Tamera Hays

Tamar "Tamer" York, age 24, daughter of Tobias York and his wife Martha Peggy Jones married on 5 Jul 1841 in Randolph County, North Carolina to Anthony Hays, age 26, son of John Hays and his wife Rebecca Rains. When Tamra married her bondsman was her first cousin Alfred D York son of Jabez York brother of her father Tobias York. In 1842 Tamar and Anthony with two infants migrated from Randolph County, North Carolina across the Appalachian Mountains. Most likely they traveled and camped in a large wagon train over a period of several weeks. No doubt for protection many other families were in the caravan of wagons to finally settle in middle Tennessee some where in Decatur Country.

The twelve children of Tamar York and her husband Anthony Hays are:

1. Enos P(ierce) Hays, b. 1 Apr 1840, Randolph County, North Carolina; d. 19 Jan 1896, Marion County, Texas.

2. Elias W Hays, b. 3 Jan 1842, Randolph County, North Carolina; d. 1 Sep 1877 Decatur Country, Tennessee

3. Wiley Preston Hays, b. 10 Sep 1843, Decatur Country, Tennessee; d. 31 May 1916, Shady Grove, Upshur County, Texas.

4. Lovie Ann Hays, b. 26 May 1845, Decatur Country, Tennessee; d. 14 Jun 114, Decatur Country, Tennessee.

5. Milton G. Hays, b. Mar 1847 Decatur County, Tennessee; d. 26 Apr 1936, Henderson County, Tennessee.

6. Allen Taylor Hays, b. 17 Mar 1848 Decatur County, Tennessee; d. Aug 1934 Vernon, Wilbarger County, Texas.

7. Sarah Jane Hays, b. 21 Sep 1849, Decatur County, Tennessee; d. 10 Oct 1889, Henderson County, Tennessee.

8. Lewis H. Hays, b. 3 Apr 1851, Decatur County, Tennessee; d. 18 Nov 1878, Cass County, Texas.

9. Almeda Harriett Hays, b. 30 Apr 1853, Decatur County, Tennessee; d. 14 Jan 1905, Shady Grove, Upshur County, Texas.

10. Mary Elizabeth Hays, b. 13 Jul 1854, Decatur County, Tennessee; d. 20 Oct 1912, Decatur County, Tennessee.

11. Martha A. Hays, b. 24 Nov 1856, Decatur County, Tennessee; d. 28 Jan 1928, Henderson County, Tennessee.

12. Lucinda Hays, b. 15 Sep 1858, Decatur County, Tennessee; d. 13 Oct 1858, Decatur County, Tennessee.

Most likely Tamra York died on Sep. 19, 1858 at age 41 due to complications at child birth with her last child Lucinda Hays. She gave birth to 12 children in over 17 years of faithful marriage to Anthony Hays. Tamar York left an impressive legacy of many Hays descendants in Tennessee and many more in east Texas.

Her widowed husband Anthony Hays needing help with all the young children married a second time. In the Spring of 1861 Anthony married 34 year old Scottish Irish widow Charlotte Elizabeth McILLWAIN), who is believed to have been previously married to a Mr. CONNELL. According to the 1850 U S Census, Decatur County, Tennessee there is a widow Charlotte E(lizabeth) CONNELL with two children living with her parents John Miller McILLWAIN) and his wife Henrietta:

1. William N CONNELL, b.1843, Decatur County, Tennessee; d. ?

2. Henry A. CONNELL, b. 1847, Decatur County, Tennessee; d. ?

Anthony Hays and his second wife Charlotte Elizabeth McILLWAIN CONNELL had the following HAYS children before the premature death of Charlotte Elizabeth at age 38 on 30 Apr 1865:

1. Amanda Charlotte HAYS, b. 09 Jan 1861, Decatur County, Tennessee; d. 19 Jan 1899, Decatur County, Tennessee.

2. John Madison "Mitt" HAYS, b.26 Apr 1862, Decatur County, Tennessee; d. 15 Dec 1952, Gilmer, Upshur County, Texas, USA.

3. Infant HAYS, b. 30 Apr 1865,Decatur County, Tennessee; d. 30 Apr 1865, Decatur County, Tennessee (Proposed scenario for premature death at child birth of Charlotte Elizabeth McILLWAIN).

Many Thanks to James Beltz (#48846566) for his research that located the 1850 Census and identifying Charlotte Elizabeth McILLWAIN) and creating her FAG Memorial. I have confirmed and extended her ancestry to her McILLWAIN parents, her grandparents,Scottish immigrants to South Carolina, and her siblings.

Anthony HAYS needed a wife and step mother for his young HAYS children; so he married a third time. Widower Anthony HAYS, age 50, married on 15 Nov 1865 in Decatur County, Tennessee to widow Elizabeth "Betty" Adeline DUKE, age 39. Elizabeth "Betty" Adeline DUKE no doubt was a wonderful mother to her own young DOUGLAS children and a great step mother to many of the young HAYS children that she helped raise with Anthony. No doubt several of the HAYS children only knew their wonderful step mother because their biological mother is believed to have died prematurely at child birth with one of their siblings. Anthony and Betty had no children of their own except for his and hers before their marriage and likely that was more than enough...