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Luther Hay

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Luther Hay

Birth	:	17 Aug 1896
Death	:	18 Oct 1918 Dickenson County, Virginia, USA
Burial	:	Hay Cemetery, Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate	:	37.1991997, -82.3139038
Description	:	The third of nine children born to Luther Hay's parents, Ambrose Wilson "Wils" Hay and wife, Elizabeth Counts Hay, of Haysi, Virginia. LUTHER AND SIBLINGS: Cleat Webster Hay Kerry Hay Luther Hay Alta Pearl Hay Sykes Lillie Myrtle Hay Sykes Oakley Homer Hay Willard Hay John Cecil Hay James Earl Hay Luther, enlisted or was drafted to serve in the U.S. Army during WWI. He died aboard the U.S.S. Tenadores during the Influenza Pandemic on October 18, 1918. He was not killed in battle as one military memorial indicates but of another battle that raged against... Read More	The third of nine children born to Luther Hay's parents, Ambrose Wilson "Wils" Hay and wife, Elizabeth Counts Hay, of Haysi, Virginia. LUTHER AND SIBLINGS: Cleat Webster Hay Kerry Hay Luther Hay Alta Pearl Hay Sykes Lillie Myrtle Hay Sykes Oakley Homer Hay Willard Hay John Cecil Hay James Earl Hay Luther, enlisted or was drafted to serve in the U.S. Army during WWI. He died aboard the U.S.S. Tenadores during the Influenza Pandemic on October 18, 1918. He was not killed in battle as one military memorial indicates but of another battle that raged against humanity: the influenza virus. During WWI, influenza killed people on both sides of the Atlantic. It killed the most robust members of society: aged 21-29, considered the most vulnerable to this particular strain of the virus. Luther was 22 when it felled him. In Europe, 70,000 American soldiers were sick with it. In some units, the flu killed 80% of the men. Troop ships were jammed like sardines and if someone had a respiratory disease, everyone was going to get it. When General John Pershing requested additional reinforcements, President Woodrow Wilson faced an agonizing decision: sending the soldiers on troop ships while influenza raged, would be signing thousands of death warrants. In New York, 850 people died in a single day. In one week during the month of October in Philadelphia, the death toll was 700 times higher than normal: 11,000 would die that month. So many people were dying that in one place called Potter's Field, they began to get steam shovels to dig trenches for mass graves, foregoing caskets altogether. In 31 days, the flu would kill over 195,000 Americans. A conservative estimate is that it killed over 550,000 Americans in just 10 months and at least 30 million worldwide. Luther Hay, was amongst those who was killed by influenza during the deadliest month: October 1918. Ironically, WW I ended on November 11, 1918, less than one month later. During an interview on November 9, 2017, with Hay descendant, John Hay, it was revealed that the military headstone for Luther was not promptly erected after his burial. A large number of years passed, some 12-20 years, possibly late 1930s/ early 1940s. John recalled his father saying that Luther's headstone was brought to Haysi on a train and unloaded on a horse-drawn wagon and brought up Back Bone Ridge.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Luther Hay's memorial?
Luther Hay's memorial is located at: Hay Cemetery, Haysi, Dickenson County, USA.
When did Luther Hay death?
Luther Hay death on 18 Oct 1918 in Dickenson County, Virginia, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Luther Hay's memorial?
Latitude: 37.1991997
Longitude: -82.3139038

Family Members:

Parent

Ambrose Wilson “Wilse” Hay

(1865 - 1936)

Elizabeth Counts Hay

(1869 - 1937)

Siblings

Clete Webster “Cleat” Hay

(1892 - 1978)

Kerry Hay

(1894 - 1925)

Oakley Homer “Oak” Hay

(1903 - 1984)

Willard Hay

(1905 - 1985)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Hay Cemetery
Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.1991997, -82.3139038

2. Gilbert Family Cemetery
Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.1917220, -82.3071630

3. Bartley Cemetery
Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.2063100, -82.3224600

4. Stuart B. Colley Cemetery
Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.2094000, -82.3066800

5. Sunderland Cemetery
Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.2094770, -82.3066670

6. Haysi Cemetery
Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.2094700, -82.3066500

7. Davis Cemetery
Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.2118988, -82.3122025

8. Barton Cemetery
Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.1975880, -82.2979870

9. Colley Family Cemetery
Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.1926970, -82.2986710

10. Willis Cemetery
Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.2158012, -82.3127975

11. Patton Willis Cemetery
Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.2161000, -82.3124000

12. Musick Cemetery
Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.2164001, -82.3169022

13. Bartley Cemetery
Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.2165560, -82.3168130

14. Coyle-Cumbo Cemetery
Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.2053800, -82.2909400

15. Owens-Tackett Cemetery
Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.2104350, -82.3342540

16. Owens Cemetery
Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.2188988, -82.3202972

17. Bartley Cemetery
Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.2191640, -82.3202950

18. Turner Cemetery
Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.1782200, -82.3028920

19. James Robert Turner Cemetery
Clinchco, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.1751710, -82.3211250

20. R.D. Viers Cemetery
Clinchco, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.1777620, -82.2960130

21. Almarine Owens Family Cemetery
Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.1940195, -82.3457967

22. Gilbert Family Cemetery
Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.2172890, -82.3399540

23. Coleman Cemetery
Haysi, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.2065980, -82.2801490

24. Turner Cemetery
Clinchco, Dickenson County, USA
Coordinate: 37.1722630, -82.3043490