Hays II, Raphael, Papers of
Raphael S. Hays II Collection Inventory Draft
Name: The Papers of Raphael S. Hays II
Material: Various Papers/Manuscripts (1760– 1970)
Volume: 4 boxes labeled MG – 212: Box 1 through Box 4 containing 116 folders in total
Historical Note
Raphael A. Hays II was born on May 11, 1934, to the late Edward Gardner and Jeannette Burgyes Hays of Carlisle. He was the only child to Edward and Jeannette. Raphael A. Hays II graduated from the Carlisle High School, received his bachelor’s degree at Dickinson College, and his master’s degree at Rutgers University. He went on to be President and Chairman of the Board of Frog, Switch & Manufacturing in Carlisle, PA. In his later years, he taught various courses at the Gill St. Bernard’s School forming the early part of this collection. Rooted in the local histories of prominent family names throughout the county, Raphael S. Hays II complied his collection in line with certain former citizens and their families, including the Stuarts, Hamiltons, Smeads, Beetems, and more. Only select works were in line with his own family name. With his expertise in historical research, he received the Milton E. Flower Historian of the Year Award from the Cumberland County Historical Society in 1995 for his excellent work on the collection and work during his teaching years. He passed away on January 10, 2018, at the age of 83, leaving behind his wife Janice Corfield Hays, his son Edward Gardner Hays II and additional family survivors. All relatives’ names are documented in his obituary, which is provided within box 1 of this collection. A family tree is provided as well, tracing back to earliest family ancestors.
Collection Description
The Papers of Raphael S. Hays II Collection comprises of various papers, receipts, letters of correspondence, estate deeds, postcards, photographs, bonds and warrants, yearbooks, and maps that relate to both the Hays family and other prominent historical family names within Cumberland County. The collection is contained in 4 large boxes, each holding various folders of documents, totaling in 116 folders. Each box belongs to subgroups that relate to a generalized form of document, whether it is miscellaneous or specific. These can range from estate documents to letters of correspondence as some examples. Additionally, there are several original, handwritten correspondence within the collection, many of which come with a transcript for ease of reading. Those with a transcript attached are labeled as such within the finding aid. Certain items may need additional research for proper labeling of dates, events, and people, as some documents have unrecognizable handwriting, which are labeled on the finding aid. Certain folders containing large quantities of items are in the larger boxes of the collection, however these specific folders are not separately labeled.