Within the first thirty years after the settlement of New England, eight persons of the name Day are found upon record, viz.-
Robert, first of Cambridge, then of Hartford, Conn. who arrived in 1634, and was the ancestor of those whose names are given in the following pages.
Robert of Ipswich came over in 1635, in the Hopewell, Capt. Bundock, from London, age 30: made freeman June 2, 1641, and was living in 1681.
Nathaniel of Ipswich, in 1637 (Kimball’s Eccl. Sermon.)
Stephen of Cambridge, who is considered by Thomas, in his history of printing, as the first printer in this country. He was brought over by Rev. Mr. Glover, who died on the passage; and began business in March 1639. He had probably a wife and family, as the death of a Stephen, is on the record Dec.1, 1639, and of Rebecca Oct.17, 1658, presumed to be his son and wife. He died Dec. 22, 1668, aged 58. Thomas, vol.1, pp.227-234, gives a catalogue of the books supposed to be printed by him. Day’s death, and Day wrought as a journeyman. Yet he was engaged in the settlement of Lancaster, in 1643, and had received a grant of 300 acres in 1641, for his enterprise.
Wentworth of Boston, received into Church Sept.12, 1640, with prefix of respect, though a single man: member of the Artillery Company in 1640. He was perhaps the surgeon at Cambridge in 1652, who saved a woman accused as a witch:(Hale’s witchcraft,65.) had Elizabeth bapt. Sep 26, 1641, who died eight days after birth, and a son Wentworth, bapt. Aug.13, 1643.
Ralph of Dedham, made freeman in 1645, and died Oct. 28, 1677, naming in his will, Sept.12, his wife Abigail, and children John, Ralph, Mary, (wife of John Payne,) and Abigail; also his son in law John Ruggles. His wife and daughter of Daniel Pond; but his first wife Susan, by whom he had four children, was daughter of Jonathan Fairbanks, who in his will, 1668, speaks of her four children, and in the records of Dedham, are found Elizabeth, bapt. July 3, 1648, Mary, b. Nov. 9, 1649, Susan, b. in 1652, and John, b. April 15, 1654; followed by Abigail, daughter of Ralph and Abigail, b. April 6, 1661. From him are descended the Days in Wrentham, and also it is supposed in Attleborough, Mass., and Killingly, Ct.
Matthew of Cambridge, a printer, whose name is found in the imprint of Danforth’s Almanac for 1647: was steward of Harvard College in 1645: freeman in 1646: and died in May 1649. It is inferred from his will that he had neither wife nor child, because he gave most of his property to his mother, and to elder Frost, ₤ 4 .
Anthony of Gloucester, in 1645, had a wife Susanna and several children born after 1656. He died April 23, 1707, aged 91; his widow died Dec. 10, 1717, aged 94.
Besides these, there were at a later period, (1.) John of Boston, 1677, a merchant, who died that year. By his will, dated Sept. 4, he gives all his property to his brother Robert of Frome Woodlands, near Warminster in Wilts, close to Somersetshire, and describes himself of the same: (2.) William of Boston, in 1669, a mariner.
From these have descended, it is supposed, the greater part of Those bearing the name in Virginia, descended from one or more of the early settlers of that State. There are some also in Newark NJ who trace their descent form George Day, one of the first settlers of that place. Within the last few years, also, a considerable number have been found, especially in the larger cities, who were born in Great Britain.”Ralph Day, Sr. of Denham was my 8xg-grandfather.
Copyright © 2014 by Kevin W. Walker
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