John F. Hayes
John F. Hayes was a Canadian writer and businessman born on August 5, 1904, in Dryden, Ontario. He began his career as a staff writer for various publishing houses and General Motors of Canada before leading the creative department at Brigdens, a prominent graphic arts firm. In 1940, he transitioned to Southam Press Ltd. in Toronto, where he eventually became managing director before retiring in 1961 due to health issues. Hayes is best known for his contributions to children's historical fiction, with his first books, "Buckskin Colonist" and "Treason at York," published in 1949. He wrote extensively about Canadian history, emphasizing clarity and accuracy through diligent research, although some critiques note that his narratives sometimes simplify complex events. His notable works include "A Land Divided," which addresses the removal of the Acadians, and "Rebels Ride at Night," focusing on the 1837 Mackenzie Rebellion. Hayes's literature gained recognition both in Canada and internationally, and he also created radio plays aimed at young audiences. He passed away in November 1980, leaving a legacy of engaging historical narratives for children.
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John F. Hayes
Writer
- Born: August 5, 1904
- Birthplace: Dryden, Ontario, Canada
- Died: November 1, 1980
Biography
John Francis Hayes was born on August 5, 1904, in Dryden, Ontario, Canada. His father was John George Hayes, a merchant, and his mother was Jeannette Houck Hayes, a homemaker. Hayes attended local schools, and was a part-time student at the University of Toronto for twelve years. Hayes married Helen Eleen Casselman Hayes in 1927, and the couple had three children, John, William and Nancy.
For most of Hayes’s career, he was a writer and a businessman. From 1925 to 1930, he was a staff writer for publishing houses and for General Motors of Canada, before becoming head of the creative department of Brigdens, a major graphic arts firm. He joined Southam Press Ltd. in Toronto in 1940 as a sales manager, and retired from that company because of poor health in 1961 with the title of managing director.
More than a decade before his retirement, Hayes had begun another career as a writer of children’s historical fiction, tracing Canadian history from the settlement of Newfoundland in 1676 through the nineteenth century. His first two books, Buckskin Colonist and Treason at York, both appeared in 1949, and were followed by over a dozen more. Hayes also wrote radio plays specifically for school children. In his retirement from business, Hayes continued to write, producing five more books in the 1960’s. He also published books and a radio series about industrial topics, including accounting and printing. He died in November, 1980.
Hayes’s books are recognized for their clarity and accuracy, achieved through rigorous research. His stories, while exciting for children, are sometimes faulted for glossing over tragedy and complexity. A Land Divided (1951), about the removal of the Acadians, and Rebels Ride at Night (1953), about the 1837 Mackenzie Rebellion in Toronto, were cited by Canada’s Governor General as best juvenile books of the year. Several were published in the United States, England and Germany, and were dramatized for students on Canadian radio and television.