Life History

Other facts

Notes

• My initial information for Daniel H Day came form family informationcollected by Harold Christian in his research on the Jenkins,Christian and related families.
  
  I found some details in censuses, and first him listed in the 1800census, in Cass County, Texas.  He is 18 years old and living at homewith his mother Nancy Taylor Day.  It appears Nancy is a widow, thoughthis census does not report marital status.  They are working a farm,but living next door to Nancy's brother Daniel Taylor and his family.Nancy and Daniel H are shown as Farming, as is Daniel, but it is notpossible to determine if they are working the same farm or adjoiningones.
  
  1880 Federal Census, Cass County, Texas, 17 June, Justice Precinct 3,District 12, page 17, Hse/Fam #238
  Day, Nancy  W F 54  Farming MS MS MS
  Day, Daniel H  W M 18 Son  Farming TX MS MS
  
  1900 Federal Census, Cass County, Texas, 16 June, Justice Precinct 3,District 22, page 14A, Hse/Fam #237
  Day, D H  Head W M March 1861  39 Married 15 years TX GA MS  Farmer
  Day, Cora  Wife W F Nov 1866  33 Married 15 years  7 children, 6living  SC SC IL
  Day, Nora  Dau W F Feb 1886  14 TX TX SC At School
  Day, Maggie Dau W F July 1887  12 TX TX SC At School
  Day, William  Son W M July 1890  9 TX TX SC
  Day, Lee (Lea?)  Dau W F June 1893  6 TX TX SC
  Day, James  Son W M July 1896  4 TX TX SC
  Day, Preston  Son W M Jan 1899  1 TX TX SC
  
  Next door in a household and family by herself is Daniel's motherNancy Taylor Day.  However, she is still listed in terms of herrelationship to her son Daniel (D H).
  
  1900 Federal Census, Cass County, Texas, 16 June, Justice Precinct 3,District 22, page 14A, Hse/Fam #238
  Day, Nancy  Mother W F Jan 1824  76 Widow 8 children, 1 living  MS MSMS
  
  If this census entry for Nancy is correct, it means that she had borne8 children, but at age 76, only one is still living, and she is livingwith him.
  
  Nancy is not enumerated with Daniel in 1910, and I have not found herin the census at all in 1910.  It appears that she died some timeafter the 1900 census.
  
  1910 Federal Census, Cass County, Texas, 20 April, Cusseta, District30, page 2B (Ancestry p 16B), Hse #54, Fam #56
  Day, Daniel H  Head M W 49 Married 25 years TX GA MS  Farmer
  Day, Cora  Wife F W 41 Married 25 years  11 children, 9 living  SCUnknown VA
  Day, Maggie M  Dau F W 22 TX TX SC School Teacher
  Day, William C  Son M W 19 TX TX SC Farm Laborer
  Day, Cora L  Dau F W 17 TX TX SC
  Day, James R  Son M W 14 TX TX SC Farm Laborer
  Day, Noble P  Son M W 10 TX TX SC Farm Laborer
  Day, Rayborn D  Son M W 7 TX TX SC
  Day, Daniel W  Son M W 5 TX TX SC
  Day, Mirtie E  Dau M W 5 TX TX SC
  
  This census is helpful since the middle initial of all persons (exceptmother Cora) is included.  Note that in this census, it is reportedthat Cora has borne 11 children, and 9 are still living.  In 1900, itwas reported that only 6 of her 7 children were still living.  Thismeans that in 1910 they had lost one child, and lost another before1910, while three more children were born since 1900!
  
  In 1900 Lee (reported as Cora L in 1910) is reported as born in June1893 and 6 years.  The census was taken on 16 June.  This would meanthat her birthday was later in June, and she would have her 7thbirthday in June after the 1900 census.  Yet in 1910, the census istaken in April, and she is reported as 17 years old.  With a birthdayin June, she would not turn 17 until after the 1910 census.
  
  A similar discrepancy occurs with Noble/Preston.  In 1900 Preston isreported as 1 year old.  The corresponding child in 1910 is reported aNoble P is reported as 10.  If both of these are correct, this wouldmean his birthday is between April and June 1889.  Yet in the 1900census his birthday is reported quite clearly as "Jan 1899,"  whichwould mean his age should have been 11 at the 1910 census.
  
  This is a common variation, which seems to indicate that people inthat era were not fixated on details and objective information asAmerican culture became during the 20th century.
  
  I don't have the name of the first child who died.  It appears thatPreston in 1900 is the Noble P of 1910.  Another child must have beenborn and died before 1900.  We similarly lack the name of the secondchild who died between 1900 and 1910.  Nora from 1900 is missing, butI have found from the Marriage register that she was married to JessieParsons on 22 July 1906.
  
  In 1910 Maggie has graduated from school and is now teaching.  Hermiddle initial is given in 1910.  Later she is listed as Mary M.  Thusher two names appear to have been Maggie (perhaps the full nameMargaret) and Mary.  But the order is uncertain, since the two namesare in different order in the censuses.
  
  Note also the change in birthplace for Cora's parents.  Now she doesnot know where her father was born, and her mother is reported as bornin Virginia, rather than Illinois.  This type of variation is afascinating mystery of the census reports.
  
  In 1920, Daniel and family are still in the same area of Cass County,Texas.  He is listed this time as Dink H Day.  This indicates thismust have been his common nickname.  Perhaps it had developed inrecent years, since we have no previous indication of thisappellation.
  
  1920 Federal Census, Cass County, Texas, 7 January, Justice Precinct3, District 31, page 2A, Bryan's Mill and Marietta Rd, Hse #27, Fam#28
  Day, Dink H  Head M W 58 TX GA MS  Farmer
  Day, Cora  Wife F W 51 SC SC IL
  Day, William C  Son M W 28 TX TX SC Farmer
  Day, Rayborne  Son M W 17 TX TX SC  Farmer
  Day, Daniel W N  Son M W 15 TX TX SC  Farmer
  Day, Myrtis E  Dau M W 13 TX TX SC
  Parsons, Ernest Grandson M W 12 TX TX TX
  Parsons, Inez Granddaughter M W 8 TX TX TX
  
  Two grandchildren are in the household.  From the last name, thesewould be the children of Nora, who married Jesse J Persons.  Here thename appears to be spelled Parsons.  (These are historical variationsof the same name/word in English.)  This probably indicates that bothNora and Jesse had died since the birth of these two children.  I havetheir marriage information but have not found their death information. They were married 22 July 1906.
  
  Texas Marriage Index, 1847-2002
  9 306 919  7 22 1906 Parsons, Jessie  Day, Nora, Miss
  (Genealogical record name: Jesse J. Parsons --James Jackson)
  
  Ernest was born in about 1907.  Inez was born in about 1911.  So theparents presumably died in the next 8-9 years.
  
  I see in this census, the birthplaces of Cora's parents have beenrectified back to the earlier report of Father born South Carolina andmother born Illinois.  So I will take this as the correct report.
  
  Maggie is away and presumably married by this time.  In 1930 we findher as widow, head of household, in Montgomery County, Maryland, (justnorth of Washington, DC) and her parents Daniel and Cora living withher.
  
  In the 10 years since the last census, William has gained 11 years,plus he is soon to have another birthday, since this census was inJanuary, and previous years had been in April or June.
  
  The 1920 enumerator spelles the name Mirtice (in 1910) as Myrtis.  Shehas also gained only 8 years since the last census.

Sources

• 1. 1900 Federal Census, Cass County, Texas
  • 16 June, Justice Precinct 3, District 22, page 14A, Hse/Fam #237
• 2. 1880 Federal Census, Cass County, Texas
  • 17 June, Precinct 3, District 12, Page 19 (scan 129), Hse/Fam #169