Bio:  Hon. James H. Hay, Claiborne Parish, LA
Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana
The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville, 1890
Submitted for the LAGenWeb Archives by: Gwen Moran-Hernandez, Jan. 2000


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Hon. James H. Hay.  Within the limits of Claiborne Parish, La., there is not a
man of greater personal popularity than Mr. Hay, for he is a citizen of
substantial worth, and progressive spirit.  He is now a resident and merchant
of the village of Summerfield, and by reading the following sketch of his
career it will be seen that his time has not been uselessly or idly spent.  He
was born in the State of Georgia September 29, 1828, but since he was eight
years of age he has been a resident of Claiborne Parish, La., his early
education being received in the old subscription schools, afterward taking a
complete course in Mount Lebanon College, Bienville Parish.  Ere he completed
his course he enlisted in the Confederate Army, becoming a member of  Company
H, Seventeenth Louisiana Infantry Volunteers, and was mustered into service in
1861.  He was assigned to the Army of Mississippi under Brig. Gen. Ruggles and
Gen. Pemberton, and was a participant in the battles of Shiloh and siege of
Vicksburg, after which, in 1863, he returned home and was not again an active
participant in the war.  He has always been a Democratic in principle and
precept, and has always strenuously upheld the principles of his party, his
first presidential vote being cast for Stephen A. Douglas.  He represented
Claiborne Parish in the State Legislature at one time, and at the time of his
nomination there were six candidates, but it was finally decided that there
should be two nominated, and Mr. Hay and W. C. Martin were the successful
ones, being duly and unanimously elected, although Mr. Hay's term in office
was of short duration.  He is a member of the Masonic fraternity at
Summerfield, La.  He carries a complete line of dry goods, boots, shoes, hats,
caps, hardware, a full line of staple groceries, and in fact all the
commodities which go to make up a first-class general store, his annual sales
amounting to about $10,000.  His parents were born, reared and married in the
State of Georgia, and both are now deceased, the father having been a planter
by occupation.  To them four sons and three daughters were born, of which
family four are now living: James (the subject of this biography), William F.
(who is a planter of this parish), Samuel (who follows the same occupation
here, and is married), and Theodocia (wife of B. P O'Bannon, who is a
prosperous planter of this parish).

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