The correspondence of Upton and Margaret Jane Watts Hays of Westport, Jackson Co., MO, 1849-1872, is online at www.wattshaysletters.com.
Col. Upton Hays, (1832-1862,) born in Callaway Co., MO grew up on the famly farm near Westport. His father Boone Hays had bought the property from his uncle Morgan Boone. He was a wagonmaster and farmer. He married Margaret Watts in 1852. In 1861 he joined the MO State Guards and in 1862 formed a Jackson Co. Regiment becoming Colonel of the 2nd MO Cavalry, CSA. Margaret wrote most of the 85 letters in the online collection to her mother in California. Many Jackson and Cass Co. people are mentioned and there are People Indexes for each letter section.