certainly is a golden heritage to
hand down to ones family a life rec
ord of religious and patriotic duty,
fidelity to God and man and a shin
ing diploma from men eminent in
public affairs, who time and again
have with unbounded enthusiasm
praised the faithfulness and fidelity
of a modest, delicate and refined col
ored man of Cincinnati.
Several Presidents of the United
States, many United States Senators,
congressman Governors of States and
the brilliant and shining lights of our
courts and legal fraternity have be-
slowed praise upon praise of George
w. Hays, who has been connected
with the United States Circuit and
District Courts of the Southern Dis
trict of Ohio many years.
When it comes to barking back to
times of long ago in Cincinnati there
are few of whom Court Crier George
w. Hays would need to ask any odds.
Mr.. Hays is himself landmark, as
it were, for a point of long service
he is easily far ahead of any of the
hundreds who labor in the ramitied
workings of Uncle Sam.
Crier Hays was early at it in the
making of record for public duty.
From 1871 down to this present day
he has been court crier of the United
States District Court at Cincinnati-a
long, long stretch of years, night unto
the half-century mark. Every week
and almost eevry day-barring Sab
baths only-that extent of time has
seen him at his post in the court
room as regular as Old Sol himself.
Though his father was freeman,
George Hays as a child and boy
shared to the full and heavy evil of
slavery which was the lot of his race
at the time.
He was barely IA years old and
knew nothing beyond the horizon of
the Louisiana plantation which was
his home when he was forced into
the Confederate army to fight for the
cause that would have left him and
his in servitude.
No wonder he took the first chance
to pass over to the Union lines, glad
to do his bit there, and to find him.
self at Cincinnati when the big strug
gle at length came to an end. Then
as always, since he had the gift OF
making friends, his first efforts here
were to get some education, and his
own Willingness and the help of kind
friends were the things that worked
for good. q
And then in 1871 his Chance"
came, Judge Swing appointing him
crier of the United States Court.
That has been his position since,
Judge Sage, Judge Thompson and
Judge Hollister each in turn finding
him the right man for the place. No
court servitor stands better with the
Judges and the lawyers; they know
him as true, reliable, courteous
ready, without fail.
Mr.. Hays has served in the
State Legislature several terms as
as trustee of the State School for the
Blind
He has been active in the work of
the colored Masons and Odd Fellows
and has held some of their chief Of
| fees
One of the things in which he
takes particular pride is the Sun
day school of the Union Baptist
Church. He has been it's superinten-
dent the past sixteen years.
He is a compendium of law. Many
young practitioner owes much to
| George w. Hays for certain impor-
tant coachings and teachings as to
legal lore His born modesty and his
nativity alone kept him from taking
up a legal profession. George Hays
never intruded his person upon an
other He, different from many Of
his race, involuntarily secured the re-
spect of big men, men of national re-
pute, men of history, through just
one little simple brainy knowledge.
He knew how to keep his place.
Had George Hays entered the legal
profession he would have won rec
ognition and success.
AS it is, he has always preferred to
remain as he is, never being brusque
nor insolent.
To this man his race certainly owes
homage.
He has been their steadfast friend,
Men of big ideas, trainers OF law,
have from time to time consulted MT.
Hays as to enactments that would
prove beneficial to the colored man.
George w. Hays has been a useful
citizen and more. He has lived a life
of honor and is beloved of his fellow
men,