Person:Sarah Unknown (2893)

Related

Transcript:Will of Roger Dyer, Augusta, VA, 1757

Wife

Court records identify the wife of George Hays who died in 1747, as "Sarah". Not last name is given. She is sometimes identified as the daughter of Roger Dyer (1699 - 1758) and Hanna Smith (1701 - 1780). The basis for that identification is following record:

Page 301.--24th February, 1757. Roger Dyer's will--To wife Hanna, one-third of estate in this Colony, or any other; to son James, infant; executrix, wife Hanna; to son William; to three daughters; to daughter Hanna Gester, 427 acres in Hampshire; to grandson Roger Dyer, son of William Dyer; to daughters Hester Patton, Sarah Hays. Teste: Wm. Miller, Adam Hider, William Gibson. Further proved, 16th May, 1759, by Adam Hider, and recorded. Executrix qualifies. Proved, 21st March, 1759, by William Gibson. Chalkley's Chronicles 3:53

In the above record, Sarah is identified as "Sarah Hays", her married name. This, however, seems to be an abstraction error by Chalkley. The Roger Dyer believed believed to be Sarah's father was killed by Indians in the Ft. Seybert massacre of 1758. His daughter Sarah is believed to have been captured, and lived in captivity for sometime, before rescue about 1765. Sarah is mentioned in her fathers 1757 will, as "Sarah Hawes". ^[1] It is possible that Chalkey's rendition of her name (Hayes) is correct, and the "Hawes" rendition is incorrect. However, a fairly elaborate story is told of the Ft. Seybert massacre, and it identifies her as "Sarah Hawes", not Hayes. ^[2]

The wife of George Hays who died in 1747 is believed to be "Sarah Last Name Unknown". and by whom she had several children:

James

Anne

George

Thomas

Mary and

John

Court records indicate that Sarah remarried to James Edmondson between 1748 and 1757. ^[3] James was apparently the eldest son of George Hays. In November of 1755 "James Hays, orphan of George Hays, decd., of the age of 18 years, chose guardian--William Edmondson." This indicates he was born in 1737, suggesting in turn that his parents married about 1736, and that his parents were born before 1718. More importantly, it would seem to indicate that his mother Sarah had already married William Edmondson by 1755. Two years later, Roger Dyers describes his daughter as "Sarah Hays" in his will,, was written in February of 1757. While there might be some room in the argument for other interpretations, it seems most likely that Rogers daughter Sarah did not married George Hays, but was at the time of Roger's death, still Sarah Hays. i.e., she couldn't have been the husband of James Edmondson.

Court records show that Patrick Hays frequently stood surety for her or members of her family, suggesting that he was kin to George.

Sarah and James are said to have moved to the head of the Pedlar River in Amherst county, and then to Buffalo Creek, Wilkes County area of NC., but documentary evidence for this has not been recovered so far.

Records

From Chalkley's Augusta County Court Judgements:

• MAY 21, 1747 - (196) Sarah Hays, widow of George, Adm'tes on George's estate.

• MAY, 1750 (B). - Thomas Nevitt vs. Edmiston and wife.--Petition. George Heas (Hays) made note to plaintiff 12th June, 1745, and died, leaving widow, Sarah, who married James Edmiston. Writ dated 25th May, 1749. Thomas Nevitt was a Quaker from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

• NOVEMBER, 1758 (B). - Patton's executor vs. Edmondson.--The widow Sara Hays married James Edmondson between 1748 (date of bond), and 1757 (bringing of suit).

• MARCH, 1758 (C). - Borden's Executors vs. James Edmonson and Sarah: late Sarah Hays.-- Was unmarried 17th May 1748. James Hays, son of Sarah. Signature of Patrick Hays.

Notes

Sarah's maiden name was Dyer. She married George Hays around 1730. They had six children before he died in 1747. They are James, Anne , George, Thomas, Mary Polly and John.

She remarried James Edminston around 1748 and had the following children Samuel, Dorathea, William, Sarah & Robert

Other sources claim Sarah was a Smith, daughter of James Abraham Smith.

1. ↑ See:Transcript:Will of Roger Dyer, Augusta, VA, 1757.
2. ↑ Fort Seybert massacre, 1758
3. ↑ Patton's executor vs. Edmondson.--The widow Sara Hays married James Edmondson between 1748 (date of bond), and 1757 (bringing of suit). Chalkley's Chronicles, 1:319.