BIOS: HAY Family, Somerset County, PA 

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History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania; Bedford County by E. 
Howard Blackburn; Somerset County by William H. Welfley; v.3, Pub. The Lewis 
Publishing Company, New York/Chicago 1906, ppg. 51-56

...Philip Hay was born April 3, 1819.  He was married to Anna Olinger, a 
daughter of Jacob Olinger, and they had eleven children, two of whom, Ellen and 
Mark, died in infancy.  Nine survive, six sons and three daughters viz.: William 
P., former county commissioner; Hiram P., Sylvester S., Simon Peter, Ephriam P., 
Luke, Melinda, wife of Milliard Walker; Clara, wife of Wilson E. Walker; and 
Sarah, wife of Lewis Berkley.  Philip Hay was a man of remarkable energy and 
endurance.  He resided on the old homestead all his life, engaged in active farm 
life until the last two years of his life, when he sold his farm to his son 
Sylvester.  He was a conservative man, but enthusiastic in all he undertook, 
whether it pertained to matters of business or religion.  He was not a 
pessimist, but was an optimist, believing that success in any good cause would 
crown well directed energetic and persistent work.  He was kind and indulgent to 
the members of his family.  He had a word of cheer for everyone who tried to do 
his duty, and the young people of the neighborhood were the objects of his 
tenderest solicitude, and his earnest words of advice and encouragement will be 
remembered all their lifetime.  He was a true Christian man, and died peacefully 
as he lived, on August 15, 1901.
Peter S. Hay was born in Brothers Valley township, August 8, 1832.  He acquired 
a common school education, and taught one term of school in Jenner township.  He 
worked on the farm until he was about eighteen years of age, and then entered 
the store of Samuel Walker, at Lavansville, where he remained about two years.  
In 1853 he commenced the mercantile business on his own account in Salisbury, 
and continued until the date of his death in 1903, either by himself or in 
partnership with his brother Michael under the firm name of Hay & Brother, and 
later with Josiah M. Hay, his nephew, in the name of Hay & Co.  From 1871 to 
1903 the business was carried on in his own name.  He also dealt largely in real 
estate.  He was a shrewd, conservative business man, and his judgment was sought 
by the best of business men, and no enterprise of any magnitude was undertaken 
in his community without first getting his opinion.  He was a conscientious 
Christian man, universally esteemed by all who personally knew him.  He was a 
liberal supporter of the Reformed church, with which he was identified from 
early youth.  All worthy and charitable objects received hearty aid and sympathy 
at his hands.  On January 5, 1854, he was married to Elizabeth Diveley, a 
daughter of Michael Diveley, of Salisbury.  They had seven children, three of 
whom died in infancy; four survive, viz.: Harvey, Morris Russel, Jennie, wife of 
Dr. A. M. Lichty,of Salisbury, and George C. Harvey has been made the candidate 
of the Democratic and the Independent Republican parties for the house of 
representatives of Pennsylvania.  Peter S. Hay died March 4, 1903. 
Valentine Hay was born October 17, 1834, in Brothers Valley township.  His 
father died when he was ten years of age, and he worked for his brothers, 
Michael and Philip, until he was eighteen years of age on the farm.  He taught 
school during three annual sessions.  In 1853 he attended the academy 
established by the Everhart brothers in Berlin.  In 1854 he entered Heidelberg 
College at Tiffin, Ohio, and in June, 1857, he graduated with the degree of A. 
B.  During the three months' summer vacation in 1856 he commenced reading law in 
the office of William J. and Herman L. Baer, of Somerset, Pennsylvania, and 
after graduating at college he applied himself closely to the study of the law 
and was admitted to the bar April 28, 1858, and has been in continued practice 
for forty-eight years.  From January 1, 1863, to July 1, 1867, in connection 
with his law practice he was the editor and proprietor of the 'Somerset 
Democrat.'  His contention was that the fire-eaters of the south and the redhot 
Abolitionists, of the north--the extremists of both sections, who numbered but a 
corporal's guard compared with the entire population--were responsible for the 
condition of affairs that plunged the country into a fratricidal civil war, and 
if the proper effort had been made and at the proper time by the powers in 
being, the civil war could have been averted.  And while the war was being waged 
he condemned the partisan prejudices that drove the best generals from the field 
and supplanted them by incompetent, blundering officers, that brought repeated 
disaster to our arms and protracted the war unnecessarily and multiplied the 
horrors and sacrifices of the war.  On April 11, 1865, he was married to 
Elizabeth A. Weimer, the daughter of Dr. John Weimer, of Akron, Ohio, and they 
had one child born to them, July 19, 1867, Leora Carter, who was married to J. 
R. Nutt, October 8, 1890, and to whom was born a son, Robert H. Nutt, September 
1894. They reside in Cleveland, Ohio.  The honorary degree of doctor of laws was 
conferred upon him by Heidelberg University, his alma mater, in June, 1906. 
Mary Hay was the oldest daughter of Peter S. Hay and was born October 23, 1821.  
She was married to Mose[s] Young and lived most of her married life on a farm 
one mile north of Lavansville.  They had five children; one of them, Austin, 
died June 2, 1891; four are living, viz: S. P. Young, of Salisbury; Ellen, wife 
of Aaron F. Bittner; Binnie, wife of Jefferson Will; and Lavan Young, resides in 
Lavansville.  Moses Young died June 12, 1897, aged eighty-one years, two months 
and twelve days. Mrs. Young died March 26, 1905, aged eighty-three years, five 
months and three days. 
Susan Hay was the next oldest daughter and was born February 10, 1824.  She was 
married to Samuel Walker, who in 1885 was elected associate judge and served in 
that capacity until his death in October, 1888.  They had five children, two 
dead and three living, viz.: Binnie S., wife of James Tipton; Mary and 
Elizabeth, unmarried, and living with their mother. 
Elizabeth Hay was born February 27, 1826.  She married John Rink and they lived 
on a farm in Jenner township for nearly fifty years.  They had four children, 
three of whom are living, viz: William H., of Johnstown; Ella and Milton Rink.  
Mrs. Rink is now living with her son.  She is a kind-hearted, Christian woman. 
Catherine Hay was born August 3, 1828, was married to Frederick Weller, and they 
resided together in the Weller homestead, two miles north of Somerset, for 
nearly sixty years.  Their family consists of three sons and three daughters: 
Cecilla, married Alexander Nichelson; Agnus, married Frank Musser; and Louisa, 
married Noah Meyers.  The three sons are at home.
Caroline Hay was born July 8, 1840, was married to Samuel M. Saylor, and now 
lives on a farm one and one-half miles from Somerset. They have six children; 
two of them, Peter and Calvin, are married and live on the farm, and the two 
other sons are single and live at home. They had two daughters, Sarah, who was 
married to John Bowman, but is now deceased, and Carrie, who is single and lives 
at home.