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Richard and Brenda Cantrell as Mr. and Mrs. John
Coffee Hays
John Coffee Hays was a Texas Ranger extradanaire! A small frame man not
imposing
but a leader of men there was none better. The Rangers in the 1830's
and 1840's would follow this man into hell if so asked. He was a defender
of the frontier of Texas after the Texas Revolution between 1836-1845.
He was born in 1817 in Tennessee and by the age of 15 had moved
to Mississippi and began learning surveying on his own after his parents
had died. Came to Texas in 1836 where he joined a ranging company under Erastus
(Deaf) Smith. After taking part in skirmish that captured outlaw
Juan Sanchez, he was appointed deputy surveyor of Bexar District. In 1840
he was appointed a captain of his own Ranger company. He proved himself
to be a fearless fighter and a good leader of men. Learned to fight and
teach the Rangers how to fight like the Comanches. Hayes
called "Captain Jack" by his men and "Devil Jack" by the
Indians gained further respect as a
fighter during the Mexican War. The First Regiment,
Texas Mounted Riflemen, under the command of Colonel Jack Hays, served with the
army of Zachary Taylor. Hay's men scouted for the army and took
part in the battle of Monterrey in 1846. The next year, another
regiment under Hays helped to keep the communication and supply lines
open between Veracruz and Mexico City for the troops under Winfield Scott.
After the Mexican War, Hays left Texas,
following the gold rush to California in
1849. He was elected as Sheriff of San Francisco in 1850. In 1853
he was appointed U. S. Surveyor General for California. He was one of the
developers of Oakland, and held interests in land, banking and utilities.
In 1876, Hays was a delegate to the Democratic national convention.
Hays died 21 April 1883 and was interred in
the Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland,
California.
Mr. Richard
Cantrell portrays John Coffee Hays as well as David Crockett.
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