George Washington Hayes was a state legislator and “one of the pioneers of Western North Carolina, coming to Cherokee county to reside in 1835 and establishing his home near old Fort Butler, the site of which is now the town limits of Murphy.” He apparently assisted the federal government in the removal of the Cherokee and their slaves from Cherokee and surrounding counties in North Carolina in 1839. Yet according to a 1936 article about one of his daughter’s 92nd birthday celebration, he was also a close advisor and friend of the Cherokee who helped one family come home, with U.S. government assistance:
“One interesting event that took place while the Indians were being removed concerned a family of Indians who had been taken in custody in Jackson county by Federal troops and taken as far as Copperhill, Tenn. The Indian father of this large family complained to Mr. Hayes that they were ill and he didn’t believe that he or his family would ever live to make the trip to Indian territory.'
Mr. Hayes, who spoke the Indian tongue and had the confidence of the Indians, advised this old Indian to save out of each days rations issued him by the troops enough to last him and his family for the number of days it would take them to tramp back to Jackson county, and when he secured enough to take care of them for the long hike back, to slip out of camp in the night with his family and go back to their native home.
This old Indian did, and many years later Mr. Hayes happened to be back in Jackson county and ran into this old Indian, who ran up to him and threw his arms around his neck and kissed him ‘white man fashion.’ From that time on until the death of Mr. Hayes he was the close advisor and friend of the Indians, who came to him with all their troubles.” — The Cherokee Scout (1936)
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ID: 5477D10570A34047AEC71B5CD0E6E3BB7BEA
Data Changed
Changed:
9 Aug 2011
10:28:03
Prior to import, this record was last changed 10:28:03 9 Aug 2011.
Thank you to Catherine Rivera for creating WikiTree profile Hayes-2469 through the import of Duckett Family.ged on Apr 4, 2013.
Click to the Changes page for the details of edits by Catherine and others.
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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with George by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA.
However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line.
It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with George:
Hayes-7403 and Hayes-2469 appear to represent the same person because: Dear Catherine,
While working on sources for the HAYES family, I created George & Elizabeth (Stewart) Hayes. Now I believe I have duplicated your people, as Harriet Ammonia Hayes Keener shows up as their child. Can you merge them if you agree? http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=25513438
Thanks, NGP
While working on sources for the HAYES family, I created George & Elizabeth (Stewart) Hayes. Now I believe I have duplicated your people, as Harriet Ammonia Hayes Keener shows up as their child. Can you merge them if you agree? http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=25513438 Thanks, NGP