Guide to the Papers of Gilbert A. Hays, c1833-1950 (bulk 1900-1925)
Arrangement
Repository
Heinz History Center
Title
Papers of Gilbert A. Hays
Creator
Hays, Gilbert A.
Collection Number
MSS#99
Extent
4.5 cubic feet(8 boxes)
Date
c1833-1950
Date
1900-1925
Abstract
Gilbert Adam Hays was a Sewickley, Pennsylvania writer and historian who worked primarily to record the history of his father, Civil War General Alexander Hays, and the Civil War regiment he led. The Gilbert A. Hays papers include correspondence, printed items, research notes, and other sundry items.
Language
The material in this collection is in English.
Author
This guide to the collection was originally prepared by: Historical Society Staff in c1933. Revisions occurred to the finding aid as a part of the encoding process in Spring 2000.
Sponsor
This finding aid has been encoded as a part of the Historic Pittsburgh project a joint effort of the University of Pittsburgh and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Funding for this portion of the project has been donated by the Hillman Foundation.
Gilbert Adam Hays was a Sewickley, Pennsylvania writer and historian who worked primarily to record the history of his father, Civil War General Alexander Hays, and the Civil War regiment he led. Born in Sewickley (Allegheny County), Pennsylvania as one of seven children, little is known of Gilbert Hays' personal life except that he worked in Sewickley as a fire insurance agent and wrote extensively on his family and the history of Sewickley. Gilbert Hays wrote three books on General Hays and his 63rd Regiment. These were the Life and Letters of Alexander Hays, the History of the 63rd Pennsylvania Volunteers Regiment, and Under the Red Patch. Gilbert Hays compiled his father's correspondence from the war and used this to help produce his books. Hays was involved with the various reunion events for the 63rd Regiment as a member of the 63rd Pennsylvania Volunteers Regimental Association and served with the various committees that held Memorial Day celebrations in Sewickley. Hays was also very involved in other civic activities in his hometown, including serving on the executive committee of the Sewickley-Coraopolis Bridge Celebration in 1911, that celebrated the opening of the new bridge. Hays also appeared on the programs of numerous theatrical events, primarily listed in a technical capacity such as an electrician for the Dickens Carnival of 1911. Having a great interest in civic and cultural affairs, Hays collected a variety of Sewickley materials from church programs to World War I newspaper clippings and wrote a historical column for the Weekly Herald on the history of the Sewickley Valley. Sewickley is situated on the north bank of the Ohio River, just over ten miles from downtown Pittsburgh. Sewickley Borough was incorporated on July 6, 1853, even though the area boasted European residents shortly before 1800. The community has grown into one of Pittsburgh's more affluent suburbs.
General Alexander Hays and the 63rd Regiment was the focus of much of Gilbert Hays' lifetime work. General Hays was born on July 8, 1819 in Franklin (Venango County), Pennsylvania to General Samuel and Agnes (Broadfoot) Hays. He graduated from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania in 1840 and then entered the United States Military Academy at West Point. Upon graduation in 1844, Hays was commissioned brevet second lieutenant in the Fourth Infantry, one of the first regiments to enter the Mexican War. Hays was promoted to second lieutenant as a result of his bravery in this war. After the Mexican War, Hays resigned his commission and married Annie McFadden. They had seven children, including Alden, Gilbert, Agnes, and Rachel Hays. Alexander Hays returned to Franklin, Pennsylvania, where he worked briefly as an iron producer before heading to California during the gold rush of 1849. Hays moved back to Pennsylvania in 1851 and served as an engineer for construction projects, primarily railroad and municipal bridges in Western Pennsylvania. While he lived in Pittsburgh during this period, the exact year of his move to Sewickley is not known. In 1861, Hays enlisted in the Union Army and was commissioned major of the Twelfth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. Within three months, Hays chose instead to raise his own regiment, that became the 63rd Pennsylvania Volunteers Regiment. Hays was the colonel of this regiment. Hays and the 63rd Regiment fought in numerous battles including Fair Oaks (1862), Bull Run (1862), Gettysburg (1863), and the Battle of the Wilderness (1864). In 1862, Hays was promoted to brigadier general of the 3rd Division, 2nd United States Army Corps. Hays was killed at the Battle of the Wilderness on May 5, 1864. Hays and the 63rd Regiment were commemorated by monuments at Gettysburg, the Battle of the Wilderness, West Point, and Sewickley Cemetery. As was the case with many Civil War regiments, the 63rd Regiment held numerous reunions after the war and into the early 1900s.
Scope and Content Notes
The Gilbert A. Hays papers include correspondence, printed items, research notes, and other sundry items primarily documenting Gilbert Hays' work as writer, as member of various veterans organizations such as the 63rd Pennsylvania Volunteers Regimental Association, and as citizen of Sewickley. The papers primarily include correspondence concerning Alexander Hays, the 63rd Regiment, and Sewickley. While these papers have been arranged in three distinct series, there are many common bonds between the material in the individual series. Alexander Hays was one of the most prominent citizens of Sewickley and the 63rd regiment was organized in large part from the same city. Numerous organizations in Sewickley took Hays' name to commemorate this famous citizen. This material provides documentation of many aspects of Sewickley's social life, culture, and military involvement from the 1860s through the first quarter of the twentieth century. While this material is rich with material on the history of Sewickley and Gilbert's famous father, little material in these papers document the personal life of Gilbert Hays.
Arrangement
The Gilbert Hays Papers are arranged in three series. Series have been designated for material documenting Alexander Hays, the 63rd Pennsylvania Regiment, and the Sewickley community.
The Gilbert Hays Papers are housed in eight archival boxes.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
These materials were received in two accessions, in 1933 and in 1964. They were later combined into one body of papers in 1994.
Acc# 328 (1933) Gift of Mrs. Gilbert A. Hays, (Papers).
Acc# 1964x Gift of the Hays Family, (additional material on Sewickley, Pa. Much of this material was split up and individually cataloged within the collection. Material in series three represents what was easily consolidated at the time of processing in 1994).
Preferred Citation
Hays, Gilbert A., Papers, c1833-1950 (bulk 1900-1925), MSS#99, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Historical Society Staff in c1933.
Papers rearranged and inventory rewritten by Craig Moore in March 16, 1994.
Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Sherry Kowalski on January 20, 2000.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or publish, please contact the curator of the Archives.
Subjects
Corporate Names
United States Military Academy.
Aztec Club.
Grand Army of the Republic. -- Hays Post No. 3.
Junior Order of United American Mechanics (Sewickley, Pa.)
United States. -- Army. -- Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, 12th.
United States. -- Army. -- Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, 63rd (1861-1864)
Sewickley-Coraopolis Bridge (Allegheny County, Pa.)
Personal Names
Anderson, John
Hays, Alexander, -- 1819-1864.
Hays, Annie.
McFadden, John
Nevin, Ethelbert.
Nevin, John I., -- 1837-1884.
Geographic Names
Sewickley (Pa.) -- Religion.
Cuba -- Description and travel
Sewickley (Pa.) -- Social life and customs.
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Societies, etc.
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Veterans.
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- War work -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh.
