John Coffee “Jack” Hays, The Wild West Lawman Who Became The First Sheriff Of San Francisco
Alpha Stock/Alamy Stock PhotoJohn Coffee “Jack” Hays was a respected Texas Ranger and Mexican War officer.
John Coffee “Jack” Hays was a prototypical Texas Ranger renowned for his leadership who eventually became the first sheriff of San Francisco.
He was born on Jan. 28, 1817, in Little Cedar Lick, Wilson County, Tennessee, the son of Harmon and Elizabeth Hays.
Military service, it seemed, was in John’s blood. According to the Texas State Historical Association, Harmon Hays had fought with Andrew Jackson and Sam Houston during the War of 1812, and that same fighting spirit would eventually carry over to his son.
In 1836, at age 19, John Coffee Hays made his way to Texas, drawn by the new opportunities that awaited him there. He eventually enlisted with a company of rangers under the command of Erastus “Deaf” Smith, participating in multiple skirmishes against Mexican forces and Native American tribes. Before long, Hays had risen to the rank of captain and then major and then took charge of his own company of Texas Rangers.
Heritage Image Partnership Ltd/Alamy Stock PhotoJohn Coffee Hays, pictured sometime between 1870 and 1880.
Hays and his rangers were instrumental in several key engagements, including the Battle of Plum Creek in 1840 where they confronted a large Comanche war party. Eventually, Hays proved himself to be particularly skilled with the newly introduced Colt Paterson revolver.
During the Mexican-American War, Hays commanded the First Regiment, Texas Mounted Riflemen as a colonel, and once again, his regiment played a critical role in several battles, including the Battle of Monterrey.
Following his military service, Hays moved to California. In 1850, he was elected as the first sheriff of San Francisco, where he worked to establish law and order in a rapidly growing city. He also helped to found the city of Oakland and ran several successful businesses in his later years, in addition to maintaining prominence in Democratic politics.
John Coffee Hays died on April 21, 1883 at the age of 66. Hays County in Texas was subsequently named in his honor.
