Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-01-12
GENERAL {. |. HAYES
Oldest Civil War General = Pioneer
and Founder of Wauseon-Dies at
the Age of Ninety Seven at His
Home in Verona, New Jersey.

The following clipping from the
New York Times of January End
1917 was handed US by Mr. Phil Bayes
and Will be Of interest to many of our
readers. General Hayes was one of
the founders of Wauseon and erected
some of the very first buildings on
the site of our village. He was an
uncle of Mr.. G. B. Hayes, Mrs. w. W.
Touvelle, Miss Mabel and Mr.. M. E.
Read. He is remembered by many of
the Civil War veterans in Wauseon,
having shared the hardships of war
prisons with some of them
Verona, N. j., Jan. brig. Gen.
Edwin Louis Hayes, the oldest living
civil war General and a cousin of the
late President Rutherford B. Hayes
died today at his home, 130 Claremont
Avenue, IN his ninety-eighth year. At
his ninety-seventh birthday celebra-
ton, last Friday, he said that his only
wish was that he might live to be 100
years of age.
General Hayes was born in Ellicot-
vile, N. Y, and was son of the late
Harvey B. Hayes. At the outbreak of
the civil war he was a Captain in the
Northwestern Rifles, being transfer
red later in the same year
to the Forty-fourth Illinois Volun-
teers. He served with the Second Bri-
gade, Third Division, of the Western
Department, and was prompted to Ma
jor, and later Lieutenant Colonel of
an Ohio Regiment, during the early
days Of 1868. During September of
the same year General Hayes was
captured and sent to Libby prison
where he was confined for eleven
months, later being sent to Belle Isle
and Andersonville Prisons. While al
Libby he helped to build the famous
underground passage through which
number of Union men escaped, but
was stricken with rheumatism, anc
was unable to avail himself of thei1
chance for freedom.
After the release General Hayes re
turned to the front, where Brigade
Commander Riley and Dolittle com
mended him for bravery at the bat
ties of Franklin and Marshville. Dur
ing January, 1865, he received tht
rank of Colonel, later being brevet
ted Brigadier General for "meritoriu
services" During the mastering ou
exercises at the end of the war, Gen
era1 j. G. Cox halteI General Hayes
regiment to announce TO MIN that h,
had been made Brigadier.
Immediately after the war Gener
al Hayes was placed in charge of tn
confiscated property in Wilmington
Del, where his administration mad
such a favorable impression tha
President Lincoln appointed him Re
construction Governor of North Caro-
lima, where he held office for fiv
months. Then General Hayes wa
sent to New York City to take charg
of the contiscated property there. Gen
eral Meigs, Quartermaster Genera
said that his work there was such tha
he saved many millions Of dollars fo
the Government.
Following this, General Haye
founded a commission business i
New York, later dealing in stocks an
bonds at III Broadway, in that cit,
He retired from active business afte
his ninetieth year.
He was one of the founders Of tn
Republican Party, and one of til
delegates to the convention that nom
mated General John C. Fremont. l
addition he had voted for every Re
, publican Presidential candidate sine
the birth of the party.
Two daughters survive him, Mr.
H. H. fNarns, of Denver, Colorado an
Mrs E, H. Graves, of Glen Ridge,
! j. One granddaughter and fou
grandsons and three great gran,
daughters.