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Thomas Day papers, 1841-1893

 Series
Identifier: MSS 2071 Series 1

Scope and Contents note

From the Collection:

The Thomas Day collection contains Day's journal (1843-1850), an account book (1843-1846), papers, and correspondence relating to his family, most all of which focuses on his LDS mission to England. He served in Lemington, Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, and Leicestershire. Within his mission papers is found several of Day's certificates of ordination to priesthood offices as well as several handbills listing lectures given by Elder Day and his companions.

Dates

  • Other: 1841-1893

Creator

Conditions Governing Access note

Microfilm copies are restricted until 2026 due to the restriction on the contents of folder 12 of the collection.

Conditions Governing Use note

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to publish material from Thomas Day collection must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the Special Collections Board of Curators.

Biographical History

From the Collection:

Thomas Day was born September 2, 1814 in Wolverhampton, Stafford, England. He joined the Methodist Church, eventually becoming a preacher within the group, and married a young widow named Ann Andrus Danks. Day joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) on September 2, 1842 and his wife joined ten days later. He served as a traveling LDS missionary in Leamington, Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire and Leicestershire, England between 1843 and 1849. While he was serving as a missionary, Day’s wife and only child died.

Day immigrated to the United States in 1850 on the Josiah Bradlee, having been ordained by Orson Pratt to preside over the emigrating members of the Church. He remarried and settled in Springville, Iowa, until he immigrated to the Salt Lake Valley in 1852. He was present in Salt Lake City at the groundbreaking of the Salt Lake Temple on February 14, 1853. After moving to Utah he served as a missionary to the Salmon River Indian mission in Idaho.

Following the exodus southward from Salt Lake City due to the threat of the approaching U.S. Army in 1858, Day remained in Spanish Fork and assisted in preliminary efforts to lay out orchards in the area. In Spanish Fork he served as Teacher, School Trustee, member of the City Council, Ward Teacher, and Water Master. By 1863 Day had entered into the practice of polygamy and one of his two wives died in that year. He volunteered to move to the Muddy River area in Southern Utah as part of colonizing effort in that region.

Returning from this experience, he settled in St. George with his one wife and six children and found work as a sheepherder in Kanarra. He married a widow in St. George and also became one of the laborers in the newly finished St. George temple. Due to health problems, Day moved to Circle Valley, Piute County, in 1877. Day died in Circleville on January 6, 1893.

Extent

7 folders

Language of Materials

English

Other Finding Aids note

A more detailed finding aid is available in print in the repository.

Other Finding Aids

Item-level inventory available online. http://files.lib.byu.edu/ead/XML/MSS2071.xml

Repository Details

Part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Repository

Contact:
1130 HBLL
Brigham Young University
Provo Utah 84602 United States