By Brenna Burlile:
Lucy Webb Hayes was a woman who was unconventional for her time. She was well educated, including getting a college degree from a women’s college in Wooster, Ohio. Lucy had a kind, caring spirit that was seen throughout her life.
As a child Lucy Webb attended Miss Baskerville’s school for young ladies and children. One day a few German girls were playing on the playground. The teacher of the school had done her best to protect them, but could not on the playground. The other children made fun of their clothes and accents. Lucy saw this and led the girls off to play. Later on these German immigrants remembered how they cut and sewed tiny dresses with their friend.
Rutherford Hayes was wounded at the Battle of South Mountain in September of 1862. A few days after the battle Lucy, who was in Chillicothe, received a telegram from her husband that said “I am here, come to me. I shall not lose my arm.” The telegram had looked like it had come from Washington. Lucy caught a stagecoach to Columbus. William Platt - Rutherford’s brother-in-law met her and insisted on coming with her. Lucy forgot the passes that would allow them to enter the military area in Washington. So they pretended to be with another group to enter. When they finally made it, a week had passed since Rutherford was wounded.
Lucy was surprised when Rutherford was not at the Kirkwood House, where he told her he would be if he got wounded. She started visiting the hospitals in the area. Both personnel at the Patent Office which was a hospital and at the Surgeon General’s office could not help her. After a time William Platt found an original of the telegram that stated Middletown, not Washington as the place of origin.
They returned to the patent office hoping to find more information. Lucy noticed several soldiers with 23 on their caps and called out “Twenty third Ohio”. Several of the men recognized her and told her that Rutherford had been taken to a house on the main street of Middletown to recover.
The railroad could only take Lucy and William Platt to Fredrick, Maryland. When they arrived Lucy’s brother Joe was waiting for them. He was also part of the 23rd Ohio. Every day for a week he had ridden from Middletown to see if they came.
While Lucy waited for the men to get a carriage, she sat on the station steps. “With a bundle in my hand,” she said “looking very forlorn, when another rough looking man said to me ‘Haven’t you any place to stay tonight?’ I said ‘Yes I am going on.’” At that moment the buggy pulled up. Lucy, Joe, and Platt sat on the single seat.
On the way to Middletown, Lucy notices the horse moving around frequently and Joe constantly turning the buggy. Joe explained that the horse was avoiding dead horses in the road. When they finally reached Rutherford he joked “Well you thought you would visit Washington and Baltimore.” Lucy simply replied she was glad to see him.
Throughout the war Lucy visited soldiers from the 23rd Ohio in hospitals, and also did things for them while she was in camp. She listened to the men when they had grievances. Her sewing machine had been sent from Cincinnati; Lucy would sew and mend their uniforms. One time a soldier named James Parker expressed to other men that he did not know how to mend his shirt or sew pockets. His friends suggested that he take the shirt to the woman in the Colonel’s tent who sewed for the regiment. They were hoping to play a joke on him, since they knew it was the Colonel’s wife and he did not. Parker explained to Colonel Hayes what he wanted. Rutherford then asked Lucy to sew. When Parker came back later in the day, with the fresh garment, his friends decided the joke was on them.
On June 22, 1889 Lucy was sitting in their bedroom with Ella (a servant) sewing. Ella noticed that Lucy had trouble trying to thread a needle. She was sitting in the large low chair that stands near the southeast window. She did not fall out of it, but sank back and seemed to realize what had happened. Fanny and Miss Haynes, and Miss Lucy Keeler were playing tennis just outside of the room, and were called in. Sophie Fletcher, the cook, came also. Lucy Keeler drove rapidly for Dr. Rice and he was soon present. He spoke with her. She was conscious but not able to speak. She was still in the chair. He had her placed in the bed. When Laura and I reached her bedside, she seemed to know us.
On June 23rd and 24th Lucy continued to slip away. On June 24th/25th, 1889 Rutherford recorded “It is past midnight- almost one o’clock. We do not expect Lucy to see the light of another day. All of our children are waiting for the inevitable close. With us our dear your friends- our darling daughter Mary, wife of Birchard and our cousin and much loved adopted neice has come from Mississippi to be with us, Adda Cook Huntington. The doctors too, Dr. John B. Rice and Dr. Hillbrish. And Lucy herself is so sweet and lovely, as she lies unconsciously breathing away her precious life that I feel a strange gratitude and happiness as I meditate on all the circumstances of this solemn transition we are waiting for. She has been wonderfully fortunate and wonderfully honored. Without pain without the usual suffering, she has been permitted to come to the gates of the great change which leads to the life where pain and suffering are unknown.
June 25, Tuesday (Rutherford continued) Lucy died without pain this morning at 6:30. All were present. I held her hand and gazed upon her fine face to the last; when, kissing her good-bye as she left the earth I joined the dear daughter and the other children in walking on the porch in the bracing air of the lovely morning. She was free from bigotry, never uncharitable, not “aggressive” on behalf of her opinions. She would never disparage anyone from whom she differed, but always spoke kindly of all who with good motives tried to promote a good cause by legitimate means. For example, she did not agree with the third party prohibitionists. She was firm in the conviction that in the large cities, in the present state of public sentiment it was a serious mistake; that high license and wise regulations was to be preferred, but she retained the fullest respect and the warmest regard for Miss [Frances E.] Willard and for others who conscientiously differed from her.
Lucy Hayes’ spirit about life would get passed on to her children, and carried on by those around her. Her daughter Fanny, would write letters home while away at school asking about everyone including the servants. Lucy was an unconventional person for her time.
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