Page:History of the newspapers of Beaver County, Pennsylvania.djvu/133

 BEAVER PALLS PAPEKS. 109 gave his entire attention to his new office ia Beaver Falls, having conducted a two-press office at his home in SewicHey during the greater part of the time he held his railroad position. On the death in 1880, of his grand father John B. McFadden, for many years a prominent business man in Pittsburg, Mr. Hays accepted the management of a number ' of fire insurance companies formerly represented by his grandfather, and conducted this office until April 1895, when he sold his business and established the "Sewickley Valley," a high grade, illus- trated, society journal, in his home town of Sewickley. On acquiring control of the "Beaver Times," a long established weekly paper in. Beaver, Pa., in February 1898, the "Sewickley Valley" was sold to Miss Janey M. Coard, and Mr. Hays once more figured in the newspaper field of Beaver county. This venture proving neither profitable nor congenial, the "Times" was sold to its present publishers, and on the organization of the United States Steel Corporation, he accepted a position in the executive offices of that concern in New York, as traveling representative of their insurance department with which he is at present identified. In 1882 Mr. Hays wedded Miss SaUie A. Fleming, a member of the well known family in Sewickley, ten children being the result of this union, eight of whom are living, all at the family home in Sewickley. For many years Mr. Hays was active in Masonic circles, being a charter member of Crescent Lodge No. 576, of Pittsburg, and all other bodies up to and including Consistory and Mystic Shrine; a past commander of Davis Camp, Sons of Veterans; honorary member of General Alexander Hays Post, No. 3, Grand Army of the Republic; charter member of General Alexander Hays Council, Jr. O. U. A. M., and secretary and historian of the Sixty-third Eegiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers Regi- mental Association.