Bedford County PA Archives Biographies.....HAYDEN, Rev. 
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Cathy Wentz ctwentz@aol.com January 18, 2009, 8:17 pm

Author: History of Bedford & Somerset Counties, Pa.

The Rev. Father Hayden, who labored amoung the Catholic people at Bedford for 
more than forty-seven years, is truly entitled to space in the history of 
Bedford county. The data for this notice was collected by William P. Schell, of 
Bedford. 

Rev. Thomas Hayden is known among men of letters best by his publication, 
entitled "A Memoir on the Life and Character of the Rev. Prince Demetrius A. De 
Gallitzin, Founder of Loretto and Cathoicity in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, 
Apostle of the Alleghenies." 

Father Hayden was a native of Ireland, born in County Carlow, December 21, 
1798, and died August 25, 1870. He accompanied his parents to Bedford, 
Pennsylvania, when he was but about twelve years of age. His father was one of 
the weatlhy merchants of Bedford at that early day, worth aobut one hundred 
thousand dollars at the time of his death, which descended to the son. Father 
Hayden willed this fortune to his nephews and nieces and the church of his 
choice. His piety was as unaffected as his faith was simple and undoubting. He 
was that rare character, "a great man, and did not know it." With many chances 
for advancement he remained at humble Bedford for over forty-seven years, where 
he ministered to his flock without salary, and often paid the incidental 
expenses himself. He refused to accept the high office of bishop. His society 
was sought after by great men in the church and state. 

Ex-Presicent Buchanan and others who came to the Springs visited him annually. 
He was the welcome guest in the homes of the best Protestant families of the 
borough. He was Catholic in spirit, yet consistent as a priest in the Roman 
church. If he took issue with the Protestants in his sermons, he never used 
harsher language than "dear erring Protestants." If his own people were 
derelict or tardy in their alms-giving (he required them to give general 
charities and for church purposes in lieu of the salary not extracted by or 
paid to him), he would sometime lose his patience, and say "Really, you must do 
better! I am afraid I am spoiling you. If you don't gvive more, I will be 
obliged to insist on having a salary, so I can give more myself. " 

His grave is marked by an appropriate monument, surmounted by a chaste marble 
cross. His memory is a fragrance still, and his influence in the social 
cordiality between the Catholics and Protestants is yet apparent to all.

History of Bedford and Somerset Counties Pennsylvania 
with Genealogical and Personal Histories; Bedford County by E. Howard Blackburn 
Somerset County by William H Welfley.
Under the Editorial Supervision of the Honorable William H Koontz; 
The Lewis Publishing Company, New York; Chicago 1906 

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