Biography of Nelson Day, Bellevue Township County, Michigan

Copyright © 1999 by Jan Sedore. This copy contributed for use in the 
USGenWeb Archives.  


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PAST AND PRESENT OF EATON COUNTY
Page 271
                                 NELSON ELKANEY DAY
        Nelson Elkaney Day is a member of one of the honored pioneer 
families of Eaton County, being a son of the late Asa Day, who was one of 
the first settlers of Bellevue Township. Full details concerning the 
family history are given in the sketch of Andrew J. Day, on other pages of 
this work. Nelson E. Day was born on the old family homestead in Bellevue 
Township, known as the Day farm, a short distance from his present 
residence on the 5th of April 1849-just nine months prior to the death of 
his father. He was reared on the home farm and remained with his mother 
until her death, assisting the management of the farm, and the while 
having duly availed himself of the advantages of the district schools. 
Upon the death of his mother he came into possession of twenty acres of 
the homestead, soon afterward erecting a small fame house on his property. 
On Christmas day of the year 1875 he was united in marriage to Miss 
Frances M. Pinch, who was born in Pennsylvania, February 4, 1852, being a 
daughter of Owen Owens Pinch, who was born in the state of New York and 
who died in December 1868, at the age of forty-five years. Her mother, 
whose maiden name was Fanny Fry, was born in England, in July 1825, and 
was nine years of age at the time of her parents' immigration to America. 
She died in Olivet, this county, October 4, 1900. Mr. and Mrs Pinch were 
married in 1846, and in 1854 they came to Michigan and located in Albion, 
Calhoun County, where they remained until 1858, when they took up their 
residence in Olivet, where they passed the remainder of their lives, the 
father having been a tinsmith and having always followed this trade as a 
vocation. Of the nine children three died in infancy, and the others are 
still living: Martha E., widow of George Herrick, resided in Olivet and 
has six children; James O. is a resident of Potterville, Eaton County; Mrs 
Day is the next in order of birth; Benjamin W. is engaged in a real-estate 
business in the city of Battle Creek; Jennie is the wife of Milton 
Packofen, of Flint; and May is the widow of Frank Matthews and resides in 
Olivet. Mr. and Mrs Day have seven children: Georgia is the wife of 
Charles Wheaton, of Charlotte; Grace M. is the wife of George Clevers, of 
Charlotte, and they have two children, Leta and Ida; Fannie E. is a 
teacher in the public schools of Niles, this state, where she has been 
thus employed for three years; Ida L. is a stenographer and is now 
attending a business college in the city of Chicago; Mabel Zoe is the wife 
of Don G. Smith, a locomotive fireman on the Michigan Central Railroad, 
residing in Jackson, and they have twin daughters, Dorris and Dorothy; 
Arthur E. is a student in Olivet College; All of the children have been 
afforded good educational advantages and of them their parents have just 
reason to be proud. Mr. Day has added to the area of his original farm by 
the purchase of twenty acres in Walton Township and ninety acres on the 
opposite side of the road, in Kalamo Township, so that he now has a well-
improved farm of one hundred and thirty acres. Sixteen years ago the 
original dwelling on his homestead was destroyed by fire and he then built 
another small frame house, which was utilized until 1898, when he erected 
his present commodious and modern residence. The other buildings on the 
farm are of excellent or5der and all are kept in good repair. Mr. Day has 
given his attention to diversified agriculture and to dairying, having 
formerly kept about twenty milk cows and having sold the product of the 
same to a local creamery, supplying a larger amount of cream than any 
other customer of said creamery. He has been an indefatigable worker and 
has achieved a worthy success, and he has had at all times the unqualified 
esteem and confidence of the community in which his life has been passed. 
He is a Democrat in his political proclivities and both he and his wife 
attend the Methodist Protestant Church.