Minnie was the daughter and first-born child of Benjamin Franklin and Rose Ann (Newkirk) Hays.
She began school in 1877 at West View (aka Bowen) School and attended until she was nineteen. She was then accepted at Clarksburg Institute (later called Clarksburg College) in 1890. Minnie taught school for about 20 years; both at West View and Fortuna from around 1892 to 1912. Minnie was married on June 10, 1911 to Rev. John G. Bauer, minister of the Methodist Church at Vienna, MO. She died just two weeks after their one year wedding anniversary.

In an excerpt from a newspaper article that appeared after her death: "....for the last three years she has been active in the cause of temperance and endeavoring to overcome the great evil of the rum traffic. Her husband, the Reverend J.S. Bauer, was a well-known German-American prohibition speaker. She worked hard and spoke to as many Unions as wanted to hear her...many times, giving several speeches a day."

Additional article that appeared in 1912:
"CROSSED OVER
We were so glad when that bright and talented teacher, Miss Minnie Lee Hays gave up teaching for the lecture field. We needed her so much, and she was so exceptionally well suited to that arduous work. It is only a couple of years since she began to speak for us, and no speaker ever rose more rapidly into favor than Miss Hays.

The 10th of June 1911, she married the Rev. J.S. Bauer, the well known German-American prohibition speaker. With his full consent, (for he was intensely proud of his brilliant wife), Mrs. Bauer continued her work in the lecture field. She never hunted for soft snaps, she worked hard, and spoke as often as the Unions wanted her to, if that was several times a day. Her success was wonderful. All loved her. She always had a smile and a cheery word.

And she is gone! Dear, brave, unselfish Minnie Lee Bauer! Heaven is the richer for her coming, but Missouri is poorer for her going. On whom will her mantle fall. She was so true, so willing, so able, we needed her, and our hearts are sore with anguish over her departure, but God will comfort the broken hearts she leaves behind her, and other workers must take up the work she laid down.

Mrs. Bauer died June 26th at Walker, Missouri, and was buried Monday, July 1st at Fortuna, her old home."
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NOTE: These are the names of the students in the picture with Minnie Lee at the Fortuna School in 1908:

1st Row - Lawrence Clanahan, Otto Wolf, Charlie Hutchison, and Archie Morlock.
2nd Row - Raymond Hutchison, Gordon Comer, Artie Ferguson, Audrey Rodner, Lizzie Devine, Rose Charles, Arletta Culler, Helen Carter, and Lester Griswold.
3rd Row - Clyde Roberts, Cortez Lewis, Sophia Rodner, Ruth Charles, Gladys Wendleton, Oma Wilson, and Joe Bardwell.
4th Row - Amy Ferguson, Lola Clanahan, Virgie Miller, Quincy Hays, Bart Akin, Ada Rimel, Roy Wendleton, Ercell Hays, and Edgar Hutchison.
5th Row - Minnie Lee Hays (Teacher), Willie Rimel, Henry Akin, Ola Drake, Lora Atkeson, Anna Schaffter, and Mae Atkeson.