Born in Hertfordshire
Born in Hertfordshire, England, into a period when Quakerism was rapidly spreading through the southern counties.
1657–1720 · Hertfordshire, England
Alice Hayes
Devotional autobiographer and faithful widow
“I leave this as a legacy to my children and to all who seek after truth.” — Alice Hayes
Life & Ministry
Spiritual Seeking and Convincement
After a period of intense spiritual searching among various religious groups, Hayes was convinced of Quaker truth and joined the Society of Friends.
Marriage and Family Life
Married and settled into the life of a Quaker household, raising her children in the faith while enduring the hardships of the Restoration persecutions.
Widowhood and Writing
After her husband's death, Hayes composed her autobiography as a spiritual legacy for her children, recording her journey of seeking and finding.
Death
Died in 1720. Her autobiography, A Legacy, or Widow's Mite, was published in 1723 and valued for its devotional honesty.
Available Works
A Legacy, or Widow's Mite
ProposedA devotional autobiography written as a spiritual legacy for her children, published in 1723 — honest, tender, and deeply personal.