DAVID W. HAYES, Supervisor of West Point Township, has been a highly respected citizen of Stephenson County for a period of thirty-three years. His birth took place in Lewis Township, Northumberland Co., Pa., Sept. 6, 1829. His father, John Hayes, is supposed to have been a native of Virginia. He located in Northumberland County, Pa., however, early in life, and died in Lewis Township in 1842, when his son, David W., was but a lad of thirteen years.

The mother of our subject was formerly Miss Wilhelmina Giltner, a native of Eastern Pennsylvania, and when her husband died was left with a family of thirteen children. She was a woman of more than ordinary ability, however, and wisely kept her family together until they were old enough to take care of themselves. She remined upon the homestead in Lewis Township until her death, in 1878, after she had arrived at the ripe old age of eighty-five years.

Young Hayes attended school in his native township during the winter seasons, and the rest of the year assisted in the labors on the farm, remaining with his mother until after reaching his majority. When twenty-six years of age he left the Keystone State, and coming to this county engaged as a carpenter, which trade he had learned in his native town, and followed there for six or seven years. After observing in this region the success of the farming community and the rich resources of the country, he determined to branch out into agriculture, and commenced buying stock and shipping to the Chicago market. The results of this venture were such that he has continued in this line of business until this time. In 1863 he purchased a tract of timber land from which he cut the trees, where his home now stands, and in 1868 erected a fine brick residence, past which Center street now runs, and which is intersected in that vicinity by Albert street. The mansion, remarkably well preserved, remains one of the cherished landmarks of a past decade, and is still one of the most imposing dwellings in that section, built perhaps more substantially than those of the present day.

Mr. Hayes was first married in 1859 to Miss Hannah J. Corning, who was born in New Hampshire, and was the daughter of Warren and Elizabeth (Butler) Corning, also natives of the Old Granite State, whence they removed early in life to Illinois, locating in Jo Daviess County. Of this union of our subject there were born six children, namely: Hattie and Kittie, twins, the former married to John Hernig, engaged in the hardware business at Lena; Wilhelmina is the wife of George Selvig, also a resident of Lena; Charles W. and Jennie J. remain with their father; one babe died unnamed. The mother of these children departed this life on the 22d of March, 1880. Mr. Hayes in July, 1882, was married to Mrs. Hannah M. (Kaufman) Gable, widow of John Gable. Of this marriage there is one child only, a son, Winfield Wilson. Mr. and Mrs. Hayes are active members of the Presbyterian Church, and politically Mr. H. casts his vote with the Democratic party. He was elected Supervisor in 1886, and was re-elected the spring following. He has served as School Director nine years, and for the last twelve years has been a member of the Town Council. In 1887 he abandoned the more active pursuits of agriculture, and purchasing a stock of hardware established himself in business at Lena, where he has built up a good patronage among its most reliable people, and where he continues to enjoy the respect of all who know him.

Contributed by Carol Parrish - Portrait and Biographical Album of Stephenson County, Ill. (1888)