Thomas A.H. Hay

Thomas A.H. Hay, Tau, 1876, Phi Alpha 1907-1908

Thomas A.H. Hay, Tau 1876, was a very successful and prolific businessman, real estate developer and community leader in Easton, Pennsylvania. In 1879, he was appointed by President Benjamin Harrison, as a postal agent in New York responsible for the distribution of postage stamps in all the post offices in the United States. He was the originator of the idea of commemorating prominent events in our national history by a series of special jubilee stamps, the first of which being the Columbian, commemorating the four hundredth anniversary of Columbus’ landing in America.

In 1894, he returned to Easton, and in 1895, Brother Hay and his brother, William, organized the Easton Power Company with Brother Hay serving as president. In 1897, the brothers built the first interurban railway connecting Easton and Bethlehem. In 1899, they extended the line to Nazabeth and in 1901 built the line from Easton to Bangor, Maine. He continued his involvement
in street transportation and public utilities with nine companies in the Mid Atlantic and
New England states. In 1899, he and his brother converted the grounds of the Easton
Fair Grounds into “one of Easton’s finest residential sections.”

Politically, Brother Hay was a Theodore Roosevelt Progressive party supporter. He
worked to create a state Public Service Commission, pass a Workman’s Compensation
and Employer Liability Act and a bill to regulate women’s and children’s work hours.

Brother Hay’s brother, William, as well as his son, Ruger, and five other descendants
were initiated into Zeta Psi at Lafayette College. He was a staunch lifetime supporter of
the Tau chapter. In fact, from 1874 to 1883, before the chapter had a house, it met at
the Hay Building in Easton. He also contributed to the new house’s building
endowment. Brother Hay was for decades a member of the Zeta Psi Club in New York.