From The Book, The
Hastings Memorial By: William
A. Hastings
A Copy in Rhode Island
Historical Society
The Name Hastings is of an illustrious family
history and the race to which it applies is of Danish origin. In the early days
of the British kingdom, the Danes made frequent incursions upon the part of England and Scotland
bordering upon the North Sea.
The year around (1066) it was in one of the
incursions that Hastings, a Danish Chief, made himself formidable to Alfred the
Great, by landing a large body of men upon the coast. He took possession of a
portion of Sussex.
His family held the castle and seaport, when William the Conqueror landed in England
and they held it from the crown for many generations.
The first of the family who enjoyed the
Peerage was Henry Lord Hastings, Son of William De Hastings, Steward of Henry
II. They were allied by marriage to the Royal Family of Scotland and England.
George the third Lord Hastings, was, in 1529, created Earl of Huntington. Sir
Henry and George Hastings, grandsons of the Earl of Hastings had sons who
became Puritans, and were obliged by persecution to leave their native land and
find homes in the New World. As early as 1634,
we find Thomas Hastings and his wife had arrived on the shore. In 1638, John
and family had followed, that they were brothers, was in a tradition in the
family but, it has not been clearly shown and it is more probable that they were
cousins, Thomas being a descendent from a younger brother of the Earl of
Huntington.
(A description of the
Hastings Coat of Arms follows)
The Motto of the Lord of Hastings…
In Veritate
Victoria.
In Truth there is Victory
Thomas Hastings, age 29,and his wife Susana,
age 34, embarked at Ipswich, England, April 10, 1634, in the Elizabeth, William
Andrews, master for New England, and settled in Watertown, mass. Then known as
The Massachusetts Bay Colony, Where he was admitted Freeman, May 6, 1635. He then ”laid
down” a lot in Dedham
in late 1635, but never lived there, was Selectman from 1638 – 1643 and again
from 1650 – 1671, Town Clerk 1671- 1677 & 1680. He then long held the
Office of Deacon. His wife Susanna died Feb. 2, 1650. He married again in April 1651 to Margaret
Cheney, of Roxbury,
Mass. She was the mother of all his eight
children. He died in 1685 at the age of 80.
John, Son of Deacon Thomas
and Margaret Chaney-Hastings, born April 1 1654 in Watertown,
mass. Married June 18,1679
to Abigail Hammond, daughter of Lieutenant John and Abigail Hammond of
Watertown, Mass June 21, 1656.
Samuel, son of John and
Abigail Hastings, born July
10, 1695 in Watertown,
Mass. Baptized with brothers
Thomas and Joseph on July
10, 1698 by the Minister of Charleston. Married May 29, 1719 by Thomas
tufts, “esquire.”
To Bethia Holloway of Malden, Mass.
They had eight children. Samuel was a tailor and settled in Waterton, which is
now part of Waltham.
He was a Selectman.
From the Along The Line magazine,
N.Y., N.H. & H.R.R.
The royal family name carried
on many years as follows….
March 1928
Benjamin J. Hastings, General
Freeman of the Bridge and building and noted inventor, died February 14th,at
the residence of his son, Raymond W. Hastings, 3 E. Broadway, Tauton, Mass. He
had been in ill health for a number of months and his condition took a serious
turn a few days prior to his death. He was in his 60th year. Mr.
Hastings was born in Rochester,
N. H. November 27, 1868 and educated in the public schools of
Rochester. He then learned the trade of
shoemaker. Later, he took up bridgework and carpentry. He was an expert
machinist and carpenter, and for many years had worked on a device, which he
patented, for raising sunken vessels. An overhead telltale device for the
protection of railroad employees, patented by Mr. Hastings, is now in use on
about forty-nine railroads in the U. S. He also has patents of an arrangement,
for the protection of men riding on the side of railroad cars and approaching
the point where the clearance is slight. For a period of 29 years, Mr. Hastings
was employed on Old Colony division and his abilities recommended him for the
position of General Foreman, of the Bridge and Building Department, a position
he filled to the satisfaction of his employers as well as those who worked
under him. After a few years, he organized the Hastings Signal and Equipment
Company and was president of the organization. Besides his wife, he leaves two
sons and two daughters, Namely, Raymond W. Hastings, Bridge foreman of the N.Y.
N.H.& H. Benjamin B. Hastings of Tauten, Mass. Mrs. Arthur Hackett of
Newark, N.Y. and Mrs. Derwood Hays of New Bedford, Mass. Ruby Hastings, wife of
Mr. Derwood Hays.
Derwood Hays and Ruby Hays
mother and Father of:
Robert Hays
Russell Hays
David Eliot Hays, born June 22, 1926, in New Bedford, Mass.
David E. Hays was a World War II veteran in the United States Navy, as a Motor
Machinist Mate 3rd Class. His Tour Of Duty was in Pearl
Harbor and he was a hero for saving nine of his shipmates in
battle, receiving the Purple Heat for a wound he received in his leg from enemy
fire, defending his country and fellow seamen. David married Ethel Correia,
daughter of Manuel and Lillian Correia of
New
Bedford, Mass. on November 23, 1950.
Their children are as
follows….
Deborah Hays-Goodall born
August 28,1951
Erin Murray
- Lissa Murray, Joey Murray, Dillon Murray
Elisabeth Householder
Paul Householder
Dawn Hays-Lind born April 12, 1953
Rhonda Oglesby
Melanie Lind
Daniel Lind
Allison Taitano
David E. Hays born December 31, 1954
unmarried as of this writing.
Eliot D. Hays born January 24,1961 Married
Lori Williams, May 25, 1991
Jeremiah D. Williams – son of Lori
Staci Lynn Hays
Dominic Alan Hays
The children of Mr. and Mrs.
David Eliot Hays were raised by their widowed mother who has stayed faithful to
all her children and their children’s children. David E. and Eliot D. were
passed down many talents and gifts through their royal bloodlines of
Hastings and Hays. David,
being musically inclined from both his father and mother, has been a struggling
songwriter, composer, musician, vocalist on both Lead and rhythm guitar since
the age of ten. He then wrote his first love ballad at the age of 15. He took
on many gigs with different bands he formed, starting with his first at age 12
for his 6th, 7th, and 8th grade talent shows
in his hometown of Bellflower, Ca. with the help of his mother and stepfather,
Eldo F. Stockwell. Mr. Stockwell, inventor of coin slotted bubble gum machine,
was a definite gifted and talented man. Who for years, helped create such
things as the Batman and Robin and Green Hornet trinkets that were popular in
the mid to late 60’s that were worn by children all over the United States.
His most favorable creation was his molds for the “ Antique Tear-Drop Globe”
coin bubble gum machine. You can still see and purchase this machine around the
world. In addition to all the bubble gum and candy machines that are found in all
the grocery and department stores. These machines can be identified by an
“acorn,” that is on the metal flap of the opening, where the gum or candy is
delivered. Now, with the help of Mr. and Mrs. Hays-Stockwell, David’s
grandparents, siblings, and a host of close knit friends of the family, David
E. Hays AKA “Mystic” Hays, Lead Guitar and vocalist, for his three man rock
power group, going by the name of Tocsin (defined as Alarm, warning sound, the
sound of a bugle or bell). David, and
his brother Eliot, are now in the mid stages of promoting and working side by
side in an attempt to get international airplay and exposure, through radio and
the World Wide Web on Frozen Rock Radio
www.frozenrockradio.com and
www.mystichays.com.
This is the close for now of the story of the royal and
victorious family “Coat of Arms” of Hasting and Hays, which shall multiply and
prosper in life and wealth for many generations.