TWENTY-NINTH ANNUAL MEETING. AS 
IN MEMORIAM. 
ROBERT HAY. 
By A. H. THompson, Topeka. 
Robert Hay was born May 19, 1835, at Ashton-under-Lynn, in Lancashire, 
England, and died December 14, 1895, at Junction City, Kan. 
He came of Scottish ancestry, and acquired his primary education in private 
schools in his native town, completing it in the College of London, where he pur- 
sued a special scientific course under Professor Huxley, and took honors. 
Through reading the Junction City Union, and then as correspondent, he 
left England and came to Kansas in 1871, and settled on a farm in Geary county. 
He taught school for ten years and was engaged in normal-institute work from 
its inception in the state. He first taught at Ogden, Kan., as principal, and as 
principal also at Holton and Chetopa, Kan. 
Although the first years of his manhood were devoted to teaching, he early 
became interested in geology, which he later made his life-work. Even before 
leaving England he familiarized himself with the geology of his own and adjacent 
counties during his long vacation walks. 
After removing to Kansas, he gradually acquired a local knowledge of the 
geology of Kansas, and asa field geologist he traveled for three years over Kan- 
sas. It was said that there was hardly a township in Kansas that he had not 
visited. He was connected with the State Board of Agriculture as its geologist, 
and did much valuable work for the board, which is embodied in his articles 
published in the reports. His work was practical, and tended toward the devel- 
opment of the natural resources of the state, in which he was always interested. 
In 1883 he was employed by the United States Geological Survey in the south- 
western part of Kansas, and afterward for years on special commissions for the 
survey. In 1890 he was made geologist in charge of the artesian investigation of 
the great plains region conducted by the Department of Agriculture. A large and 
valuable report resulted from these labors. During the last year of his life he 
was employed to write a special report on the underground waters of western 
Kansas for the United States Geological Survey. 
He enjoyed a wide reputation for accomplishments and ability; and the 
honesty and modesty of the man gave his opinions great weight. They were 
highly valued by government officials as well as by other scientific men who 
knew his real worth. He was one of the foremost of that noble band of patriot 
naturalists who have done so much for the investigation and description of the 
scientific resources of Kansas. He followed close in the footsteps of the first and 
greatest of that band, Professor Mudge; and he resembled that noble pioneer in 
many ways. The quantity and quality of his geological observations are ample 
evidence of the industry and perseverance of Professor Hay, often through diffi- 
culty and discouragement, with inadequate compensation, which all testify to 
his love and devotion to his special work. 
His literary work was very extensive. He early showed his literary tenden- 
cies by writing a volume of sketches of his native region in Lancashire before 
leaving England. He was a voluminous contributor to Kansas newspapers, not 
on geology only, but on Kansas history and other matters as well. It was while 
