Last updated 15 November 1997.
James Monroe Hays was born November 28, 1829, and died at his home April 2, 1909, aged 79 years, 4 months and 4 days. His illness was of short duration. He had a paralytic stroke Monday morning last week. The physician who was called gave the family no hope and said it was only a matter of a short time when he would go. He never regained his speech and his life just gradually ebbed out and he died almost without a struggle. He was united in marriage to Hannah Nash on December 25, 1859. To this union ten children were born; they are: Mary Jane Crump of Dane, Oklahoma, Lina [sic] Ellen Adcock of Nevada, Mo., Aaron and Charles Lee Hays of this township, John of Sangamon county, Marshal and Eli Hays, Mrs. Margaret Slagle, Mrs. Millie Adcock of South Otter and Mrs. Lucinda Walk of South Palmyra. Mr. Hays professed a hope in Christ at a meeting held at the Buchanan school house in 1858 and united with the Baptist church at the same place. In after years he removed his membership to Union Baptist church, living a member of same until called away by death. There are left to mourn his departure his aged companion, ten children, twenty-eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, one brother, J. W. Hays, two sisters, Mrs. Elisha Davidson and Mrs. Lizzie Jones, and a large number of relatives and friends. The funeral services were conducted from Union Chapel Sunday at 11 o'clock a. m. by Rev. George Hart of Franklin. About three hundred persons attended the service. The pallbearers were Steward Hays, G. P. Richards, W. H. Bivin, H. E. Davidson, George B. and Ed Hays, all nephews of the deceased. The interment was made in the family lot in the new addition to the cemetery.