BIOS: William P. HAY, Jefferson Township, Somerset County, PA

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Sharon Trosan

Copyright 2007.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/somerset/
________________________________________________

BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW, Vol. XXXII, Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of 
Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania. Boston, Biographical Review 
Publishing Company: 1899, pp 253-255 and 257.

  William P. Hay, a skilful agriculturist of the township of Jefferson, Somerset 
County, formerly a teacher and for a number of years a prominent town and county 
official, was born August 21, 1847, in Brother's Valley, the son of Philip and 
Annie (Olinger) Hay.  He is the great-grandson of one of the original settlers 
of Brother's Valley, Simon Peter Hay, Sr., who was born and reared in Germany.  
  After his marriage Simon P. Hay, Sr., came with his wife and children to 
Pennsylvania, and for a time followed the trade of a weaver in the eastern part 
of the State.  Removing then to Somerset County, he bought three hundred acres 
of wild land in Brother's Valley, and from the primeval forest reclaimed a good 
farm.  He also built the first grist-mill that was operated in that part of the 
county, and for many years was one of the foremost business men there.  
Possessed of unusual mental and physical vigor, he attained the remarkable age 
of one hundred and three years, living from 1739 until 1842.  His son, Simon 
Peter, Jr., the youngest child born to him and his wife, whose name is not 
known, was the grandfather of William P.
  Simon Peter Hay, Jr., was born in Germany in 1789, and came with his parents 
to America in early manhood.  He settled in Brother's Valley, where he cleared 
and improved a tract of unbroken land, which is now owned and occupied by his 
grandson, Sylvester Hay.  He was an energetic, persevering man, having the 
courage and ambition characteristic of the early pioneers, and became one of the 
most successful husbandmen of the locality in which he lived.  He died while yet 
in the prime of his life in 1845.  His wife, Elizabeth Walker, survived him, and 
died in 1880, at an advanced age.  Both were influential members of the Reformed 
church.  Of their twelve children eight are yet living; namely, Philip, Peter 
S., Valentine, Mary, Susan, Elizabeth, Catherine, and Caroline.  Peter S. 
married Elizabeth Dively, and they have four children- Harvey, Morris K., 
Jennie, and George C.  Valentine married Elizabeth Weimer, and has one child, 
Leora.  Mary, widow of Moses Young, has four children- Ellen E., Lavan, Simon 
P., and Binnei.  Susan, widow of Samuel Walker, has three children- Binnei, 
Ellen, and Lizzie.  Elizabeth, wife of John Rink, has three children- William 
H., Milton, and Ellen.  Catherine, wife of Frederick Weller, has six children; 
and Caroline, wife of Samuel M. Saylor, has five children.
  Philip Hay was born April 3, 1819, on the old homestead farm that his 
grandfather cleared from the wilderness in Brother's Valley, and there grew into 
man's estate.  He subsequently succeeded to the ownership of the farm where he 
now lives.  Throughout his active years he was prosperously engaged in general 
farming and stock-raising, and for a long time was one of the most extensive 
cattle dealers of this part of the county.  When the Whig party was in power he 
was one of its most loyal supporters, and later was an active worker in the 
Democratic ranks.  He has served as School Director and Assessor, besides 
holding other offices of trust, and is to-day one of the most respected citizens 
of Brother's Valley.  His wife, Annie Olinger, daughter of Jacob Olinger, of 
Summit, died at the age of forty-four years.  She bore him eleven children, of 
whom nine are living, as follows: William P., the subject of this sketch; Hiram 
P., who married Ida Walker, and has three children- Alvreda, Walter, and Homer; 
Sylvester S. who married Alice Berkley, and has one child, Edison; S. Peter, who 
married Carrie Walker; Malinda, who is the wife of Millard W. Walker, and has 
three children- Annie, Ora, and Earl; Clara, wife of Wilson E. Walker, and 
mother of two children- Ada and Edward; Ephraim P.; Sadie, who is the wife of 
Lewis Berkley, and has four children- Grace, Lizzie, Stewart, and Sherman; and 
Luke, who married Mary Miller, and has three children.
  William P. Hay obtained his elementary education in Brother's Valley, the town 
of his birth, where he subsequently taught school several terms during his early 
manhood.  He afterward attended school at Palmyra, Pa., and then resumed 
teaching for a while.  Locating then in Summit township at Garrett, he there 
operated a saw-mill for a short time.  In 1872 he purchased a farm in the 
township of Jefferson, where he lived twenty-two years.  He still owns the 
property, which under his able management yielded him a good income each year.  
In 1894 he bought his present farm in Jefferson township, and has since carried 
on general farming with excellent financial results.  He has one hundred and 
seventy-eight acres of land, a large part of which is in a high state of 
cultivation and yields abundant crops.
  Mr. Hay is one of the leading Democrats of this part of the county.  He has 
served his fellow-townsmen in various offices of trust, having been Assessor for 
some time, a School Director for one period of six years and again for three 
years, enumerator of the census for Jefferson in 1880, and Jury Commissioner 
three years.  Elected County Commissioner in 1893, he served for one term of 
three years.  He is a member of Somerset Lodge, Royal Arcanum, and both he and 
Mrs. Hay belong to the Reformed church.
  On March 21, 1872, Mr. Hay married Annie M. Cover, daughter of Peter P. Cover, 
a successful farmer of Brother's Valley.  Her grandparents, Peter and Elizabeth 
(Landis) Cover, reared six children, her father being the third son.  Peter P. 
Cover lived to the age of threescore and ten years.  He married Elizabeth 
Meyers, and of their children three grew to years of maturity- Lydia, Elias, and 
Mrs. Hay.  Her parents were both members of the German Baptist church, and Mr. 
Cover was a strong Republican in politics.  Mr. and Mrs. Hay have eight 
children, six of whom are now living, namely: Ralph N., who is attending the 
California State Normal School of California, Pa., Verna G.; Lulu A.; Elsie E.; 
Edward F.; and Oren P.