Jeremiah Joseph Hayes was born on September 5, 1889, in Bedford, New Hampshire, to John J. Hayes and Jane Bridget (Kelty) Hayes. Though his father was born in England, both of Jeremiah’s parents were ethnically Irish. Like many Irish families of the era, the Hayes family had been forced to live in England temporarily before they could emigrate to the United States. That journey, common among Irish Catholic families fleeing poverty and persecution, made Jeremiah part of a proud lineage—100% Irish, as was his wife and his children after him.

Jeremiah spent nearly his entire early life in Manchester, New Hampshire, one of the most important industrial cities in New England at the turn of the 20th century. The family lived at 35 Front Street, in the Amoskeag section of the city—a less developed, working-class neighborhood made up of dirt roads and modest homes. Manchester at the time was a city of factories, most notably the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company, then one of the largest textile mills in the world. Just behind the Hayes home, on the banks of the Merrimack River, stood the P.C. Cheney Paper Mill, a symbol of the labor that powered the city and, ultimately, a place of tragedy for the Hayes family.

Jeremiah was raised in a tight-knit household alongside his younger sister, Jennie. His father, John, worked hard to support the family, but on May 7, 1906, when Jeremiah was just 16 years old, tragedy struck. John Hayes died of a stroke at the paper mill, leaving behind a wife and two teenage children. The loss forced Jeremiah to grow up quickly. By the time of the 1910 census, at age 20, he was working full-time in the hosiery industry, boarding at a local mill and helping support his mother and sister.

On June 24, 1918, Jeremiah married Margaret Mary Sheehan, also the child of Irish immigrants. Their marriage solidified a legacy of pure Irish Catholic heritage, and together they created a home at 35 Front Street, living alongside Jeremiah’s mother and sister. He worked as a mill overseer during those years, a respected position that required both skill and reliability.

Heartbreak followed early in their marriage when their first child, Margaret, was born and died on May 27, 1920. The loss was profound. Still, Jeremiah and Margaret pressed forward. Their son, John Joseph Hayes, was born on January 2, 1922, followed by their daughter, Andrea Marie Hayes, on June 12, 1926.

In the early 1920s, Jeremiah ventured into small business, opening the J.J. Hayes Variety Store at 80 Front Street, just across the street from their home. The shop served the Amoskeag neighborhood—less trafficked than downtown Manchester—with groceries, goods, candy, and sundries. He operated the store for roughly eight or nine years. The store’s location today has been replaced by an interstate exit ramp (I-293, Exit 6), but during its time, it served as a valuable local resource and a testament to Jeremiah’s ambition and community spirit.

By 1929, the store was closed—likely a combination of economic pressure from the Great Depression and the growing needs of the family. Jeremiah returned to life on the road, now working as a traveling salesman, first for novelties, and later for a candle manufacturer.

By 1934, the Hayes family relocated to Woonsocket, Rhode Island, and settled at 239 Summer Street, a two-story house they eventually owned. That same year marked the beginning of his work for the Mack Miller Candle Company, based out of Newark, New Jersey and later Syracuse, New York. The company became his primary employer for over a decade.

Jeremiah’s work as a traveling candle salesman had him covering territory across New England. He worked long hours, logging 46-hour weeks even into his fifties, and earned a steady wage. He was listed in local directories and census records as a salesman—a role that brought in vital income but kept him away from home for long stretches.

In 1937, Jeremiah and Margaret again demonstrated their generosity and deep sense of responsibility when they took in their two nieces, Mary and Jane MacNeil, after the sudden death of Margaret’s sister. The girls were just 13 and 15, and their father had abandoned them. Jeremiah and Margaret raised them as part of the family through their teenage years. Though it undoubtedly added a financial and emotional burden, the couple never hesitated. Jeremiah even took on additional travel and sales routes to provide for the now-larger household.

In 1942, during World War II, Jeremiah registered for the draft at age 52. Though too old to serve, the draft card confirmed his continued work with the Mack Miller Candle Company. However, by 1944, Jeremiah began to show signs of Paralysis agitans, more commonly known today as Parkinson’s Disease. The progressive neurological disorder slowly robbed him of his mobility and eventually his ability to work. By 1945, he could no longer travel, and he was forced to give up his career.

The 1950 Census listed him as unemployed and disabled, though still living at 239 Summer Street with his wife Margaret and daughter Andrea. Despite his illness, Jeremiah remained surrounded by the family he had built and sustained over decades of effort and sacrifice.

Jeremiah Joseph Hayes died on November 27, 1951, at the age of 62, in Woonsocket. His death certificate listed his occupation as “salesman,” a simple but accurate title for a man whose life was defined by hard work, humility, and dedication to family. He was buried on November 30, 1951, at St. Charles Cemetery in East Blackstone, Massachusetts.

Legacy
Jeremiah Hayes was the embodiment of the working-class Irish-American story—hardship balanced by family, faith, and resilience. He lost his father at a young age, worked from boyhood through illness, built a business, supported a large extended family, and lived with quiet integrity. He was a man of 100% Irish blood, married to a 100% Irish woman, and passed that proud heritage to his children and grandchildren. Though he died long before some of his descendants were born, his story remains a testament to character, perseverance, and love.