Hays, Joseph C.

COL. JOSEPH C. HAYS, Meadville, was born in Somerset, Penn., July 4, 1810. His grandfather on his mother’s side was Samuel Wallace, of Cumberland County, Penn., a Scotchman by birth, and his grandfather John Hays settled in Franklin County, Penn., on his arrival in this county from Ireland. His father, whose name was also John, died in Somerset, Penn., July 11, 1811, leaving a family of four sons and one daughter. The widowed mother removed soon after to Carlisle, Penn., and subsequently to Harrisburg. After a brief stay in Franklin County at his grandparents’ home, the boy—Joseph C.—acquiring the elements of an English education in a log schoolhouse, the family removed to Harrisburg, Penn., where be completed his education at the academy in that city, and then commenced to learn the art of printing in an office owned principally by Simon Cameron. But he soon after went to Philadelphia in order to perfect a knowledge of the business in a book-printing establishment. His health failing through close application to business, he was induced to accept a clerical position, and for several years performed the duties of book-keeper to a firm who were builders and contractors of the large viaduct over the Conemaugh River on the Allegheny Mountains, seven miles above Johnstown, being then called the “Portage Railroad” (the first road of the kind built by the State of Pennsylvania). His health being established, our subject engaged in several undertakings, one of which was the publishing a paper called the Expositor, in company with George Fleming, of Carlisle, Penn. In 1836 he removed to Meadville, Penn., where he issued the first number of a paper called the Statesman, on July 27th of that year, which was continued under his control until May, 1841, when Col. Hays was appointed Postmaster of Meadville by President Harrison. His official career was cut short by John Tyler, who came to the Presidency on the death of Gen. Harrison. He then engaged for a season in mercantile pursuits, but in 1848 he relinquished these for the press, and January 13 of that year, commenced the publication of the Crawford Journal. The political sentiments of this paper were those of the Whig party, although its anti-slavery views were so pronounced as to give it the character of an “Abolition sheet.” This paper our subject continued to own and control until 1864. During most of this time the Journal was the only paper of this class in Meadville, and the party increased from a minority of over 500 in 1848, to a majority of 2,500 in 1860.

Col. Hays was variously honored by the party during this period. In 1859 he was elected County Treasurer, and sent as delegate to the Chicago Convention that nominated Abraham Lincoln for President in 1860. The latter, in 1861, appointed him Postmaster of Meadville, but he was removed from this position in 1862 on charges which were proven false. Col. Hays, on his own urgent demand, was tried by the United States District Court held at Pittsburgh, Penn., in October, 1862, and a verdict of acquittal rendered by the jury on the charges preferred against him. The finding of the jury was approved by the presiding Judge and the United States District Attorney, and certified to President Lincoln. The latter, in vindication, appointed Col. Hays, in May, 1864, an Assistant Quartermaster with the rank of Captain. An accident which befel him at Chambersburg, Penn., soon after the rebels burnt that city, disabled him from active service, and he resigned.

In January, 1872, he was appointed a Postoffice Inspector, which position he held until August 15, 1883, nearly twelve years, and when he retired received from the head of his Department a certificate that he had proved himself “an efficient and conscientious officer.” The title, “Colonel,” was conferred on him by two different Governors of Pennsylvania (Pollock and Curtin), they appointing him an Aid-de-Camp on their staffs with that rank. Educated in Presbyterianism, and having early joined a church of that pursuasion, he became affiliated with the First Presbyterian Church of Meadville, Penn., in which he is at present a Ruling Elder, and lives retired from business among friends acquired during a residence of nearly half a century.

History of Crawford County, Pennsylvania: containing a history of the county, its townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc., portraits of early settlers and prominent men, biographies, history of Pennsylvania, statistical and miscellaneous matter, Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1885, page 743-745