Captain John Day was the son of Thomas Day (1639 - 1711). He was born on Sept. 20, 1673 in West Springfield. He married Mary (Marah) Smith of Hadley, MA (Dec. 18, 1677- Feb 28, 1742) on March 10, 1696 in W. Springfield. The town meeting of 1697 appointed John Day and Joseph Ashley to be “fence viewers for the north side of the Aguam” and he was reappointed in 1703-04. In 1700 he was also appointed a Constable. He was chosen as a town assessor in 1708-9. John was on the Springfield Board of Selectmen in 1713, 1719, 1723, 1727, 1728, 1729, 1732, 1736, 1737. He was also the Springfield representative to the Massachusetts General Court in 1732.
John was granted permission by the town meeting of 1710-11 to set up a grist mill, with Ebenezer Parsons and Issac Frost, on the Aguam River. They were given a grant of the stream and ten acres of land on the Northeast side of the river at the end of the great hill with the provision that if they desert the operation, the grant is returned to the town. The town records also indicate that on March 31, 1719 that John Day and the selection (including his uncle Samuel):
“have laid out a high way from the highway that goeth from the Great River to Aggowem River which way is judged highly necessary in order for outlet to the Commons on South side of Aggowam River which way is to begin at the Westerly corner of the great field from hence to the Falls at the cart way across Aggowan River Ten Rods in width and beyond the river side way is to be Twenty Rod Wide by Aggowan River side to extend to the Commons beyond the old sawmill which stands on the southerly side of Aggowan River. Including the Common Cart Way up the hill beyond the flats: and from the top of the side hill there is a highway of Ten Rods wide going from the top of the hill unto the top of the hill beyond Benjamin Leonards to the Commons the side way was laid out in the fore part of the day.
Whereas there hath been complaints made to the Select men for want of convenient high ways on the West side of the great river: We the subscribers having inspected the places proposed to be needful and necessary for high ways to be laid out for use of the town… ”
There was more description of the roads. On November 18, 1719, the town:
“voted and allowed that there be paid to John Day out of the town treasury the sum of 15 shillings and two pence…for rum used in Sarah Stevenson’s sickness last Spring at his expense. And two shillings for mending the pound on the west side of the Great River.”
After Mary passed away, John married Hannah Kent of Hadley, MA on Aug. 27, 1743 at age 70. They did not have any children. He died on Nov. 20, 1752 at age 79. John and Mary had ten children, all born in W. Springfield, MA:
1. John, born on July 5, 1698, died on March 30, 1751, married Abigail Smith on Jan. 2, 1724, had eight children: Abigail (1724-), Mary* (1726-), John* (1728-1810), Joel* (1730-1787), David (1732-1795), Eunice (1734-1815), Sarah (1736-1813), Mercy* (1738-).
2. Hezekiah, born on Oct. 12, 1700, died on Oct. 11, 1777*, in W. Springfield, buried in Old Meadow Cemetery in W. Springfield, married Mary Day (1704-1780) on Dec. 29, 1744. She died on Aug. 7, 1780. They had three children. Mary (1746-1763), Thankful* (1751-), Elijah* (1754-).
3. Joseph, born on July 24, 1703, died Aug. 14, 1758* in Fort Edward, married Elizabeth Mattoon about 1738 in Springfield, MA. They had 11 children, all but Eunice born in Springfield (Eunice born in Northfield, MA): Eunice (1733-1815), Silence (1736-1807), Lucy (1738-), Elozer (1741-), Elizabeth (1743-), Joseph* (1745-), Giles* (1748-1795), Hannah* (1750-), Jacob (1753-), Asa (1755), Zebulon (1757).
4. Mary, born Jan. 20, 1706, died Nov. 5, 1796 in W. Springfield, married Benjamin Stebbins (1702-1783) of Belchertown, MA, had three children, all born on W. Springfield: Benjamin (1727-1803), Elizabeth 1730-), Vashti (1732-).
5. Sarah, born May 14, 1708, died 1763 in Sheffield, MA, married Aaren Ashley (1703-1780) of Sheffield, MA on Sept. 2, 1737 in Westfield, MA. They had six children, all born in Springfield: William (1742-), Ann (1744-), Elizabeth (1746-), Peris (1747-), Hannah (1748-), Sarah (1750-).
6. Col. Benjamin, born Oct. 27, 1710, died May 10, 1808*, age 97, married Eunice Morgan on Oct. 9, 1742. She died on Jan. 25, 1765*, age 49. He then married Lucy Sheldon of Deerfield. They had no children and she died on April 28, 1808* at age 83. Benjamin and Eunice had ten children: (Eunice (1745*-), Benjamin* (1743), Benjamin (1747*-1794*), Daniel (1749*-1825*), Robert (1751*), Mahala (1752*-1754), Heman (1755*-1837*), Mahala (1757*-), Lydia (1759*-), Clarissa (1764*-).
7. Rebecca, born May 12, 1713, married Benjamin Stebbins on Sept. 26, 1733, died Sept. 7, 1769.
8. William, born Oct. 23, 1715, died on May 22, 1776 in New York. He was ran a shipping business
and commanded several vessels. He married three times but the records are confusing as there are a number of William Days in MA at the time. First he married Polly Day in W. Springfield in 1736. She died in 1753. Then he married Lucretia Sackett in W. Springfield on Oct. 25, 1759*. Finally, he married Rhoda Hubell.
9. Elizabeth, born Jan. 19, 1718, married Eliakim Hall (1711-1794) of Wallingford, CT.
10. Thankful, born Feb 5, 1721*, died Aug. 12, 1803, married Eldad Taylor of Westfield, MA on Nov. 21, 1742.
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