Decoration 2010 - Hays Cemetery

Every year on the 1st Sunday in May we make the drive to Hayden, AL to the Hays Cemetery to visit all the gravesites of Clan Hay members come and gone. It's a great tradition that I wish more families would take time to do. Of course I don't know very many families that have SO many generations buried in one place.

The first generation of the Hay Clan to come to America was Stanwick Hays. He was born in Scotland in 1786, but I am not sure about the year he landed in South Carolina. I think it was the early 1800s. Anywho...he ended up in Hayden, AL with about 1800 arces. Slowly it was sold off or given to family members. He died in 1878 and was buried (with the traditional rock burial like in Braveheart) in Hayden.

My husband is the 7th generation from Stanwick and all previous generations are buried right there in one cemetery. You can start from the top of the hill were my in-laws have plots and trace the line back down the hill to Stanwick.

Papa Perry and Mimi standing by their headstone. They wanted to

make sure everything was taken care of so the kids wouldn't have to 

worry with it! Look closely, PapaPerry is actually pointing to

were he's gonna go!

Here's our whole crew for the day. From L to R.

Drew, Laura, Mimi, Miss Priss, PapaPerry, Papaw, Aunt Eloise,

David, D, Little Bit, Me and Cindy.

The gentleman that took our picture wasn't worried

about getting it centered!!

That's okay, at least he got all of us in the picture right!?!

PapaPerry and his little sister Eloise. Her son David drove

her down for the weekend from Saluda, North Carolina.

And we are all so glad they were able to make it.

PapaPerry looking around the old gravesites.

Little Bit actually posing for the camera.

Can you believe she got out of the car and said

"Okay Mommy, I'm ready for pictures!"

(Did you see the easter pics??)

Miss Priss and Little Bit in their new dresses Mommy made!

Aren't they so cute!

Had to get a picture of the back of the dresses too.

More posing. You can get a pretty good idea of their little

personalities from this picture.

Little Bit, Drew and Miss Priss posing so they could

get down and RUN!!!

Time to leave. Laura taking all th kids back to the car.

Thankfully the rain held off and we were able to walk around the cemetery for a while. Unfortunately P was not able to come with us this year because of Guard. I hate when that happens.

After looking around we always go to Top Hat BBQ to eat. As usual the food was great and everyone enjoyed sitting around just talking. We'll be back again next year!