Episcopal Church founder had a hand in shaping San Luis Obispo County
I enjoyed Dan Krieger’s article on “Shaping SLO County,” (Sept. 11).
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in San Luis Obispo will be celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2017. Our research found others who could be added to Dan’s list. One, W.W. Hays, M.D., is considered to be the founder of our church. Dr. Hays was the first Anglo doctor in San Luis Obispo in 1865. He and his wife hosted the first Protestant Sunday School. This led to Dr. Hays asking Bishop William Ingraham Kip to give canonical consent for St. Stephen’s in 1867. This accomplished, Dr. Hays bought the church site for $10 in gold and the church was built for $3,000.
Dr. Hays was known as a doctor who answered every call. If you could pay for his services, you did, if not, you were given a note on his bill stating: “charge to the Treasury of Heaven.”
He shared his extensive library. He telegraphed weather data to the Smithsonian. He developed a system to bring clean drinking water into SLO. He created the SLO General Hospital in 1883. He was the county coroner, and a member of the Board of Health and California Academy of Science. He felt a need and answered the call.
Lynn Hollister, San Luis Obispo
This story was originally published October 29, 2016 at 7:34 PM with the headline "Episcopal Church founder had a hand in shaping San Luis Obispo County."