James "Jim" Peleg Hays

     James was born in Shell Rock, Butler Co, IA, on Apr 13, 1858. (Obituary says born near Maquoketa, Iowa. That's in Jackson county, where the family was recorded on the 1860 census. Beginning to look like Shell Rock is incorrect.)^{1,2,4,5,6,7,3}
     Harriett, Mary, James and Ida was listed as a household member living with Mitchell E. Hays in the 1860 Census in Bellevue Township, Jackson Co, OH; Mitchel was a blacksmith. His real estate was valued at $75, his personal property at $110.⁸
     Harriett, Mary, James, Ida, Rachel, John and Mitchell was listed as a household member living with Mitchell E. Hays on the 1870 Census in Shellrock Township, Butler Co, IA.³
     They moved in Nov, 1877 to 1 mile southeast of town, Smith Centre, Smith Co, KS. (James Hays' obituary says move occurred in 1872. Mitchell's obituary says 1878. Belle's obituary says move occurred when she was 2, which would be in 10/87-10/88 range. Elmer's obituary says July 1877. Ida's obituary says November 23, 1877.) The family came in a covered wagon..^{7,1,5,9,10,11,12,13,14,15}
     James, John, Mitchell, Oscar and Rutherford was listed as a son in Mitchell E. Hays's household on the 1880 Census in Centre Township, Smith Co, KS.¹⁶
     He married Anna Loretta Phetteplace on Feb 28, 1881.^17,18,1
     A census listed James as head of household in Centre Township, Smith Co, KS, in 1885. JP Hays listed as farmer, with 90 acres of land worth about $1500. 14 acres of corn, 18 acres of oats, 5 acres of millet, 1/4 acre Irish potatoes, 50 acres of prairie, and two cherry trees. The previous year they produced 200 pounds of butter. They have 3 horses, 1 milch cow, 3 other cattle, 15 swine, and 1 dog..¹⁹
     On Dec 17, 1888, James "Jim" Peleg Hays received a Patent on land he purchased from the state school land fund. This was land given to the state by the U.S. Congress for the purpose of funding public schools, consisting largely of sections 16 and 36 in each township, and released for sale to the public by an 1864 act by the Kansas State Legislature. The land was described as 80 acres in the S 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of Section 36, Township 3S, Range 14. He paid $380. The Patent was recorded in the Smith County courthouse on December 22.²⁰
     They sold property to John Eflund in Smith Co, KS, on Nov 17, 1890. The property was described as the S 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of Section 36 in Township 3S Range 14W, plus the S 1/2 of the NE 1/4 of SE 1/4 and SE 1/4 of NW 1/4 of SE 1/4 of Section 36 in Township 3S Range 14W. The price was $1200 plus Eflund assumed two mortgages of $800 and one of $200.²¹
     He bought property from Mitchell E. Hays in Smith Co, KS, on Aug 22, 1891. The property was described as the E 1/2 of the SW 1/4 of Section 28 of Township 3S Range 13W. The price was $800 plus Jim assumed $425 of the $850 mortgage.²²
     
     He sold property to Oscar Lee Hays in Smith Co, KS, on Oct 20, 1894. The property was described as the E 1/2 of the SW 1/4 of Section 28 in Township 3S Range 13W. The price was $825, plus O.L. assumed half of the $850 mortgage on the land.²³
     A census listed James as head of household in Banner Township, Smith Co, KS, on Mar 1, 1895. James was a farmer who had moved to Kansas from Iowa. Jessie and Lee were in school.¹⁷
     James "Jim" Peleg Hays was left a widower by Anna Loretta Hays's death on May 20, 1895 in home, Smith Center, Smith Co, KS; the cause of death has been called paralysis, possibly from childbirth.^24,25
     He married Drewzella Longcor in Smith Co, KS, on Nov 24, 1895.^{26,27,1,28,5,29}
     
     James was listed as the head of a family on the 1900 Census in Lane Township, Smith Co, KS. James was listed as a farmer, renting. Anna and Lee were at school. James and Drewzella had been married 4 years; Drewzella had borne 4 children, 3 of whom were still living. (Harriet is identified as Harry O!).³⁰
     James "Jim" Peleg Hays was employed as a grain dealer in 1909 in Denton, Doniphan Co, KS.^1,5
     James was listed as the head of a family on the 1910 Census in Denton, Doniphan Co, KS. 52/Male.³¹
     James "Jim" Peleg Hays was employed by manager as a grocery store in 1911 in Chapman, Dickinson Co, KS.^1,32,33,5
     They moved in 1911 to Chapman, Dickinson Co, KS.^1,5
     James, as Drewzella Longcor's husband, resided with Drewzella, in Chapman, Dickinson Co, KS, in 1911.²⁸
     
     James was listed as the head of a family on the 1920 Census in Chapman, Dickinson Co, KS. James is listed as a grocery clerk; he owns his home. Harriet is a p. school teacher and Luella is a stenographer..³⁴
     
     
     James died on Oct 17, 1945 in St. John's Hospital, Salina, Saline Co, KS, at age 87.^4,1 An obituary was published on Oct 18, 1945 in the Chapman Advertiser in Chapman, Dickinson Co, KS.³⁵ He was buried on Oct 19, 1945 at Indian Hill Cemetery, in Chapman, Dickinson Co, in KS. Funeral services held at 2:00 at Londeen Funeral Home. Rev. C.D. Gambriell presiding.^36,5,4 An obituary was published on Oct 25, 1945 in the Chapman Advertiser in Chapman, Dickinson Co, KS.¹