Joseph de Graft Hayford explained

Joseph de Graft Hayford
Birth Date:1840
Birth Place:London, England[1]
Death Place:London, England[2]
Occupation:Wesleyan Methodist minister
Spouse:Mary Ewuraba Brew
Children:Josiah Hayford, Isaac Hayford, Ibinijah Hayford, Ernest James Hayford, Joseph Ephraim Casely Hayford, Mark Christian Hayford, Hester Hayford, Helen Mary Hayford, and Sydney Spencer Hayford

Joseph de Graft Hayford (1840–1919) was a Ghanaian Wesleyan Methodist minister who was a prominent figure in Fante politics and society in the Gold Coast.[3] He was one of the founders of the Fante Confederation[4] of 1867 and one of the first political detainees in Ghanaian history.[5]

Background

De Graft Hayford was a supporter of the Methodist church planter Thomas Birch Freeman and when Freeman was forced to resign from his post in 1857, de Graft Hayford also left the church; he later returned and became a preacher for the denomination.[6]

He has been described as "one of the greatest politicians of his day, and the most active member of the Fanti Confederacy of 1867".[7] When the Confederacy was declared illegal, he was one of the four leaders to be arrested on a charge of conspiracy, the others being James Hutton Brew, James F. Amissah and George Kunto Blankson.[8]

Family

Of the Anona clan of Cape Coast, he was the son of Rev. James Hayford and Elizabeth de Graft.[9] He was the husband of Mary Awuraba Brew[10] (daughter of the prominent Gold Coast trader Samuel Collins Brew and Adjuah Esson) and his children were: Rev. Josiah Hayford, Isaac Hayford, Ibinijah Hayford, Rev. Dr Ernest James Hayford,[11] Rev. Mark Christian Hayford, [6] Rev. Mark Christian Hayford, Joseph Ephraim Casely Hayford,[12] [13] Hester Hayford, Helen Mary Hayford and Sydney Spencer Hayford; he was the brother of Rev. Isaac Hayford and Lucy Hayford.[14]

J. E. married Adelaide Casely-Hayford[15] [16] and the poet Gladys Casely-Hayford was Joseph's granddaughter.

His descendants continued to be leaders in law, politics and arts, and in 2008, the Casely-Hayfords were named as the most influential black family in the UK.[17]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rev. Joseph de Graft-Hayford. Geni.com. 16 November 2020.
  2. Web site: A Genealogical Study of Cape Coast Stool Families (PhD Thesis) . 209, note 23. Augustus Lavinus . Casely-Hayford. The School of Oriental and African Studies.
  3. Book: Stanley, Brian. The World Missionary Conference, Edinburgh 1910'. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. 2009. 98. 9780802863607.
  4. David U. Enweremadu, "Casely-Hayford, Joseph Ephraim", in Henry Louis Gates, Jr, Emmanuel K. Akyeampong, and Steven J. Niven (eds), Dictionary of African Biography, Oxford University Press USA, 2012, Vol. 2, p. 43.
  5. Book: Attoh Ahuma, Rev. S. R. B. . The Gold Coast Nation and National Consciousness. 1911. Second. Routledge. 1971. 5. 9781136971068.
  6. https://www.%3A%2F%2Fbrill.com%2Fpreviewpdf%2Fjournals%2Fjra%2F12%2F1%2Farticle-p20_3.xml&usg=AOvVaw38iJd5RN-rC3d_mBknMCFo&opi=89978449 Brill website
  7. News: Tribute to Dr Louis Casely-Hayford. Graphic Online. 14 December 2014.
  8. Tapan Prasad Biswal, Ghana, Political and Constitutional Developments, Ghana, Political and Constitutional Developments, New Delhi: Northern Book Centre, 1992, p. 21.
  9. https://www.geni.com/people/Elizabeth-de-Graft/6000000027774672897 Geni website, Elizabeth de Graft
  10. Brittany Rogers, "Joseph Ephraim Casely Hayford (1866-1930)", BlackPast, March 28, 2009.
  11. https://www.aaregistry.org/story/ernest-hayford-physician-born/ "Ernest Hayford, Physician, and Lawyer born"
  12. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780203417805-19/joseph-ephraim-casely-hayford-1866-1930 Taylor Francis website, Joseph Ephraim Casely Hayford
  13. https://aaregistry.org/story/joseph-e-hayford-born/ "Joseph E. Hayford, Editor, and Author born"
  14. https://www.geni.com/people/Rev-Joseph-de-Graft-Hayford/6000000030522687450 Geni website, Rev Joseph de Graft Hayford
  15. https://oxfordre.com/africanhistory/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780190277734.001.0001/acrefore-9780190277734-e-475 Oxford Research Encyclopedia website, African History section, Casely-Hayford, Adelaide and Gladys, article by LaRay Denzer
  16. Brittany Rogers, "Adelaide Smith Casely Hayford (1868-1960)", BlackPast, March 8, 2009.
  17. https://www.coventry.ac.uk/the-university/about-coventry-university/history/lord-plumb-appointed-as-chancellor/ Coventry University website, "Chancellors of Coventry University | 1996"

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