Jemima YORK age sixteen married Edmond HAYS IV age eighteen on 06 Mar 1778 in Randolph County, North Carolina. Edmond HAYS IV was a Revolutionary War veteran. He fought at the Battle of Cowpens on January 17, 1781 in Cherokee County, near Chesnee, South Carolina among other duties. The fierce Battle of Cowpens was a tactical and decisive American victory over the British.

This family lived in the Sandy Creek Settlement and raised a large family in Randolph County, North Carolina. Most likely they were members of the Sandy Creek Baptist Church where they are buried in the church cemetery. Some unknown tragedy struck down Jemima YORK at age 50 in 1812. The "Gemmie" HAYS tombstone was originally in Row 5 (stone missing in 1997 or earlier) according to Randolph County Cemetery Records Volume IV, page 133. I recall seeing her tombstone about 25 years ago (1991) in Row 5, plot 9, then later temporarily moved out of the way into row 12, plot 4. Because it had fallen over and was deteriorating, the old soapstone was most likely removed by the caretaker for convenience of his mowing of the cemetery. On 16 April 2016 a dedication was conducted to install a new memorial footstone as donated by descendant Roger Hayes and his family from Durham, North Carolina. Approximately 40 cousins were in attendance at the ceremony.

A new memorial tombstone was placed on her grave site on 16 April 2016 with a great number of friends and family members present. Roger Hayes of Durham remembers his parents taking him repeatedly to visit her grave when he was a boy in the 1950's. His family said the rocks beyond her grave were members of her York family.

The eleven children of Jemima YORK, daughter of Henry YORK and his wife Eve Dorthy WEIR and Edmond HAYS IV, son of Edmond HAYS III and his wife Martha HERRING are:

1. Elizabeth HAYS, b. 1780 NC; d. 1845 IN
2. Dorcas HAYS, b. 1783 NC; d. 1870 NC
3. Elias HAYS, b. 1785 NC; d. 1819 NC
4. John HAYS, b. 30 Mar 1785 NC; d. 08 Mar 1879 TN
5. Sarah HAYS, b. 27 Dec 1787 NC; d. 27 Dec 1787 IN
6. Jemima HAYS, b 1789 NC; d. 1845
7. Zilpha HAYS, b. 25 Feb 1791 NC; d.
8. Mary HAYS, b. 14 Jul 1794 NC
9. Martha HAYS, b. 20 Oct 1796 NC
10. Sarah HAYS, b. 20 Apr 1799 NC
11. Phebe HAYS, b. 19 Oct 1802 NC

Edmond HAYS IV is believed to have a brother James HAYS, Sr. that lived in Guilford County, North Carolina per the 1790 & 1800 U. S. Census. James Hays had two sons who are nephews to Edmund lived in Randolph County. They are:

1. James HAYS, Jr. b. 8 Jun 1778 NC; d. 08 Jun 1860 NC
2. William Henry HAYS, b. 1784; d. 1860 NC