1838 – 1856 Fanny Arabella Hayes Platt was born in Delaware,
Ohio, on 25 January 1820; her parents were Rutherford and Sophia
(Birchard) Hayes. Fanny was the older sister of President
Rutherford B. Hayes. The only two Hayes children to survive to
adulthood, Fanny and “Rud”—as the future president was
nicknamed—endured the typical sibling quarrels of youth to
become close friends and confidantes as they grew into
adulthood. Indeed, Hayes was quite fond of his sister, and she
had considerable influence on him throughout his life. Hayes’s
first memories of Fanny were as his childhood protector and
playmate. She was interested both in physical and intellectual
pursuits, and the two could be found staging notable dramas and
poems as well as enjoying outdoors activities such as swimming,
fishing, and sailing. The tomboyish Fanny also excelled in rifle
shooting. Apart from the leisurely endeavors they shared, the
Hayes siblings were like-minded in terms of humor and
temperament as well. They each possessed a knack f