Elmer E. Day, who is successfully engaged in the grocery business in
Medora and is one of its highly popular citizens, was born near
Jerseyville, in Jersey county, Illinois, January 10, 1863. He is a son
of Stephen and Susan (Bell) Day, the former of whom was born in Jersey
county April 5, 1840, the latter being a native of Medora. The history
of the Day family in America begins with Stephen Day, the
great-great-grandfather of our subject, who was a native of County
Tipperary, Ireland, and settled in Vermont many years ago. The
great-grandfather of our subject was also named Stephen and was born in
Vermont before the Revolutionary war. Ira E. Day, the grandfather, was
also a native of Vermont and was born about 1790. He was reared in his
native state and when a young man came west, settling in 1828 in Jersey
county, Illinois, west of the present city of Jerseyville. Here he
entered government land and made his home for twenty years. He then
moved east of Jerseyville, where he purchased two hundred and forty
acres of land which is still in possession of the family. He married
Miss Martha Hudson who was born in Greene county about 1819 and was the
first white child born in this section of the state. It is also thought
by some that she was the first white child born in the state of
Illinois. The Hudson family came from Kentucky and was among the very
early settlers of Greene county. Ira E. Day died in 1862, being then
more than seventy years of age. He was highly successful as a farmer and
ranked as one of the leading citizens of the county.
Stephen E.
Day, the father of our subject, was educated in the public schools and
continued on the home farm until after he was married to Miss Susan
Bell, the ceremony taking place March 1, 1861. He rented land on his own
account for a number of years and in 1886 moved to Medora, where he has
since been engaged in the livery business. Mrs. Day is a daughter of
Harry and Nancy (Rockabaugh) Bell and comes from an old Virginia family
whose home was near Culpeper Courthouse. To Mr. and Mrs. Stephen E. Day
have been born seven children, two of whom died in infancy. The others
are: Elmer E., of this review; William, who married Zoa Steed, of
Medora, and now resides in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Chilton H., now
in the dry-goods business in Medora, who married Nellie Steed and has
two children; Ira Edwin, who married Ella Long and makes his home in
Medora; and Herbert L., who married Nellie Winters and is a resident of
Alton, Illinois.
Mr. Day of this review possessed advantages of
education in the public schools of Jerseyville. He continued with his
parents on the home farm until twenty-one years of age, and then rented
land and farmed on his own account for two years. At the end of this
time he purchased twenty acres in Jerseyville which he planted in fruit,
and for nine years devoted his attention to the fruit business. In 1897
he disposed of his place and moved to Medora, where he purchased the
livery barn of William Day and for eight years applied himself
successfully to the livery business. He then entered the grocery
business in which he has since been engaged.
On the 20th of
January, 1885, Mr. Day was married to Miss Kate Pitts, a daughter of
Richard and Clara (Pitts) Pitts, the former of whom was born at Sutton
Crosses, Lincolnshire, England, in 1834. The grandparents of Mrs. Day on
the paternal side were William and Sarah (Barton) Pitts, of
Northamptonshire, England. The Pitts family has been known in England
for many generations. The grandfather on the maternal side was Shadrach
Pitts, also of Northamptonshire, and the maiden name of his wife was
Eliza Humberstone. The grandfathers, paternal and maternal, were
cousins. Three children were horn to Mr. and Mrs. Day, namely: Lola F.,
who married Herbert E. Ruyle, of Raymond, Illinois, and has one child,
Elbert H.; and Gertrude Barton and Leita A., both of whom are living at
home.
Mr. Day is well known in fraternal circles and holds
membership in the Knights of Pythias and the Mutual Protective League.
Politically he is an earnest supporter of the democratic party. He
served as supervisor of Chesterfield township and as chairman of the
board of supervisors of Macoupin county for three terms out of four, his
administration being highly satisfactory to taxpayers of the county. He
was elected supervisor by a handsome majority in a township that is
regarded as a republican stronghold. His name has been prominently
mentioned in connection with other offices and he came within six votes
of being nominated for county treasurer in 1910. Possessing a good
address and being well acquainted with the people of Macoupin county,
Mr. Day can claim a host of friends who admire him for his sterling
traits of character. He ’has depended upon his own exertions for his
advancement, and has accepted as a principle of his life, to make his
word as good as his bond and to deal justly, let the consequences be
what they may. The result proves that his principles are correct and it
would be difficult to imagine a higher ideal.
Extracted 15 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 366-368.
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