William Shakespeare Hays Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles

William Shakespeare Hays (1837-1907), was given his middle name as a nickname in his youth. He later added it legally. Hays published three volumes of poetry, and wrote 350 songs, selling over 20 million copies to become one of the most successful lyricists of the 19th century. His songs were diverse, ranging from hymns to minstrel tunes. Hays claimed to have written "Dixie," a credit usually assigned to Dan Emmett, and although both songwriters had supporters, Hays was never able to document his claim.