Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Day, John 1836 - 
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Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 4, 2007, 5:39 pm

Author: Portrait & Biographical Album, 1890

JOHN DAY. No member of the farming community of this county is more worthy of 
representation in this Biographical Album than this gentleman, who has been 
identified with the agricultural interests of this part of the State for many 
years, and now owns and occupies a choice place of ten acres in Plainfield 
Township, and also one hundred and eighty-two acres in Du Page Township. Mr. 
Day is of English birth, born in Lincolnshire, April 2, 1836. His father, 
bearing the same name as himself, was a native of the same shire, and his 
grandfather was a life-long resident there. The father of our subject was 
reared on a farm in his native county, and was there employed in agricultural 
pursuits until 1856, when he came to America and settled in Illinois, buying a 
home with our subject in DuPage Township, and living there until his useful 
life was closed by death. The maiden name of the mother of our subject was 
Rebecca Brickles, and she was also a native of England. She spent her last 
years at the home of our subject at Plainfield. She and her husband were the 
parents of four children, namely: Mary, William, John and Sophia. The latter 
died at the age of four years, and the others came to America. Mary married 
William Pepper. They located in this county, and she is now deceased. William 
located in Manhattan, but is now residing in Joliet. John, of whom we write, 
was reared in the land of his birth until he was eighteen years of age. He had 
heard of America, and being an ambitious, self-reliant, adventurous youth, he 
longed to try his fortunes here, but was restrained by his parents from coming 
to this country until the age mentioned. Having finally obtained their 
permission, he set sail from Liverpool April 2, 1854, and after a tedious 
voyage of seven weeks landed in New York. He started thence at once to 
Illinois to join friends at Plainfield. He immediately sought employment here, 
as he needed the money, and soon found work on a farm at $16 a month. He was 
thus engaged for about three years, and then rented land on shares until 1866, 
when he bought ninety-one acres of land on section 30, DuPage Township, and 
about eight years later bought ninety-one acres adjoining on the same section. 
He resided there until 1884, then rented the farm and came to town, and bought 
the pleasant residence in which he has since lived retired, he having acquired 
a handsome competence by untiring and well-directed labors. To the wife who 
makes this home cozy and attractive, Mr. Day was united in marriage in 
October, 1859. Mrs. Day's maiden name was Catherine Stratton, and she was born 
in Wayne County, Ohio, December 6, 1840. Her father, William Stratton, was a 
native of New Jersey, and moving from there to Ohio, located among the 
pioneers of Wayne County, and there spent the remainder of his life. The 
maiden name of his wife was Barbara Hicks. She was born, it is thought, in 
Pennsylvania, and was of Dutch descent. She spent her last years in Ohio. Mr. 
and Mrs. Day have three children living—Sophia A., Lizzie J. and Carrie O. Our 
subject is in every sense of the word a self-made man, as all that he is and 
has he owes to his own exertions. He is a man of self-respecting character, is 
well dowered with firmness, activity and sound business qualifications, and is 
classed among our best citizens. 

Additional Comments:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois, Containing Full Page 
Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens 
of the County; Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1890

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