Sardis Birchard Hayes, also known as Birchard Austin Hayes, 1853-1926. Birchard Hayes was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on November 4, 1853. Most of his early childhood was spent in Cincinnati. During the Civil War, Birchard, along with his mother and brother Webb, spent several winters at the military camp of his father’s regiment in West Virginia. Later in the war, Birchard moved to Fremont, Ohio where he lived with his uncle, Sardis Birchard, for whom he was named. He lived in Fremont for seven years, and completed his high school education there. Birchard graduated from Cornell University in 1874, and from Harvard Law School in 1877.
Birchard began his law practice in New York with the firm of Evarts, Southmade and Choates, where he specialized in tax and real estate law. He moved to Toledo, Ohio in 1879, and became a partner in the firm of Swayne, Swayne and Hayes, continuing throughout his career to specialize in tax and real estate law. He continued in this firm until the death of Swayne, and then practiced alone for the rest of his career.
Birchard married Mary Sherman of Norwalk on December 30, 1886. They had four sons: Webb II, Walter, Sherman, and Scott. Mary died in June 1924, and Birchard died on January 24, 1926.
James Webb Cook Hayes, also known as Webb Cook Hayes, 1856-1934. Webb was born on March 20, 1856 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Like his older brother, he spent several winters at the winter camp of his father’s regiment during the Civil War. He then followed his brother to Cornell University. When his father became President in 1877, Cook became his private presidential secretary. In addition to helping his father with the office and paper work in the White House, Webb’s unofficial duties included such tasks as escorting single ladies at White House functions and tactfully ending parties that had dragged on too long.
After his father’s term as President ended, Webb helped start a small business that eventually grew to be Union Carbide.
When the Spanish-American War broke out, Webb volunteered and was commissioned a major. Remaining in the army, he served in Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and China. He was awarded the Medal of Honor “for distinguished gallantry” on December 4, 1899 during the fighting in the Philippines. The citation read, in part, that Webb “pushed through the enemy’s lines, alone, during the night, from the beach to the beleaguered force at Vigan, and returned the following morning to report the condition of affairs to the Navy and secure assistance.” Webb was also promoted to lieutenant colonel.
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