There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
Hellraisers Journal, Sunday May 26, 1907
New York Songwriter Pens Lyrics for “Undesirable Citizen” Meeting
“WILL THEY HANG PAPA?”
LABOR’S LATEST DITTY
—–
Little Daughter of W. D. Haywood Asks
Pathetic Question of Reporter.
—–
Query Becomes Inspiration for Song
and Lyric Tunes It Into Music.
—–
“Are they going to hang father?” thus a reporter for an eastern paper was questioned when visiting the home of W. D. Haywood for the purpose of making a study of the domestic life of the imprisoned official of the Western Federation of Miners. The question was asked by the little daughter of Mr. Haywood, and the cheeks of the poor girl were wetted by tears as she pathetically looked into the eyes of her visitor.
The great papers which give much space to the prosecution’s side of the greatest conspiracy of modern times, have not much to spare to inform the public of the touching appeals of Haywood’s children, so firmly convinced of their father’s innocence.
When Owen Spendthrift, the New York song writer, read the story of the reporter’s visit to the Haywood home, he was impressed with the query of the little girl, and he tuned his lyric for a big “Undesirable Citizen” meeting to be held in New York on the following Sunday. This is his song:
[Photograph of Henrietta Haywood added.]
From the Appeal to Reason of December 15, 1906:
SOURCE
The Labor World
(Duluth, Minnesota)
-May 18, 1907
(Also source for image of lyrics.)
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn78000395/1907-05-18/ed-1/seq-4/
IMAGES
HMP, Henrietta Haywood, Boise, Wilkes-Barre Leader, May 10, 1907
https://www.newspapers.com/image/116462796/
HMP, Henrietta by Twining, AtR, Dec 15, 1906
https://www.newspapers.com/image/67586773/
See also:
Hellraisers Journal, Thursday December 20, 1906
From the Appeal to Reason: The Cry of Big Bill’s Little Daughter
Little Henrietta Haywood asks, “Will They Hang My Papa?”-by Luella Twining
Hellraisers Journal, Monday February 18, 1907
From the Appeal to Reason, A Song for Henrietta Haywood
Note: “Will Papa Die?” by Col. Dick Maple was also based on the story of Henrietta and the reporter who visited the Haywood family in Denver.
“Will Papa Die?” -Song for Henrietta Haywood
For more on the birthdate of Henrietta and Vernie Haywood:
According to the following bio of Big Bill from the Appeal to Reason of Sept 22, 1906, Vernie turned 16 in November of 1906 and Henrietta turned 9 in June of 1906.
Note: This bio does not mention the baby boy, stillborn soon after the marriage of Big Bill and Nevada Jane. Big Bill tells the story briefly in his Autobiography: “While at the Brooklyn mine, I sent to Nevada for my sweetheart, Nevada Jane Minor. We were married and went to live in Salt Lake City, where our first child was born, a boy who died at birth.”
Hellraisers Journal, Saturday September 22, 1906
From the Appeal to Reason: Bill Haywood, A Man of the Masses
Biography of William D. Haywood, Socialist Candidate for Governor of Colorado
Tag: Henrietta Haywood
https://weneverforget.org/tag/henrietta-haywood/
According to posting at My Heritage:
Henrietta Ruth Haywood Westlund was born in 1897 in Idaho to William D and Jane Nevada Haywood. She had a sister, Vernie Florence. She married Charles Andrew Westlund in 1921 and had one daughter, Janet Dorothy Westlund. She died in Nevada in 1922.
No sources given, more research needed.
(Scroll down almost to bottom.)
https://www.myheritage.com/names/henrietta_haywood
According to posting at Genealogy:
“Nevada Jane Minor d 1/22/1920”
No sources given, more research needed.
http://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/minor/1864/
Nevada Jane was born Oct 20, 1868 and died Jan 22, 1920. Her parents were William Henry Minor and Philomena Melissa Faylor.
Vernie Haywood was born in Nevada during Nov of 1890.
This poster, Dawn Knight, found no marriage record nor record of children born to Vernie.
Henrietta Ruth Haywood was born in Silver City, Idaho, on June 28, 1897. She married Charles Andrew Westlund in Elko, Nevada, June 29, 1921 She gave birth to a daughter, Janet Dorothy Westlund on July 24, 1922. The baby died Aug 28, 1922. Henrietta died Oct 15, 1922 in Lamoille, Nevada.
Find a Grave
This is most likely the grave marker for Nevada Jane:
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=haywood&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=35&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=91418204&df=all&
Falor.com provides a bit more info,
(only solid source, however, is 1900 census):
Big Bill Haywood
http://www.falor.com/ss/p127.asp#i1823
Nevada Jane Haywood
http://www.falor.com/ss/p163.asp#i1822
Vernie Haywood
http://www.falor.com/ss/p127.asp#i1824
Henrietta Haywood
http://www.falor.com/ss/p126.asp#i1825
This is a family tree that begins (for us) with Nevada Jane’s mother,
Philoma Melissa Faylor:
http://www.falor.com/ss/p107.asp#i1697
Are They Going to Hang My Papa?
Performed by John Larsen and Michelle Groves
Lyrics by Owen Spendthrift, 1907
http://steunenberg.blogspot.com/2009_08_01_archive.html