Santa Clara County
Biographies
JOHN ALFRED DAY
Through his work among the Native Sons of the Golden West Mr. Day has become well known to the people of the town and county of Santa Clara. A member both of the Palo Alto and Santa Clara Parlors and officiating as past president, he has been a factor in much of the work accomplished by both organizations. In 1889 he was chosen district deputy, an office that he held for one term. A further honor was conferred upon him in his selection, May 27, 1900, to occupy the position of deputy grand president at large. Other fraternal orders receive his co-operation and support. Included among these are the Red Men, Degree of Pocahontas, in which he once held the office of district deputy; Union Club of Santa Clara; and the Sodality Athletic Club connected with Santa Clara College. A member of the hook and ladder company of Santa Clara, for three terms he has served as its foreman and for two terms held office as treasurer of the fire department.
In Santa Clara, where he now resides, John Alfred Day was born April 22, 1859, the eldest child of Samuel Day. He was educated principally in Santa Clara College, and at an early age began to learn the blacksmith's trade. In 1886 he started a blacksmith's shop on the corner of Benton and Sherman streets, and has since carried on a general blacksmithing business. While the management of his shop naturally claims the larger part of his time, he still has sufficient leisure to participate in fraternal movements, social gatherings and political activities, being a stanch supporter of the Democratic party.
Samuel Day, who was a pioneer of 1854 in California, was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, May 28, 1828, being a son of Michael and Margaret Day, natives of that country. On coming to America in 1850 Michael Day settled at Newburgh, Orange county, N.Y., and engaged in the building business and carpenter's trade. His death occurred in that city at seventy-five years of age. Of his family of five sons and four daughters Samuel was fourth in order of birth. When fifteen years of age he started for America, in company with one brother and two sisters, Patrick, Mary and Hannah. Settling in Newburgh, N.Y., he worked there for some years. In 1854 he came to California via the Nicaragua route and settled in San Francisco, where for a time he was employed in the freight department of a shipping and banking house. In 1858 he came to Santa Clara and secured employment as superintendent of the old Mission Orchard, from which he shipped to San Francisco pears that sold at twelve cents a pound. After some five years he began to cultivate a rented farm and later bought land, which he cultivated until 1902, and has since lived retired. In addition to his farm work, for about eight years he worked as a railway freight agent in Santa Clara.
In San Francisco, in 1858, Samuel Day married Catherine Murray, who was born in Ireland and died in California in 1861, leaving two children, John Alfred, of Santa Clara, and Katie, who is married and lives in San Francisco. The second marriage of Samuel Day occurred in 1865 in Santa Clara and united him with Miss L. Flynn, a native of Ireland. Some years after her marriage Mrs. Day died and the only child of her union, Maggie, is also deceased.
Transcribed
4-29-16 Marilyn R. Pankey.
ญญญญSource:
History of the State of California & Biographical
Record of Coast Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 1156-1159.
The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
ฉ 2016 Marilyn R.
Pankey.