Date : 14 Sep 1943
Location : St. Mary's Cemetery, Rock Valley, IA
John Edward Hayden, native of Illinois who came here in 1884 as a young man of 23 years and helped break the prairie in this vicinity, died Saturday, Sept 11, at his home in Rock Valley after an extended illness.
Born, December 15, 1861, on the farm of his parents near La Halle, Illinois, he grew to young manhood there and came to Rock Valley in the spring of 1884, the same time that D.J. Scanlan and many others located here. Breaking prairie was the big thing around here in those days and everybody went to work at it who could get the equipment. Mr. Hayden got his start in that way and located on a farm of his own a few years later.
Just before the big blizzard that claimed so many lives January, 1888, he and Miss Julia Keegan were married at St Mary's church at Rock Valley on Dec 28, 1887, with Father Phelan solemnizing the ceremony. At that time they made their home where John McKeegan's farm is now located but the following spring moved to their own farm which was located three miles north and one mile west of Rock Valley. In 1904 the family moved to town.
For a couple of years he worked in the gravel business for Wilson, who operated a dray line here at that time, but in 1906 branched out for himself in the sand and gravel business. In those days the heavy stuff was all handled and loaded by shovel method but in 1917 the business had grown to such an extent that be added a conveyor belt, scraping the gravel onto the belt with a team. In 1920 when he was awarded contracts for supplying part of the gravel for the Hull-Perkins paving and the Sheldon-Hartley paving on highway 18 he installed a steam shovel at the gravel pit. Mr. Hayden retired from business in 1922.
The couple had the misfortune to lose six children in infancy and their son, James, died Jan 9, 1916. The wife and mother died Dec 19, 1928. Earle Hayden of Rock Valley is the only surviving member of the family.
He is also survived by one brother, James Hayden, of DeSmet, S.D. who attended the funeral services, and by two sisters, Minnie Hayden and Mrs. Morgan Maharty both of San Jose, Calif.
Funeral services for the highly respected pioneer were held on Tuesday morning at St.Mary's Catholic church with Rev. Father David McGoey officiating. Pallbearers were the Messrs. Henry Kaskie, E.R. Scanlan, Pat. Rielly, J.H. Kearns, Martin Cullinan and Frank O'Meara. Interment was at St. Mary's cemetery here.
Rock Valley Bee - Sep 17, 1943
