THE DAY FAMILY IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR by Carol Gillies Handke.

The Day Line. Robert Day, Mary Day, Capt. Day etal Page 2

Contributed by Anna Kent Winsemiusm, Grand Rapids, Mich

-My 7X great grandfather, 6 of his 8 sons, and a son-in-law, all served in the Revolutionary War. This is something our family is very proud of. Here is a copy of their Bible records:——————-

Children of Robert Day:

Mary, M.Capt. Eleazor Warren, and D.Jul.8, 1744

II. Sarah, Bap. Sept.23, 1722

III. David

IV. James (mentioned below)

V. Elizabeth, Bap. 1717, M. Ar.Whitmore

VI. Patience, B.Sept. 1717, M.John, son of Andrew Phillips

VII. Jonathan, B. 1719, D. Jul. 6, 1745

VIII. Robert, B.1719 (Sept 23, 1722)

IX. Susanah

X. Thomas, B. Feb 19, 1727

James (2) son of Robert (2) Day, was born about 1717, died in

Killingly, Conn. Dec. 25, 1782.

His tombstone has this inscription:

“I sought the Lord in early youth,

nor did I seek in vain;

He leads me in the path of truth

and great has been my gain”

He was a blacksmith by trade; married in 1740 to

Mary Parkhurst, of Plainfield, Conn. B. about 1721,

D. in Killingly Jul, 28, 1818, aged 97 years, Bur. Dayvill

Children:

1. Nathan, Bap. Jul 28, 1744 in Putnam Heights Church

Was a Corporal in Capt. Jas.Cady’s Co. the 3^rd, 11^th.Regt

Moved to Granville, N.Y. M. in Brooklyn, Conn. Sept.20

1770, Hannah Hewitt

2. Jonathan, bap.Mar.12, 1745, Corp. in Revolution

3. Elias, B.Sept.25, 1746 “ “ “

4. Mary, B. Mar21, 1753

5. Thomas, B.Jun 19^th, 1755 Private “ “

6. John, B. Mar. 12, 1757 “ “ “

7. James, B.Aug 23, 1758

8. Asa, B.Jul 23, 1760 “ “ “

9. David, B. Jul 20, 1762

James Day (1717-1782)was the father of this family, son of Robert Day and Elizabeth Dresser. He married Mary Ann Parkhurst in 1740. Their children were born between 1744 and 1762. When the Revolutionary War began, he was 59 years old. James was one of the Connecticut men who marched to Boston for the relief of the town in the Lexington Alarm. He was recruited from New Haven and served as Adjutant to Col. Samuel Parsons, Sixth Regiments. James was commissioned on May 30, 1775. He also served in the Battle of Long Island, New York in 1776. James remained stationed in the Hudson River area until his term of service expired on December 31, 1776.

Children of James and Mary Ann Parkhurst:

1. Nathan Day (1744-1821). He married Hannah Hewitt in 1770. They had 3 children before he served in the Revolutionary War. In 1776 he was a Corporal in Capt. Jas. Cady’s Co when they marched from Connecticut to West Chester, New York. There are no records of how long Nathan served, but he was home by 1777 when his 4^th child was born and in 1779 when their 5^th child was born. He re-enlisted in 1780 as Private in Capt. Stillwell’s company. He was on the muster roll for August 1780 as a “Waggoner.” Nathan was discharged in 1781 at 37 years old. Four more children were born after his discharge but two died young. In 1790 Nathan and his family moved to Granville, New York with the State Bounty Land Grants. He became Deacon of the First Presbyterian Church. Nathan’s wife Hannah died in 1796. Nathan died in 1821 at 77 years old.

2. Jonathan Day (1745-1825). He may have married Tamar May, but records are sketchy. There is no record of children. The family Bible and headstone shows that he was a Corporal in the Revolutionary War. Compiled war records state that he was a Private in Capt. David Cady’s company and also with Capt. Ephriam Warren’s company with the Connecticut militia. Jonathan was a pensioner in 1818. He died in 1825 at 80 years old.

3. Elias Day (1745-1838). Elias was a private in the 9^th and 18^th Connecticut Regiments, at one time under Capt. Abraham Mead. He signed up as early as August 13, 1776. After the war he married Percey “Esther” Blanchard in 1781. They had 7 children. They moved to Dayville, CT, the town named after his brother John Day, in about 1830. Elias’ wife Esther died in 1815. He died in 1838 at age 92.

4. Mary Day (1753-~1820. She married Nathaniel Maine and they had 5 children. Her husband was a Corporal in Capt. Dixon’s company.

5. Thomas Day (1755-1830). He was a private under Capt. Crosby. Records also show him with the Wadsworth Brigade and Johnson’s Regiment in 1778. After his military service he married Susannah Buck in 1783. They had 10 children. Thomas was one of the Deacons at Brandy Hill Baptist Church in Thompson, CT. He died in 1830 at 75 years old.

6. John Day (1756-1838). There are records that he was in Capt. Warren’s Company. After his time served, John married Annis Bowman on Jan. 25, 1781. John and Annis had eleven children. On Oct. 17, 1793, he was commissioned Captain of the local militia by Governor Samual Huntington. The village of Dayville, CT, near Killingly was named after John. He built the first house there, about 1830. He also built and operated a small mill. Capt. Day bought himself a large tract of land in East Brooklyn, where his brother Thomas was a Deacon. John took a prominent part in local affairs and was very successful in his business ventures. John died on March 10, 1838. Annis died 10 years later in 1848.

7. James Day Jr. (1758-1808). James Jr. was 18 years old when the Revolutionary War began. There are no records that show that he served. Perhaps his mother needed at least one son to stay home. It appears that his sister Mary was still living there. There are also no records that he married, although there are some incorrect records that he married Deborah Carter in Pennsylvania. He lived in Connecticut and it’s unlikely that he traveled that far to meet her. James died in 1808 at 50 years old.

8. Asa Day (1760 – dec). Asa signed up as a private in 1778 at 17 years old in Johnson’s Regiment of militia. Records are sketchy but he may have been a Capt-Lt in Capt. Elisha Elys’ company on Sept 1, 1780. On August 7, 1782 he was a Captain. Some family trees state that he died before 1783 in England, but there are no records to prove that.

9. David Day (1762-1831). David was 13 years old when the Revolutionary War started and did not serve in the military. He married 1) Lurana Warren in 1788. They had 2 children. Lurana died in 1793 at 24 years old when the youngest child was 6 months old. David married 2) Sarah Sharpe 5 years later in 1798. They had 5 children together. He died on Apr 27, 1831 in Dayville.