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Eoff Cemetery ~ John Kays ~ part of the Marion County Pioneer Cemeteries of Oregon
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Kays, John
LAST: Kays FIRST: John MID: 
GENDER: M MAIDEN NAME:  TITLE: 
BORN: 1806 DIED: 9 May 1884 BURIED: 
OCCUPATION:  Farmer
BIRTH PLACE:  Kentucky
DEATH PLACE: Oregon
NOTES: 
1st MARRIAGE – Mary Strang. [name gleaned from DC of daughter Olive Kays Durbin]
2nd MARRIAGE – Frances Hendricks abt 1840, in Iowa. John was a widower with 6 children at the time of this marriage [Frances is buried at Pioneer Cemetery in Salem].
1860 OR CENSUS - Jno. Kays, age 54, occupation farmer, b. Kentucky, is enumerated with F., female, age 44, b. Kentucky, along with M.E., female, age 18, b. Illinois, M. E. B., male, b. Illinois, A., age 14, b. Illinois, T., male, age 11, b. Illinois, B., female, age 7, b. Oregon, M. A., female, age 5, b. Oregon, and C. J., age 1, b. Oregon. Also enumerated with the family is H. J. T. Donaca, male, age 26, occupation day laborer, b. Illinois, and J. Smith, male, age 17, occupation day laborer, b. Iowa.
1870 OR CENSUS - John Kays, age 64, occupation farmer, b. Kentucky, is enumerated with Frances, age 52, b. Kentucky, along with Martin, age 26, occupation laborer, b. Illinois, Thos., age 21, b. Illinois, Mary, age 18, b. Missouri, Angeline, age 16, b. Oregon, Cinderrilla, age 14, b. Oregon, And. J., age 11, b. Oregon.
1880 OR CENSUS - John Kays, age 74, occupation farmer, b. Kentucky, is enumerated with wife Frances, age 64, b. Kentucky, along with children Angeline, age 26, b. Oregon, Andrew J., age 21, farm laborer, b. Oregon, and grandson D. W. Clinton Kays, age 7, b. Oregon. Also enumerated with the family is John Berry, identified as servant, age 24, occupation farm laborer, b. Missouri.
PROBATE:
File #923. Testate. “Died 9 or 10 May 1884. Will dated 14 Sept 1881, 78 years. Adm: Frances Kays, 19 May 1884. Heirs: Frances Kays, widow; John W. Kays [dec’d by 23 Mar 1885, his wife Rebecca]; William Kays; Sarah Kays [wife of Harvey Streeproe/Steprow]; Olive Kays [wife of Isaac Durbin]; Martha Ellen Kays [wife of D. C. Howard]’ Martin VanBuren Kays; Amanda Allen [wife of Ira Allen]; Thomas H. Benton Kays; Margaret Angeline Kays; Cyndrilla [wife of Samuel Howard]; Andrew Jackson Kays; James A. Kays.”
BIOGRAPHICAL:
Wife Frances, died in 1901 and was buried in Salem Pioneer Cemetery:
THE PASSING AWAY OF A PIONEER WOMAN;
Mrs. Frances Hendricks Kays, Whose Death Occurred on the Kays Homestead on Howell Prairie, Came to Oregon in 1852.
Like ripe sheaves the brave-hearted old pioneers are fast being gathered into their eternal home. One by one they are crossing with "the boatman, silent and pale;" another name is stricken from the record of those who so fearlessly endured the dangers and hardships incident to pioneer life in this beautiful distant Western land. On October 27th another pioneer answered the last roll call and Mrs. Frances Hendricks Kays passed to her final rest. She was born in Bath county, Kentucky, in 1816. Later on she with her parents moved to Indiana. In 1840 they moved to Iowa, where she was married the same year to John Kays, of Knox county, Illinois, to which place she went with her husband and his six little children, to whom she was a faithful affectionate mother. In 1852 they crossed the plains to Oregon, securing a home on Howell Prairie, seven miles east of Salem, where they resided until death claimed them, "Uncle Johnnie" Kays, as he was affectionately called, dying in 1884.
Mrs. Kays belonged to that generous hospitable, industrious class of hardy pioneer women who so nobly braved the long, tedious journey across the plains and the many hardships and privations of early pioneer days in Oregon. She was most tenderly and faithfully cared for by her children during her long illness, and she bore her suffering with that patient resignation and fortitude that sustained her during all the trials of life. She left seven children, fifteen grand children and eight great grand children to cherish her memory. Her children are Mrs. D. C. Howard, Mrs. Ira Allen, Miss Angeline Kays, Mrs. S. W. Howard, Martin V. Kays, T. H. B. Kays and S. J. Kays. Of her step children only four survive her – James and William Kays, Mrs. Isaac Durbin, of Howell Prairie, and Mrs. H. Steeproe, of Alsea, Oregon.
Oregon Statesman 12 November 1901 3:3
OBITUARY: 
No microfilm of local newspaper available for dates following his death.
INSCRIPTION: 
John Kays
1806 - 1884
SOURCES: 
Saucy Survey & Photographs
1860 OR CENSUS (Marion Co., Howell Prairie, FA #2782)
1870 OR CENSUS (Marion Co., Howell Prairie, FA #1298)
1880 OR CENSUS (Marion Co., Howell Prairie, ED 87, pg 147A)
Marion County Probate Records, Vol. 2, pg 137
ROW:   
 
 

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