"MR. JOSEPH HAYNES [sic Hanes]. The subject of the following notice, Mr. Joseph Haynes (sic Hanes), was born in the township of Flamboro [sic Flamborough West] in the year 1813. In his early life he resided with Mr. Betzner, of West Flamboro [Village], and from him we learn that he was truly converted to God at the age of eighteen, and united with the Canadian Wesleyan Church at Copetown, at the time that the late Elder Jackson itinerated the Ancaster Circuit.
On the 5th of November 1835, he was united to Miss. Elizabeth Cummins (sister to the late John Cummins, Esq. of East Flamboro), in whom he found a faithful and affectionate wife, and one in every respect worthy of his choice. As a professing christian, he very liberally contributed of his means to the support of the gospel and was kind and obliging to the preachers of the Connexion, and at his hospitable residence they always found a hearty welcome and comfortable home as numbers of them can testify. In his views on church government he was liberal and especially was he an unwavering adherent to the principles which distinguish and govern the Canadian Wesleyan Methodist New Connexion Church.
Some time ago when the matter was talked over among the friends an the Ancaster Circuit about building a church in the flourishing town of Dundas, he was one of the first to come forward and subscribe to so desirable an object; and although a church has not been built, yet through his efforts principally an elegant lot of land for this purpose was purchased, and for which he became personally responsible for payment. The deed, securing this lot of land to the Connexion was sent by Mr. Haynes some time ago to the Superintendent of the New Connexion Mission in Canada, and in whose possession, it is presumed, it is still held.
We were not much acquainted with our departed friend, as our time on the Flamboro Circuit, previous to his death, was very short; still every time we preached in the "Cummins' Chapel," we saw him there, and generally he remained at the class-meeting.
On the sabbath before his death we thought that we never heard him speak more feelingly and fervently than he did on that occasion- and we little thought then, and doubtless he little thought, that his end was so nigh at hand, but so it was.
On the Thursday morning following, the 25th of last September, he went to the city of Hamilton, having first made arrangements with his wife to leave home [the next day for the] Nelson Camp-meeting; but returning [after?] dark in the evening, along the line of the Great Western Railway, in a moment he was ushered out of time into eternity by one of the trains running over him and killing him on the spot. Truly,
"God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform-
He plants his footsteps on the sea,
And rides upon the storm.
Deep in the unfathomable mines,
Of never failing skill-
He treasures up his bright designs,
And works his sovereign will."
What a shock to his wife and family, when in the dead hour of night, intelligence came of his unfortunate and melancholy death! It was so to the writer, when, before breakfast the next morning, we were sent for by his bereaved companion. We hastened with all speed to the house to which we had been before, but under different circumstances, and found a bereaved wife and only daughter buried in grief and sadness, and at once realized that we were in the house of mourning. But when, all alone, we entered the room where lay the mangled remains of our departed friend- and as we gazed upon those features, on which but a short time before we had gazed as they glowed with the rose tints of heath, but which now we could scarcely recognize, we involuntarily heaved a deep and heavy sigh, and at once felt that we were in the chamber of death.
On the morning of the 27th his remains were followed to Millgrove Chapel by a large concourse of people, among whom were the Revs. [sic] J. Hill, from Ancaster, and Rev. J. Brennan, from Hamilton, both of whom took a part in the service. A discourse was delivered by the writer from 1st Corinthians, 7th chapter, and 29th and two following verses:-
"But this I say, brethren, the time is short; it remaineth that both they that have wives, be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as not abusing it, for the fashion of this world passeth away."
After the services in the chapel, which were of the most solemn and impressive character, the funeral cortege moved to the burying ground adjoining the chapel, where the mortal remains of our departed friend were consigned to the cold grave to await the archangel's trump on the morning of the resurrection. May the blessings of heaven rest upon the bereaved family, and numbered with salvation's heirs, may they at last join the blood washed throng in glory in singing,
"Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb, for ever and ever." "Reader, Prepare to meet thy God." "In the midst of life we are in death and stand in jeopardy every hour." "Lo! on a narrow neck of land, 'Twixt two unbounded seas I stand Secure, insensible; A point of time, a moment's space, Removes me to that heavenly place, Or shuts me up in hell."
J. SHAW. Parsonage, East Flamboro, Dec. 16, '62."

This obituary was written by Reverend James Shaw and published in a newspaper published by the Canadian Wesleyan Methodist New Connexion Church. This was transcribed by W. Raymond Cummins in April 1992 from a newspaper clipping photocopied in the collection of Murray R. Cummins. It was apparently found in a family scrapbook which was in the special collection of the Hamilton Public Library. James Shaw had also written the obituary of Joseph Hanes' father-in-law, Daniel Cummins who died in 1853. This obituary is genealogically very important. It proves the relationship between John Cummins of East Flamboro', Waterdown & Cumminsville and to his father, Daniel Cummins, of Rock Chapel.