From the Versailles Leader:

Services for J. T. Hays, Sun.--Died Suddenly at His Home North of Versailles, Thursday, November 15th

Funeral services for J. T. Hays, attended by hundreds of relatives and friends, were held from the Versailles Methodist church Sunday afternoon. Rev. L. H. Westphal, pastor of the church, officiated. Rev. Westphal was assisted in the services by the Rev. J. T. Ricketts, pastor of the Tipton Methodist Church.

Mr. Hays had been in failing health the past six years, but was able to continue his work. He was at work only a few hours previous to the heart attack which claimed his life.

James Tilden Hays, son of Benjamin Franklin and Rose Ann Hays, was born near Versailles October 9, 1876. He was married to Arizona Etta Murray June 2, 1909. They united with the Versailles Methodist church in April, 1923, during the pastorate of Rev. W. H. Hargrove. To this union were born four children, namely, Shirrell, until recently of the home but now of Peoria, Illinois; Mrs. Charles Stephens and Mrs. Lloyd Carter, both of Tipton; and Lola Mae, who died in infancy. Mrs. Hays died April 1, 1931 leaving her husband and children. On February 11, 1935, Mr. Hays was married to Maude Johnson, who survives him.

"Til", as he was known by his many friends, had a natural talent for mechanics, and early in life he began to serve the public with his threshing machine and well drills. For the past twenty-two years, he had been manager of the Versailles Special Road District, building and repairing roads and bridges within a radius of several miles of Versailles.

Til Hays had many close friends and was known for his generosity and genial disposition. Other than his wife and his three children, he leaves three grandchildren, Jimmy and Donald Carter and Charlotte Ann Stephens; two sons-in-law, Charles Stephens and Pvt. Lloyd Carter of Camp Pickett, Virginia; and the following brothers and sisters, C. H. Hays, Joseph A. Hays, Edwin Hays and Mrs. Bettie Lehman all of Berkeley, California; Thomas A. Hays, Ercell Hays, Mrs. Harve Lehman and Mrs. R. E. Dornan, all of near Versailles; and Mrs. Walter Cook of Tipton. He leaves also a large number of other relatives and a host of friends in the community where he spent his entire life. Interment was in the Versailles cemetery.