Faulk County, SD Biographies.....Hays, Joseph H. 1862 - 1908
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/sd/sdfiles.htm
************************************************
File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 10, 2005, 3:17 pm

Author: C. H. Ellis


    JOSEPH H. HAYS was born at Dakota, Stephenson county, Illinois, October 27,

1862. Died at Faulkton, South Dakota, October 13, 1908.



    His father, who was a veteran of the Mexican War, died when the deceased was

12 years of age and he being the oldest boy of the family was left to assume,

with his mother, the responsibility of managing family affairs. He remained at

home until he was married. His mother died in 1895 at her home in Illinois.



    On November 29, 1883, the deceased was married to Lizzie Fahs, also of

Dakota, Illinois. In the fall of 1884 he came to South Dakota to procure a home.

He filed on a homestead in western Faulk county and in the spring of 1885 he

moved on same and lived there for about eight years. In the fall of 1892, he was

elected sheriff of Faulk county in winch capacity he served four years. He has

been a resident of Faulkton since his election to this office.



    He leaves a wife and three sisters, Mrs. Margaret Mitchell, of Dakota

Illinois; Mrs. Mary Lambert, of Greenwood, Wisconsin; Mrs. Lottie Powless, of

Detroit, Michigan; and two brothers, James G., of Akron, Iowa, and John L., of

Galena, South Dakota, to mourn his loss.



    The deceased was a member of the Masonic, K. P., M. B. A., D. of H. and A.

O. U. W. societies. He was also a member of the official board of the M. E. church.



    Mr. Hays remained a citizen of Faulkton after his election to the office of

sheriff. At the expiration of his second term he engaged in the live stock and

butcher business, later purchasing the Western Telephone Exchange.



    Mr. Hays sustained a great loss in the big fire on March 20, 1905, when his

market and telephone office were consumed in the flames. Three hours after the

fire he was doing business. He at once took action looking to the erection of

the Hays block, an illustration of which may be found in this history. He soon

after sold out his meat market and devoted his attention to the building up of

his telephone business. The Faulkton exchange was being; constantly enlarged and

improved and rural lines run in. every direction from Faulkton. It was his

ambition to-build up a telephone system here covering all the central and

western portions of the county and rebuilding the Faulkton system and improving

it until there was none better in the state. Then he would take life a little

easier. He had planned for himself and wife a trip to California where they

would spend the coming winter and enjoy a much needed rest. He finished his

life's work. His telephone system, rural and city, was extended, improved and

enlarged just as he wanted and his ambition was satisfied. He had commenced

arranging for his much needed vacation and winter trip to California, when he

was suddenly and without warning stricken by the grim reaper, Death, and the

vacation and rest, which he so much felt the need of, proved to be the long

rest—the long sleep which must come to all. His work was done. How many pass off

this stage of action with their work finished? Mr. Hays completed his work

because he had a purpose in life and lived to it. He toiled late and early. He

had no family except his wife. They had plenty.



    As a citizen and business man Mr. Hays had no superior. Faulkton has

sustained great losses by fire and otherwise but none can be compared to the

loss through the departure of Mr. Hays. He was successful in all that he

undertook. He always proved the right man in the right place in whatever

position he was placed. He always took much interest in national and state

politics and was more or less active in local politics. He was always foremost

in all public enterprises. His energy, earnestness and clear perception were

always great factors in any cause that he championed. His judgment was sought by

many in affairs of life. No worthy person ever appealed to him in vain for

assistance. His heart was an open book to all who knew him—simple, frank, kind

and just: His heart was always in the right place—in his work, in his words, in

his every action and thought. He was especially .kind to children, never passing

one on the street, though a .stranger, without a cheerful word and a smile. This

of itself was an index to his character. He never spoke evil of anyone and could

always see some good in everybody. If he ever had hatred in his heart he never

let it come to the surface sufficient for anyone to find it out.



    As a friend he was perfect if such is possible in man. His friendship was

true as steel and pure as unalloyed gold. Among all his strong characteristics

his faithfulness to a friend was the strongest.



    His life was a very active one from boyhood days. His capital with which he

built his successful life was honor, ambition, energy and industry. While he did

not live to enjoy the fruits of his labor as he had planned, yet his life is a

good example to those just taking up the responsibilities of character building

for themselves.





Additional Comments:
From:



HISTORY OF

FAULK COUNTY

SOUTH DAKOTA

CAPTAIN C. H. ELLIS



TOGETHER WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PIONEERS AND PROMINENT CITIZENS



ILLUSTRATED

19O9

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/sd/faulk/bios/gbs93hays.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/sdfiles/

File size: 5.7 Kb