The first knowledge we possess of our ancestor, Robert Day, commences with his emigration to America, in April, 1634. He was at that time thirty years of age, and was accompanied by his wife Mary, aged twenty eight, as is gathered from the list of passengers of the bark Elizabeth, in which he took passage from Ipswich in England to Boston in New England. He was born therefore about the year 1604. The efforts to trace him beyond this have been unsuccessful, and it is now probable that his parentage and the place of his birth must be to his descendants forever unknown.
On his arrival in this country, he first settled in Newtown, now Cambridge. His wife Mary probably died soon after. He was made freeman May 6, 1635, which shows him to have
belonged to some church in the jurisdiction. In 1639, we find him a resident of Hartford, Conn. of which place he was one of the first settlers. As such his name is found on the monument
erected to their memory in that city. He was probably in the company of one hundred person who, with their pastor, Rev. Mr. Hooker, penetrated through the wilderness in 1636.
For his second wife, he married Editha Stebbins, sister of Dea. Edward Stebbins (or Stebbing) of Hartford, and had four children.
Robert died in Hartford, in 1648, aged 44. From a comparison of the dates of his will,
and of the inventory of his estate, it is evident that his death occurred between May and the middle of October in that year. His widow then married Dea. John Maynard of Hartford, who
died without issue shortly after, leaving all his property, which was considerable, to his wife's children, "provided they carried themselves well towards their mother." For her third husband,
she married in 1658, Elizur Holyoke of Springfield, Mass. grandfather of President Holyoke of Harvard College. To that town she removed with a part of her family, and died there Oct. 24,
1688, having survived her last husband, who died Feb. 6, 1676
Home