John Coffee Hays
David Arthur
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Notes:
Texas Ranger Hall of Fame
John Coffee "Jack" Hays
1817-1883
Devil Jack Hayes (1817-1883). The true story of Col. Hayes is more exciting than any fictional story
that could ever be imagined. He was an early Texas Icon that overcame great odds to triumph where
others failed. The son of Harmon and Elizabeth (Cage) Hayes, was born in Little Cedar Lick, Wilson
County, Tennessee. His father fought with Sam Houston and Andrew Jackson in the War of 1812. Jack
Hayes became a Texas Ranger Officer along with John S.(Rip) Ford, Ben McCulloch and Sam Walker.
These four men established Texas Ranger tradition. Hayes was a man of smaller than average size.
However, he was very intelligent and had a gift for being exceptionally wiry. He had great endurance
for the rugged Texas terrain. His Rangers had a reputation as skilled horsemen that could use
revolvers very well. The Rangers in their formative years were known as citizen soldiers. Their
rough and ready style left a lasting impression on the beginning history of the Texas Rangers.
He mixed his Ranger career with that of surveying. He did this for a little over 13 years. He got
most of his education at Davidson Academy in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1836, he decided to join with
the rebels in Texas. He entered Texas after traveling to New Orleans. He helped to bury the Texans
that were killed at Goliad. He worked hard to learn about the Indian ways so that he could protect
the surveying parties.
An Apache Chief, Young Flacco, became a good friend of Col. Hayes. Flacco once said, "Me and Red
Wing aren't afraid to go to hell." But, Jack isn't afraid to go by himself." Some feel that this how
he got the name of "Devil Jack." He was a hard nosed Indian fighter. From 1840-46, he was given the
title of Captain. He engaged both the Comanches and Mexicans in many small skirmishes. It was a
battle at Enchanted Rock that made Hayes famous. There he took on a group of Mexicans by himself.
The Mexican group was under Adrian Woll. At Walker's Creek, Hayes and his Rangers were out numbered
by a combination of Mexicans and Indians. These two battles help to solidify the legend of Captain
Hayes and the Texas Rangers. The Rangers reputation grew during the Mexican War.
Hayes worked under General Zachary Taylor and General Winfield Scott. Hayes and his Rangers used a
form of guerrilla warfare to keep supply lines open. In 1849, Hayes went after gold in California.
He became Sheriff of San Francisco County in 1850. Keeping up with his passion for surveying,
President Franklin Pierce appointed him as Surveyor General of California in 1853. He became one of
the founders for the city of Oakland, California.
Hayes married in 1847 to Susan Calvert. They had 6 children. He made many return trips to Texas in
later years. During the Civil War he remained independent. He died in Piedmont, California on April
25, 1883. He is often referred to as one of the best to ever perform as a Ranger.
Hayes County, Texas was created in 1848 and named after the famous Texas Ranger. He is a member of
the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame. To date there are only 30 members of this elite group. Colonel
(Devil) Jack Hayes is among them.
The HALL OF FAME is the State designated memorial of the Texas Ranger service, commemorating the
service and sacrifices of 30 Texas Rangers who gave their lives in the line of duty or made
significant contributions to development of the service.
John Coffee "Jack" Hays
1817-1883
Jack Hays was born 28 January 1817 at Cedar Lick in Wilson County, Tennessee. By the age of fifteen
he had moved to Mississippi and began to learn surveying. By mid-1836 Hays was in Texas where he
joined a Ranger company under Erastus "Deaf" Smith. He took part in a skirmish with the Mexican
Cavalry and assisted in the capture of Juan Sâanchez. He was appointed deputy surveyor of the Bexar
District. Hays combined his knowledge of Indian warfare with his rangering.
In 1840, Hays was appointed a captain of the Rangers. He proved himself to be a fearless fighter and
a good leader of men. His Ranger companies, often mixed groups of Anglos, Hispanics and Indians,
engaged in battles and skirmishes with both the Comanches and other hostile Indian tribes, as well
as Mexican troops, throughout the early years of the 1840s. Hays and his Rangers were involved in
important actions at Plum Creek, Caänon de Ugalde, Bandera Pass, Painted Rock, Salado, and Walker's
Creek. The battle at Walker's Creek marked a turning point in Indian warfare with the first
effective use of repeating firearms in close combat with the Comanche.Hays gained further respect as
a fighter during the Mexican War. The First Regiment, Texas Mounted Riflemen, under the command of
Colonel Jack Hays, served with the army of Zachary Taylor. Hays' men scouted for the army and took
part in the Battle of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico in 1846.
The next year, another regiment under Hays helped to keep the communication and supply lines open
between Veracruz and Mexico City for the troops under Winfield Scott. After the Mexican War, Hays
left Texas, following the gold rush to California in 1849. He was elected as Sheriff of San
Francisco in 1850. In 1853 he was appointed U. S. Surveyor General for California. He was one of the
developers of Oakland, and held interests in land, banking and utilities. In 1876, Hays was a
delegate to the Democratic national convention.
Hays died 21 April 1883 and was interred in the Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland, California.
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(1st cousin 1X removed of Mary Donelson, wife of John R. Coffee)
John R. Coffee is my 1st cousin 6X removed – David Arthur