Allegiance United States | Rank Colonel | |
Born August 14, 1745
Kingston, Jamaica ( 1745-08-14 ) Died 18 April 1785, New York City, New York, United States | ||
Ann Hawkes Hay (August 14, 1745 – April 18, 1785) was an American officer during the American Revolutionary War. He was born on August 14, 1745 in Kingston, Jamaica, the only child of Michael Hay from Edinburgh, Scotland and Esther Wilkins. He was named after his great aunt, Ann Mister, sister of Martin Wilkes, father of his mother.
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Military service
Hay was a colonel in the 2nd regiment of the Orange County, New York militia and observed enemy operations in the Haverstraw Bay of the Hudson River. On July 25, 1776, he reported to General George Washington about the actions of the HMS Phoenix and HMS Rose in the bay. Another example was on March 23, 1777, when he reported about enemy operations against Peekskill, New York. Later, in the fall of 1777, his house and farm buildings in Haverstraw, New York were burned down by British raiders. From July 15 to July 18, 1778, Hay's temporary residence, that of his brother-in-law William Smith in what is now West Haverstraw, served as headquarters for Washington. His farm was raided again in the summer of 1779 by the British.
Private life
Hay went with Issac Wilkins to study at King's College (now Columbia University). On October 5, 1763, he married Martha Smith (June 18, 1745 – March 30, 1821), daughter of Judge William Smith of Haverstraw and then returned to Kingston. After several unsuccessful attempts to start a family, the couple returned to Haverstraw and purchased approximately 200 acres of land near the Minisceongo Creek in December 1773. They subsequently had nine children.
He died on April 18, 1785 in New York City. Afterwards, his widow and most of the children moved to South Carolina.