John Hayward was born 9 May 1787 at Windsor Road, Windsor Township, Hants Co., Nova Scotia, the son of a former British foot soldier who'd served in the 54th Regiment of Foot in America during the Revolution. As a young boy, John moved with his father to Hopewell Parish, Shepody, Albert Co. New Brunswick about 1798-1800. The year of his birth may have been 1781; the original record is reported as difficult to read. His tombstone shows 1781-1875. If the year was indeed 1781, then he was not likely born in Hants Co., NS, but somewhere in America as his father was stationed in the "Colonies" during this time, through 1783. However, his name follows that of his brother James in his father's will of 13 Feb 1808, likely indicative that he was younger than James. In that will, John received 1 of 4 shares of the residual of the estate, after bequeathments to Henry's younger children Sarah, Jonathan Copp, Catherine, Henry's 3rd wife Nancy and his eldest son, George.

John married about 1809, likely in Sussex Parish, Kings Co., to Margaret Sheck, daughter of New York Loyalist Christopher Sheck who served with the New Jersey Volunteers during the Revolution and Mary (Wager) Sheck, daughter of Allen Wager, also a Loyalist from NJ. He received a land grant of 310 acres in Hopewell Parish, Albert Co., NB 30 Oct. 1813, lot #4, first division, Demoiselle Creek/First Hopewell Cape. (Vol. G, pg. 692). He sold this land 15 March 1817 for 100 pounds to James Martin, Jr. (Moncton Land Registry Office, No. 2491) and it's believed he moved to Maine after this.

According to son Henry's obituary, John came in 1821 to Dennysville, Maine, then to Charlotte, ME in 1824 and later onto Wesley, Washington Co., ME. This information is generally confirmed by a Machias, ME deed, found at the courthouse in Book 15, pages 31 & 32, recorded 7 Sept. 1826, between John Hayward and Theodore Lincoln of Dennysville wherein John purchased 120 acres of land from Lincoln for $205 on 10 August 1824. Further, John "Haywood" first appears in US census records in 1830 in Charlotte, Washington Co., ME. He and his wife had 8 children living with them at that time; we have only accounted for 7: 2 males under 5; 1 male 5-10; 2 males 15-20, 1 male 20-30 and 1 male 40-50; 3 females, one 5-10; 1 female 15-20 (not known; may have married/died by 1840 census); and one female 40-50. Also in Washington Co. at this time was a Foster "Haywood," pg 208 Calais, but it's not believed he was related to John.

It's not known for certain where the family was living between 1817 and 1826. Because of this uncertainty, it's not definitely known where all the children were born. It is said by Fred Hayward, son of John Perlie Hayward, Jr., that John had a 'mania' for clearing land; that he he cleared land/farmed from the west shore of the Dennys River to the southeast corner of Cooper, Washington Co., ME. Elsewhere it's said that he cleared 5 farms in Wesley.

At the 1840 Maine census, John "Haywood" and family was living in Wesley, Washington Co. (pg. 125) with 2 males 10 under 15; 1 female 15 under 20 and John himself, 50 under 60 and wife Margaret 40 under 50. This is consistent with information known at this time, except as respects Margaret's age; she is believed to have been about the same age as her husband, but is shown as being younger here.

The vital records of Wesley, Washington Co, Maine list the family of John Hayward (wife's name not listed) - 5 children with birth dates. The existence of these birth dates in the vital records for the 5 eldest children does not necessarily mean that they were born in Maine; their births may have have been registered only to "ensure" them American citizenship. It is likely from the dates involved that most were born in New Brunswick, with the last two, Josiah and John E. having been born in Maine or New Brunswick

At the 1850 census, John was still living in Wesley, ME, shown as 69 yrs. of age. However, he was living with married son John, Jr. and his wife, Malinda, while his own wife, Margaret, was living with son Samuel Hayward elsewhere in Wesley. It is believed that they were estranged at this time. Margaret was listed as age 64, 5 years younger than John. John's occupation was described on son Henry's death certificate as "lumberman."

John seems to have been involved in a number of lawsuits, pert Washington Co., ME GenWeb Archives, Washington Co., Courts Indexes, 1839-1845. None of these have, as yet, been read:

John Hayward went West in the 1850's with sons John, Jr., Josiah and grandson Freeman and, according to family story, settled on a 1/4 section about 20 miles north of St. Cloud, MN. Fred Hayward states that Margaret had had enough of her husband's wanderlust and decided not to go with him and the others to MN. According to an account in "The History of Wesley, ME," 1996, about 100 people left Wesley for MN between 1847 and 1864. Many went to the area around St. Paul to lumber the great pine forests there. The trip to MN took about 11 days - by steamboat from Machias, ME to Boston; by rail from Boston to Albany; New York canal boat from Albany to Buffalo; steamboat from Buffalo to Toledo; rail from Toledo to Chicago; stage from Chicago to Galena, IL; steamboat from Galena to St. Paul.

Once they arrived, the Hayward's were allegedly "forced" from their homestead in an area called Sauck Rapids into the town of St. Cloud after being burned out by the Chippewas. This story is supported by an article in the "St. Cloud Times," 1972 regarding the upcoming demolition of the Grand Central House Hotel. It states: "Management of the hotel passed to the Josiah Haywards who had been driven off their farm lands near Sartell by repeated attacks of Sioux Indians." I located John Hayward living with son John, Jr. in St. Cloud, Stearns Co., MN at the 1860 census. He lists his age as 79 and his place of birth as New Brunswick. He stated that he was a widower, but we know that his wife did not die until 1872.

A document found in the Hayward file at the Stearns Co. Historical Society in July, 1996 records the assignment to John Hayward of 160 acres of land by Catharine Sherts, widow of William Sherts, a private in Captain Brady's Company, NY Militia, War of 1812. Bounty Land Warrant #82,107 was issued to Sherts and it appears that John Hayward purchased this land from her; the document is dated Washington, DC, 1 Aug.1861, but the local government land office records indicate the sale in September, 1860 (vol. 149, pg 494). The land is described as "the North half of the North East quarter of Section twenty nine, and the North West quarter of the North West quarter and the Lot numbered one, of Section twenty eight, in Township one hundred and twenty six North of Range twenty eight West, in the District of lands subject to sale at St. Cloud, Minnesota, containing once hundred and fifty five acres and fifty six hundredths of an acre." According to plat maps, this land was located in the area later known as Brockway Township. It is just north of the town of St. Cloud, along the Mississippi River.

John appears again in the 1870 census as "Johnson Hayward," age 93, born in Nova Scotia, still living with son John, Jr. and his wife. Since John, Jr. died in 1870 after the census, it's not known where John, Sr. lived until his death in St. Cloud, MN in 1875. He was buried at North Star Cemetery where son John, Jr. had been buried 5 years before. The "St. Cloud Times" of 23 June1875 described him as the oldest man in Minnesota at the time of his death at 97 (actually 88). It also states that he born in Maine at the time of Revolution. He was said to have been mentally sharp and retained use of all his faculties until his death; old age appears to have been the cause.