HAYES, Thomas
(d.), b. Co. Armagh, Ire., 1783; d. Minto, 1882, in his 100th year. He came to
Canada in 1831, and was a pioneer in Tecumseh Township. He worked a short time
in Toronto, then called York, and generally termed "Muddy Little York."
Tecumseh was a wilderness when he set. there in 1831. The Hayes family in Ire.
were people of means and had not Thomas Hayes been of a philosophical turn of
mind he would not have remained in Tecumseh. However, he took up a farm and
cleared it, and lived there until 1865, when he sold out and came to Minto,
purchasing and settling on lot 102, con. D. Thomas Hayes was well educated, and
his wide reading and varied experience gave him a large fund of knowledge and
he was an interesting conversationalist. He was a member of the "Yeomanry" in
Ire. and also served his country in the Rebellion of 1837-8. He was a member of
the Masonic fraternity, also of the I. O. F. , and was a Magistrate many years.
He m. Sarah Bennett, and for his second wife, Eliza J. Anderson, and had twelve
children, all of whom have passed away excepting the youngest and only daughter
by his second wife, who is the wife of Henry Speers. They own and farm the old
Hayes homestead in Minto, and have two sons, Thomas Henry and William J. Mr.
Speers was b. in Mona Township, and when twelve years of age was thrown on his
own resources. He obtained his own education, and has been very successful in
life. Is Superintendent of the Pres. Sabbath School at Cotswold, and in
politics is a Conservative.
From: Historical Atlas of the County of Wellington, Ontario.
Toronto:Historical Atlas Publishing Co., 1906
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