Elijah Hayward
Encyclopedia
Elijah Hayward was a lawyer in the U.S. State
of Ohio
who represented his county in the Ohio House of Representatives
, sat on the Ohio Supreme Court for a short time, and was Commissioner of the General Land Office
. He was a noted genealogist and historian.
, Plymouth County
, Massachusetts
. He was descended from Thomas Hayward, one of the original proprietors of Bridgewater, who immigrated from England
in 1634. His mother's ancestor came on the same ship passage. Hayward attended the village schools, and in 1801 entered Bridgewater Academy, where he learnt English grammar and arithmetic for three months.
Starting in late 1801, Hayward worked in stores in West Bridgewater
, and later Plymouth. In 1803, he went to Hanover
, to learn shipbuilding. He became partner with David Kingman in 1807, and married his daughter, Eliza Kingman, February 19, 1809. He traveled to England on one of his ships, the Belfast, in 1812, and returned to the U.S. in June of that year after hearing of the death of his partner and father-in-law Kingman. In Hanover, he decided to pursue the study of law at the office of John Winslow, esq. His studies were delayed by the need to attend to his father-in-law's estate, including a return to London for a lawsuit. He returned to East Bridgewater to study under Nahum Mitchell
.
, Ohio
, where he opened an office. He established a partnership with David Wade, which lasted for eight years. In 1825, he was elected to represent Hamilton County
in the Ohio House of Representatives
, serving until 1829 in the 24th to 27th General Assemblies.
In 1830, the two houses of the Ohio Legislature, in joint session, elected Hayward as a judge of the Ohio Supreme Court for a seven year term. He only served a part of that year when he accepted an appointment from President Jackson
as Commissioner of the General Land Office
in Washington D.C. Hayward resigned in 1835, after his wife died, and returned to Ohio and the practice of law.
Judge Hayward was a dedicated genealogist, who would spend weeks at a time copying the records of Plymouth Colony
and towns of Massachusetts. He was elected a corresponding member of the Massachusetts Historical Society
in 1854. He was a member of the Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries of Copenhagen. He was elected a corresponding member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society
in 1852, and elected honorary vice-president for Ohio in 1855. His principal employment in later years was in preparing briefs before the Ohio Supreme Court. He adhered to the Puritanism of his ancestors, before rejecting it to accept the Roman Catholic faith. He died in McConnelsville
, Morgan County, Ohio
in 1864. Hayward left one son, George Hayward, born Hanover, Massachusetts, July 14, 1817.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
who represented his county in the Ohio House of Representatives
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
, sat on the Ohio Supreme Court for a short time, and was Commissioner of the General Land Office
General Land Office
The General Land Office was an independent agency of the United States government responsible for public domain lands in the United States. It was created in 1812 to take over functions previously conducted by the United States Department of the Treasury...
. He was a noted genealogist and historian.
Early life
Elijah Hayward was born in 1786 in BridgewaterBridgewater, Massachusetts
For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Bridgewater, please see the article Bridgewater , Massachusetts.The Town of Bridgewater is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, 28 miles south of Boston. At the 2000 Census, the population was 25,185...
, Plymouth County
Plymouth County, Massachusetts
Plymouth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of 2010, the population was 494,919. Its county seats are Plymouth and Brockton...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. He was descended from Thomas Hayward, one of the original proprietors of Bridgewater, who immigrated from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1634. His mother's ancestor came on the same ship passage. Hayward attended the village schools, and in 1801 entered Bridgewater Academy, where he learnt English grammar and arithmetic for three months.
Starting in late 1801, Hayward worked in stores in West Bridgewater
West Bridgewater, Massachusetts
West Bridgewater is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,634 at the 2000 census.- History :West Bridgewater was first settled in 1651 as a part of Olde Bridgewater...
, and later Plymouth. In 1803, he went to Hanover
Hanover, Massachusetts
Hanover is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,164 at the 2000 census.-History:The area of Hanover was first settled by English settlers in 1649 when William Barstow, a farmer, built a bridge along the North River at what is now Washington Street...
, to learn shipbuilding. He became partner with David Kingman in 1807, and married his daughter, Eliza Kingman, February 19, 1809. He traveled to England on one of his ships, the Belfast, in 1812, and returned to the U.S. in June of that year after hearing of the death of his partner and father-in-law Kingman. In Hanover, he decided to pursue the study of law at the office of John Winslow, esq. His studies were delayed by the need to attend to his father-in-law's estate, including a return to London for a lawsuit. He returned to East Bridgewater to study under Nahum Mitchell
Nahum Mitchell
Nahum Mitchell was a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts.Born in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts, Mitchell attended the local school.He graduated from Harvard University in 1789....
.
Immigration to the West
In the autumn of 1819, having studied law off and on for four and one half years, Hayward immigrated to CincinnatiCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, where he opened an office. He established a partnership with David Wade, which lasted for eight years. In 1825, he was elected to represent Hamilton County
Hamilton County, Ohio
As of 2000, there were 845,303 people, 346,790 households, and 212,582 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,075 people per square mile . There were 373,393 housing units at an average density of 917 per square mile...
in the Ohio House of Representatives
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
, serving until 1829 in the 24th to 27th General Assemblies.
In 1830, the two houses of the Ohio Legislature, in joint session, elected Hayward as a judge of the Ohio Supreme Court for a seven year term. He only served a part of that year when he accepted an appointment from President Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
as Commissioner of the General Land Office
General Land Office
The General Land Office was an independent agency of the United States government responsible for public domain lands in the United States. It was created in 1812 to take over functions previously conducted by the United States Department of the Treasury...
in Washington D.C. Hayward resigned in 1835, after his wife died, and returned to Ohio and the practice of law.
Judge Hayward was a dedicated genealogist, who would spend weeks at a time copying the records of Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony was an English colonial venture in North America from 1620 to 1691. The first settlement of the Plymouth Colony was at New Plymouth, a location previously surveyed and named by Captain John Smith. The settlement, which served as the capital of the colony, is today the modern town...
and towns of Massachusetts. He was elected a corresponding member of the Massachusetts Historical Society
Massachusetts Historical Society
The Massachusetts Historical Society is a major historical archive specializing in early American, Massachusetts, and New England history...
in 1854. He was a member of the Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries of Copenhagen. He was elected a corresponding member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society
New England Historic Genealogical Society
The New England Historic Genealogical Society is the oldest and largest genealogical society in the United States, founded in 1845. A charitable, nonprofit educational institution, NEHGS is located at 99-101 Newbury Street, in Boston, Massachusetts, in an eight-story archive and research center....
in 1852, and elected honorary vice-president for Ohio in 1855. His principal employment in later years was in preparing briefs before the Ohio Supreme Court. He adhered to the Puritanism of his ancestors, before rejecting it to accept the Roman Catholic faith. He died in McConnelsville
McConnelsville, Ohio
McConnelsville is a village in Morgan County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,676 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Morgan County. As of October 19 2011, the mayor is John Walter Finley.-Geography:...
, Morgan County, Ohio
Morgan County, Ohio
**----...
in 1864. Hayward left one son, George Hayward, born Hanover, Massachusetts, July 14, 1817.