Caldwell-Wilkes-Catawba County NcArchives News.....Leonidas Braxton Hayes -- A Tribute 1965
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Charlotte Hardamon Coble mhsarchives@yahoo.com October 10, 2011, 12:08 pm

Unknown 1965
Leonidas B. Hayes -- A Tribute (1965)

Leonidas B. Hayes began his ministry in small churches in Avery County. He made 
concrete building blocks and with the help of a few volunteers he built several 
small churches with his own hands, an achievement which gave him much 
satisfaction and confidence in the early years of his ministry.

He attained to position of prominence in the conference. He served many 
important churches and as district superintendent.

The news of his passing brought a wave of sorrow to many friends far and near.

I first met him when I was appointed to his home at Granite Falls, 1907. And he 
has been an unchanging and an understanding friend through the years which have 
intervened.

He grew up on a farm on the banks of Catawba River. After the death of his 
parents he bought the old homeplace to which he often returned and where he 
built a house in which he spent many hours -- often alone -- and it was here he 
died, and alone.

He loved nature in its wild and rough forms -- and often walked in lonely 
roads -- many of which I have walked with him -- and here with books and his 
thoughts he gained much of the mold and stature of mind and character which 
were widely recognized throughout his mature years.

Adversity also contributed much to the strength and achievement of his life. He 
set out to become a Methodist minister, but school and education were 
formidable problems; farmers then had no money crop and there was little to 
sell. A quarter of a dollar was a rarity for a boy going into the little town 
on Saturday night.

On Monday mornings he set out for Rutherford College afoot, with a bag of 
homemade bread, potatoes and a piece of meat from the smokehouse, crossed the 
river in a little boat which he tied up on the other side, walked to the 
college then returned home on week-ends.

Lon had known hours of great bereavement and sorrow in his life which left 
scars the years could scarcely heal. More than once he bared his breast to 
rough winds -- but never swerved from his lifelong purpose to follow Him "who 
was made perfect by the things which he suffered." Like the Psalmist he could 
and often would say; "Lord thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress."

Lon Hayes was not an easy man to know. There were wide margins of reserve 
peculiar to his temperament that not too many people knew or understood.

I judge the companion who walked with him through most of the mature years of 
his life and who devoted herself to the task of companionship and to the task 
of helping him reach and maintain his best hours of achievement knew him far 
better than anyone else.

Many young men in the conference have been indebted to him for words of 
encouragement and for the aid of his strong hand over rough places of the road -
- which reminds me of Matthew Arnold's tribute to his father; "Therefore it was 
given many to save with thyself and at the end of thy day, Oh! faithful 
shepherd to come bringing thy sheep in thy hand, and though thee I believe in 
the noble and great who are gone."

I should think that if he had known the day and the hour he would have chosen 
this -- the scene of his childhood as the place from which to embark -- and 
perhaps alone -- where the river keeps rolling along.

I extend my hand and deeply felt sorrow to his wife, children, and relatives 
whom I have known for many years.

Thomas R. Wolfe


Additional Comments:
Rev. "Lon" Hayes is buried at Green Hill Cemetery, Greensboro, Guilford NC.  
Both of his wives, Agnes Rockwell (1890-1926) and Margaret L. Rogers (1891-
1976) are buried at Green Hill Cemetery.

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