Guide to the Rotheus Hayward Collection

Biography of Rotheus Hayward

The oldest son of Joseph Hayward and Lydia (Barrows) Hayward, Rotheus Hayward was born October 14, 1781, in Easton, Massachusetts. In the fall of 1805, he emigrated west to Marietta, Ohio, where he worked in the shipyard of Edward Tupper. The following year he purchased a 105-acre farm above the mouth of Wolf Creek, near Waterford, Washington County, Ohio.

On January 29, 1807, Rotheus Hayward was married to Panthea Nye, daughter of Ichabod Nye and Minerva (Tupper) Nye. The couple had seven children: Joseph; Benjamin Tupper; Rotheus; Ichabod; Lydia; Edward; and George. Panthea (Nye) Tupper died January 24, 1821, and on March 18, 1822, Rotheus married Rebecca Gray, daughter of William Gray and Mary (Diamond) Gray. Five more children were added born: Charlotte; Panthea; Daniel; Columbus; and Cyrus.

A captain in the militia and a township trustee, Rotheus Hayward was a farmer and stock raiser by occupation. During the course of his lifetime, he added to his land holdings until he accumulated a property of 500 acres. Rotheus died May 22, 1842, and Rebecca died September 28, 1876. Sources: (1) Biographical and Historical Memoirs of the Early Pioneer Settlers of Ohio, With Narratives of Incidents and Occurrences in 1775. S. P. Hildreth. Cincinnati: H. W. Derby & Co., 1852; (2) Centennial Gathering of the Hayward Family With Address By George W. Hayward, and Poem, By Almira L. Hayward. Taunton, Mass.: John S. Sampson, Printer, 1879; (3) History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio and Representative Citizens. Martin R. Andrews, ed. Chicago: Biographical Publishing Company, 1902; (4) History of Washington County, Ohio, With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches. H. Z. Williams & Bro., 1881.

Scope and Content

The collection contains correspondence dating from 1804 through 1945, with most of it covering the years 1804 to 1865. The letters of Rotheus Hayward begin when the 23-year-old leaves home in 1804 in search of an occupation. Letters to his family contain descriptions of people and places, as well as detailed accounts of his activities in farming and raising a family in Waterford, Washington County, Ohio. The letters written by his family in New England are filled with advice and news from home. Edward T. Hayward, a Rotheus' brother, also settled in the Waterford area, and several of his letters are part of the collection. Also included are a few letters written by the Tupper and Nye relatives, regarding both business and family issues. A small amount of correspondence during the 1860s relates to family and friends who are serving in the Civil War, and most of the papers from 1883 to 1945 are connected to Hayward family members who moved to Oregon.

An important part of the collection is the diaries of Rotheus Hayward, Jr. (1811-1885), dating from 1835 until 1842, and containing brief daily entries describing life on the Waterford farm, social events, and his work at the iron foundry in Marietta. Of special interest are his accounts of boat trips, taking produce down the Ohio River, in 1836 and 1837.

In addition to correspondence and diaries, there are a small number of deeds, business receipts, legal papers, genealogical materials, and books, including two bibles.

Transcriptions of the diaries and most correspondence are available.

Statement of Arrangement

Restrictions

There are no restrictions on accessing material in this collection. Copyright restrictions may apply to materials. Permission to publish materials must be obtained from the repository and from the copyright holder.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

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Preferred Citation

Rotheus Hayward Collection, Marietta College Library

Acquisition Information

Acquired May 19, 1955, from Mrs. Oscar Chase Hayward.

Other Finding Aid

PDF of find aid

Detailed Description of The Collection