Person:Francis Hays (1)

Francis Hays is dentified as a son of Person:John Hays (15) in the laters 1783 will. Direct evidence for his vita are limited. He would probably have been born around 1744, given his parents vita, and those of his siblings. His POB is commonly given as Somerset, PA, but this is highly unlikely, given the fact that his parents lived and died in Northampton County.	Northampton County, PA	SOmerset County PA
He is believed to have married Gertrue [sic} Groff about 1773. While Gerture is consistently given as Francis spouse, she is sometimes identified as the wife of a "Frantz Hay". It is possible that despite the consistency of the identification of Gertrue as the spouse of Francis Hays, that Francis wife is in fact unknown. Frantz Hay, if he existed, may have been of German origin based on the spelling of his given name. Gertrue Groff is certainly of German origin. The possibility exists that Frantz Hay married Gertrud Groff, and that Francis Hays married someone else entirely. This may explain the occasion indication that Francis was born in Germany.
Francis Hays is said to have died in 1828. He is sometimes given the east DOD of 18 Feb 1828, and occasionally said to have died in Mifflin PA. PA state census records for 1800 show a Francis Hays living in Mifflin township, Allegheny County PA. Given the rarity of the use of "Francis" as a given name among Pennsylvania Hays' (Francis son of John Hays=Jane Love is the only one so far detected) it seems likely that Fransis (1) did in fact live and die in Mifflin Township.	Allegheny County, PA. Mifflin Township is located near modern-day Pittsburg.