Personal papers from my Grandmother, Lou Taylor Ault. Written January, 1966. Colorado Springs, CO
"When I was a child, my grandfather, Daniel Spaw, lived with my mother and me and told me much of the family history. He came from KY. His two older brothers became doctors and lawyers, but the family came upon less prosperous times so that he never had the privilege of higher schooling. So great was his desire to learn that he went to country school after he was grown. He married Sarah Hayes and after their first child was born, they migrated to western Iowa. They took a claim, cleared the land and built a home. A brother of Sarah's, William Hayes, and a sister, Nancy, also settled there.
Daniel and Sarah lost their first two children and went on to have six more, including a set of twins.
Sarah died at age 39, and the children were cared for by relatives.
- Nancy Hayes raised the twins,
- Dora and Effie Anne kept house for their father until Dora eloped with John Sturgeon at the age of 16.
- Henry rode away on his horse at the age of 21 and was never located again.
- Mary died at the age of 19.
- Martha married Newton Chase, lived in Harlan, Iowa, and had four daughters: Linnie, Edna, Fannie, and Olive.
Nancy was married twice (Childers) but had no children She adopted an Italian boy after she was widowed (Joe Merrilland) and he fell heir to her property.
William Hayes married (?) and had four sons and a daughter."
