William Eugene Day

NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

William Eugene Day

William Eugene DAY is descended from George Day, one of the early settlers of the colony of New Jersey, and from Artemas DAY, who was a justice of the peace of Morris county in 1775, and who was among the first to offer his services to the Continental Army, and the Revolutionary cause. He was one of the New Jersey minute-men, and was in the skirmish, the shots of which "were heard around the world."

The grandfather of Mr. DAY was Patrick Henry DAY, named for the great Virginian, who was born in Mendham, Morris County,. He lived in the county all his life and there died in 1885, aged sixty-six years. He was a blacksmith and farmer, and by combining the two vocations succeeded in accumulating a considerable estate. He was the father of ten children, of whom Laura, William, Adela and Maurice live in Morris county; a son, Henry, makes his home in Jersey City, New Jersey. Patrick Henry Day was pre-eminently the type of man who has made the United States one of the respected of the great nations; he was a home loving, law abiding citizen.

Ephraim S. DAY, son of the foregoing, was born in Mendham, September 4, 1845, and died November 11, 1912, in Morristown. He was one of the substantial men of the county, both liked and respected by those who knew him. He was a live stock dealer and public auctioneer, doing well in both vocations. He was a Republican, casting his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln, and consistently voting the straight ticket thereafter. He was appointed census taker by the United States government and also held the position of constable several years. He married Miss Laura A. CARROLL, born in Centre Grove, Morris county, June 29, 1844, died September 3, 1910. She came from an old and long established family of New Jersey, and was distantly connected with the CARROLL family of Maryland. Their children were: Charles H, born March 10, 1869, in business at Mendham; William Eugene; Emily C., nor Mrs James C. MENAGH; Bessie A., now Mrs. J. Henry BLAGURE, of East Orange, New Jersey.

William Eugene DAY was born April 29, 1871, in Brookside, Morris county, New Jersey, died September 25, 1913, at Morristown. He was educated in the public schools of Brookside. In 1888, when seventeen years old, he left his birthplace and went to Mendham, where he was engaged as clerk in the general merchandise store of PHOENIX & SANDFORD, remaining with them fifteen months. He secured a position with the Lehigh Valley Railroad as clerk, and was transferred to New York City. In 1890 he went to Morristown, where he secured a position as salesman with Mr. PHILLIPS. He was next engaged by George VORHEES and remained with him three years. At the end of which time the firm of PHILLIPS & DAY was formed, the high commercial rating proving the business foresight of such a move. In politics Mr. DAY followed his grandfather and father, being a staunch Republican, and he never asked for nor held any political office. He was a member of the Royal Arcanum and the Knights of Pythias, standing high in both orders. He and his wife were members of the First Presbyterian Church of Morristown. He married, May 22, 1895, Miss Mary L. FROST, born in Mendham, a daughter of Thomas B. and Maria (SMITH) FROST, of Mendham. Mr. FROST has moved with his family to Morristown, where he has established himself in the automobile and hack business. The FROSTs are also of Colonial and Revolutionary stock, the family having been planted in New Jersey about 1736. Mr. and Mrs. DAY had one child, William Eugene Day Jr., born March 28, 1901.

Transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003)