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EARLY SETTLERS OF SANGAMON COUNTY - 1876
By John Carroll Power

These biographies were submitted by a researcher and evidently abstracted from the 1876 History of Sangamon County, IL. Errors could occur, so one should always verify the correctness by obtaining copies of vitals and performing all necessary research to document what is contained herein.




DAY, GEORGE, was born Mar. 5, 1810, in Sheffield, Mass. His parents died when he was three years old, and he, with another brother and a sister, were taken by an aunt to Granby, Conn. He next lived with a half-sister, at Elbridge, N.Y. At fifteen years of age he went to Hartford, Conn., and engaged to travel in Ohio for a clock company. He sold clocks four years, returned to Hartford and prosecuted the same business two years in Pennsylvania. Henrietta Shank was born March 19, 1816, at Hagerstown, Md. The family moved to Mercersburg, Pa., where her father died and her mother married Jacob Divelbiss. See his name. The family moved to Ligonier, Pa. George Day and Henrietta Shank were married Feb. 20, 1834, had one child there, and moved to Illinois, arriving at Havana Oct. 29, 1837. They visited some friends who had left comfortable Pennsylvania houses, and were living in rail pens, covered with sod. Their bread was made from wheat ground without bolting. Mr. Day became a walking earthquake - having the chills and fever - but he was not happy, and determined to return to the Pennsylvania hills. His wife persuaded him to come to Springfield, where they arrived in Nov., 1837. When the grass and flowers appeared the next spring, he became reconciled, and has been well satisfied from that to the present time. They had seven living children in Sangamon county, namely -

Sophia H., born March 15, 1836, at Ligonier, Pa., married in Sangamon county, March 20, 1854, to David Ayers, who was born July 27, 1833, in Auglaize county, Ohio. Mr. Ayers died May 30, 1866, at Jacksonville, Ill. Mrs. Ayers resides with her parents.

Henrietta, born Feb. 16, 1840, in Springfield, married Dec. 7, 1865, to Joseph F. Boyd, who was born Jan. 4, 1837, in Hagerstown, Md. They have one child, Gracie D., and live in Springfield.

William, born Sept. 14, 1842, in Springfield, was married May 18, 1842, in Springfield, was married May 18, 1865, to Margaret E. Keyes. They have five children, Effie S., Catharine H., and Charles R., Daisy D. and Maggie M., and reside three miles north of Springfield.

Robert, born Jan. 30, 1845, enlisted April 27, 1864, for one hundred days, in Co. A, 133d Ill. Inf., served one hundred and forty-seven days, and was honorably discharged Sept. 24, 1864. He lives with his parents.

Ellie M., born July 27, 1847.

Julia C., born June 13, 1850, and

George E., born Jan. 12, 1854, live with their parents.

George Day and wife reside three miles northeast of Springfield.




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