Freestone County, Texas Cemeteries William Jackson Day Cemetery (CR 521) (E of Fairfield, NW of Turlington, S of Fairfield Lake State Park) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Source of Information and Surveyed by: Linda & Marvin Mullen April 2010 [WARNING - There are two Day Cemeteries.] Status: Inactive GPS Coordinates: unknown Background: The family cemetery of William Jackson Day. The old William Jackson Day homestead was located about five miles northest of Fairfield near Brown's Creek. School age kids of the area would have attended the Hickory Grove/Jameson school. William Wiley DAY, born in Georgia to John Davis DAY, married Lucretia VANN, daughter of James VANN and Mourning ROBINSON, in Edgefield, SC. (James VANN was a descendant of the famous Scottish-Cherokee Indian Chieftain, James VANN, one of the wealthiest men of his time. The famous old VANN Home is now a tourist attraction near Chatsworth, GA.) William Wiley and Lucretia DAY had a large family in SC; moved to Russell Co., AL about 1845 near Opelika. Their oldest daughter, Harriet, married (1st) David COOPER, in SC. They had two daughters, Lucretia and Martha COOPER. After the death of David COOPER in SC, Harriet and her daughters went to AL to live with her parents. There in 1849, she married (2nd) William Dozier THORNTON, and they had five children. Then in 1856 Harriet (DAY) COOPER died and was buried in AL. Her 7 children by both husbands went to live with their grandparents, William Wiley and Lucretia DAY. For some reason unknown, Wm. Dozier THORNTON never again provided a home for his children. William Wiley DAY and wife, Lucretia, removed to Freestone Co., around 1860 bringing with them 6 of their grandchildren: Lucretia and Martha COOPER; Virginia, Wiley Sanford, John J., and Harriet THORNTON – all single (One of the THORNTON grandchildren, Louisiana Mourning, did not move to Texas with the DAY family but remained in AL with relatives). Also traveling in their caravan were their 6 grown children: John M. and his wife, Mary BOONE and 3 children; William J. and his wife, Sarah TILLMAN and 2 children; James D.-single, and Francis “Frank” M.-single; Ellen and husband, James DeGraffenried MILES and two children; and Louisiana “Lulu Ann” and her husband Thomas J. Miles and 3 children. One daughter, Jane M. and husband John Wesley HOWARD remained in AL and she died in 1860. Another daughter Elizabeth died in August 1858 at age 16 and it is not clear if she passed away before or after their arrival. It also appears from the census records that many of their slaves traveled with them because of the numerous Day and Miles black families listed nearby. They came to Texas between 1850 and 1860 as they show up on the Freestone County Census in 1860. In 1850 they were in Russell County, Alabama. The last grandson born in Alabama was George Washington DAY born 26 Mar 1858. The first grandson born in Texas was William Preston DAY born 3 Feb 1860 and they would not have traveled in the winter time, so they had to have come sometime between those two births, before the winter of 1859-60. William Wiley died only 2 years after they arrived and so most likely begins this cemetery. William Jackson DAY and his father did not live very far from each other on the 1860 Census; therefore, Wm. J. either buried his father on his own land or his father’s. His mother lived until 1881 and shows up on the 1880 Census just a few houses down from her son, William. His brother John M. had moved to the Young community by this time and is buried there in the Rehoboth Cemetery as are several of the COOPER and THORTON grandchildren. Lucretia M. DAY outlived all but 2 of her children, Wm. J. and John M. DAY. This cemetery contains at least 20 unmarked graves and most are likely the members of the immediate family of William Jackson DAY. The fact cannot be overlooked that some of the burials may be slaves. I call this the William Jackson Day Cemetery because his is the central headstone and all those that do have headstones are his direct relations. It is located east of Fairfield on Freestone County Rd 521 on private property near Brown’s Creek. Pilot Knob can be seen in the distance. *1* Rough Location: NE from Fairfield, before Turlington area. East Freestone County, near Fairfield, Texas. Off County Rd 521, Fryer Property. Directions: Go eastward from Fairfield towards Turlington using Hwy 84. Turn left onto County Road 521 (Swan Rd) that travels northward towards the Fairfield Lake State Park. The County Roads deads end at locked gate to the private property of Hugh Fryer. Less than a mile down the old road is the cemetery on top of the hill on the right side of the road. Note - This is a small cemetery. Oldest Marked Grave: 25 Sep 1871 Sarah E. (Tillman) Day ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Pres Day – plain marble headstone with aluminum foot marker with name scratched into metal, no dates William Preston Day, son of William J. Day & Sarah E. Tillman: 3 Feb 1860—24 Jun 1920 2. Lila Day – plain marble headstone with aluminum foot marker with name scratched into metal, no dates Lila Tullus (Williams) Day, wife of William Preston Day: Jan 1866 – 28 Aug 1918 Marriage: 8 Apr 1897, Freestone Co., Texas 3. Tom Miles – Capps Memorial Chapel marker with no dates Albert Thomas “Thomas” Miles, husband of Ida Katherine Day His brother James DeGraffienreid Miles was married to Ellen Day sister of Wm J. Day Jun 1845 – 27 May 1915 *Confederate Veteran: Co. H, Wirt Adams’ Cavalry Regiment, 1st Miss., Wood’s unit The original unit was known as the Lowndes Rangers from Lowndes Co, Alabama 4. UNKNOWN – plain metal marker at head of grave with no name or dates, plain foot marker 5. Willie J. Day – headstone with foot marker: WJD (middle name Jackson) Son of William Jackson Day and Mary Margaret Tillman 30 May 1888 – 10 Oct 1905 “Not lost, blest thought, but gone before, where we shall meet to part no more” 6. UNKNOWN – plain metal marker at head of grave with no name or dates, plain foot maker 7. William Jackson Day – double headstone, with foot marker WJD 20 Apr 1829 – 6 Jul 1888 “Gone from our home, but not from our hearts.” Husband of Sarah E. Tillman, Esther A. Tillman, & Margaret Mary Tillman *Confederate Veteran: Co. H, 28th Reg, Tx Cavalry (Randal’s, 1st Texas Lancers) 8. Sarah E. (Tillman) Day – double headstone, with foot marker SET 28 Jun 1834 – 25 Sep 1871 (middle name Elizabeth) “Wife of WJD” Marriage: 7 Nov 1854 in Alabama 9. Margaret J. Miles – double headstone (broken), with foot marker MJM 28 Dec 1874 – 6 Nov 1876, child of A. T. and I. K. Miles* (middle name Josephine) 10. William A. Miles - double headstone (broken), with foot marker WAM 6 Jan 1877- 3 Oct 1878, child of A. T. an I. K. Miles* (middle name Aquilla) “Not dead but sleepeth.” *Children of Albert Thomas Miles and Ida Katherine Day, grandchildren of Wm. J. Day & Sarah E. Tillman 11. UNKNOWN—plain marble marker that matches headstones 1 & 2 12. UNKNOWN—plain marble marker that matches headstones 1 & 2 13. UNKNOWN—plain marble marker that matches headstones 1 & 2 14. Lewis V. Day – headstone with foot marker: LVD Born and died 12 Dec 1886 “Gone to be an angel” Son of William Jackson Day and Mary Margaret Tillman 15. Pres and Lila Day TWINS –plain metal marker with names scratched in it, no dates. It seems that perhaps it was broken off it’s metal stake and moved. These are presumably the children of markers 1 & 2, Pres and Lila Day; born about 1899. 16. UNKNOWN—ironstone rock --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- KNOWN UNMARKED GRAVES: (Other known burials with no headstones or unlabeled markers). Esther A. (Tillman) Day (1 Dec 1845 – 21 Jul 1878) 2nd wife of Wm. J. Day, married 14 May 1872, Freestone Co, Texas Julius Randolph Day (10 Sep 1866—abt 1885) Son of Wm J. Day and Sarah E. Tillman From Day Family Bible Ida Katherine (Day) Miles (12 Nov 1855 – 4 Mar 1915) Daughter of Wm. J. Day and Sarah E. Tillman Wife of Albert Thomas Miles Mary Margaret (Tillman) Day (11 Jun 1850 – 6 Mar 1926) 3rd wife of Wm. J. Day, married 22 Dec 1878, Freestone Co, Texas Pauleno Doby “Dave” Day (3 Feb 1876 – 5 May 1933) Son of Wm. J. Day and Esther A. Tillman Children of Ida Katherine (Day) and Albert Thomas Miles without headstones: Freestone County History Book Vol I, F574, page 485 Your Inheritance Vol. II by Robbie Lee Gillis Ross The births and deaths of these children were handwritten on a piece of paper by their mother. Paper owned by Juliette Miles Coleman. Of their 9 children only 3 sons lived to adulthood. The children died of Malaria as the family lived in the river bottom land and had little protection from mosquitoes. Sarah Elizabeth Miles (13 Apr 1884 – 25 Nov 1886) George Frank Miles (16 Jul 1887 – 26 Jul 1888) Leila May Miles (1 Jun 1889 – 10 Jun 1893) Ida Ellen Miles (4 Jun 1892 – 25 Jul 1893) *Hubie Fryer remembers someone being buried in this cemetery when he was a child which would have been late 1960s. The name of this individual is unknown. Kathryn (Miles) Davis and Juliette (Miles) Coleman, great granddaughters of Wm. J. Day, have no knowledge of who this might be. There appears to be another 20 unmarked graves as the cemetery was witched by Charles Day of Teague May 4, 2010. Other possible burials would be William Wiley and Lucretia (Vann) Day, the mother and father of William Jackson Day, Elizabeth Day, a sister, and John J. Thornton a nephew that had been living with the grandparents; but so far no one knows the location of their burials. Other possible burials might be Louisiana (Day) and Thomas John Miles a sister and brother-in-law; brothers James D. Day and Francis M. “Frank” Day and a sister-in-law, wife of brother, John M. Day: Mary Boone Day. All of these siblings could have had children that died between census records and were buried here, maybe even neighbors. Many of this Day family are buried in the Antioch Cemetery in the Turlington Community. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- POSSIBLE BURIALS: There appears to be another 20 unmarked graves as the cemetery was witched by Charles Day of Teague May 4, 2010. Other possible burials would be William Wiley and Lucretia (Vann) Day, the mother and father of William Jackson Day, Elizabeth Day, a sister, and John J. Thornton a nephew that had been living with the grandparents; but so far no one knows the location of their burials. Other possible burials might be Louisiana (Day) and Thomas John Miles a sister and brother-in-law; brothers James D. Day and Francis M. “Frank” Day and a sister-in-law, wife of brother, John M. Day: Mary Boone Day. All of these siblings could have had children that died between census records and were buried here, maybe even neighbors. Many of this Day family are buried in the Antioch Cemetery in the Turlington Community. William Wiley Day, father of William Jackson Day *2* 28 Jul 1802 – 12 Feb 1862 from Day Bible records Lucretia (Vann) Day, mother of William Jackson Day (1809 – 27 Jun 1881) from census records, probate records of Lucretia Day’s will Elizabeth Day, sister of William Jackson Day, dau. of W.W. and Lucretia Day 1842—Aug 1858 from Day Bible records (It is not clear if she died in Alabama or in Freestone County as the exact date of their arrival in Texas is not known, if she died after they moved to Freestone County her burial is most likely with her father William Wiley Day. The letters from Walter Wiley Thornton in the 1950s era mention that a younger daughter came with them to Texas who died unmarried. By process of elimination this would have to be Elizabeth.) John J. Thornton, grandson of William Wiley Day and Lucretia (Vann) Day, son of their daughter Harriett who died in 1856 in Alabama 1855—abt 1867 from Thornton Family History by Walter Wiley Thornton Louisiana “Lou Anna” (Day) Miles, sister of William Jackson Day, dau. of W.W. and Lucretia (Vann) Day 1837—abt 1875 She died between the 1870 and the 1880 Census. Last record she did live in Freestone County near her brother and mother in 1870.. Thomas John Miles Husband of Louisiana Day He was a cousin to Albert Thomas Miles that was married to Ida Katherine Day DOB: abt 1834 - from census records DOD: aft 1880 *Confederate Veteran: Co. H, 28th Reg, Tx Cavalry (Randal’s, 1st Texas Lancers) Last record of him is the 1880 census in Denton County, Texas. Their daughter Mattie (Miles) Moore came to live with her aunt & uncle, James D. & Ellen (Day) Miles in Powell, Texas. This was her mother’s sister. Ellen’s husband was also a brother to Albert Thomas Miles that was married to Ida Katherine Day. James D. Miles also served his country as a Captain in the 7th Reg, Tex Inf. (Gregg’s). He and Ellen Day Miles are buried at the Prairie Point Cemetery at Bazette in Navarro County. *3* James D ?. Day *4* Son of WW and Lucretia Day DOB: abt 1838 in South Carolina, age 22 in 1860 DOD: after 1870 before 1884 (There is no mention of the heirs of James Day in his mother’s will, so presumably he died before her will was probated in 1884 and had no heirs.) Frances M. “Frank” Day *5* Son of WW and Lucretia Day DOB: abt 1841 in South Carolina DOD: after 1870 and before 1884 (In his mother’s will it does not mention him or any heirs of Frances/Frank M. Day at the probate date of 1884) *Confederate Veteran: Co. G, 7th Reg, Texas Inf. (Gregg’s ) He was severely wounded on May 12, 1863 and advanced to the rank of Corporal on April 1, 1864. He also served time as a POW. Mary Jane (Boone) Day 1st Wife of John Martin Day (he is buried in Rehoboth) DOB: abt 1838 DOD: aft 1870 before 1873 Their last child was born in 1870 and then John M. Day remarried in 1873 to Mary Louisa (English) Cockerell widow of John Newton Cockerell. John M. and Mary Jane also may have had children die young and be buried in this cemetery. ------------------------------------------ NOTES: Mr. J. F. Day remarried and is buried in the Fairfield Cemetery. ------------------------------------------ FOOTNOTES: *1* Most of the Day history comes from letters written by Walter Wiley Thornton in the late 1950s and the Day family Bible records provided by Kathryn Miles Davis of Fairfield and Charles Day of Teague, TX. Walter Wiley Thornton wrote a family history on the Thornton family which includes information about the Day grandchildren. It is available through Ancestry.com. He turned over all of his research to the Dept. of Archives and History of Montgomery, AL. *2* In A Brief Data on Day, Horn, Owens, Richardson, & Thornton Families dated 1957, Walter W. Thornton relates from an interview with Mamie (Day) Paschall, daughter of John M. Day that she thought William Wiley Day was buried in a private Day family cemetery, near old Rock Springs and near the old John M. Day homeplace. Mr. Thorton also makes mentions of Trinity Chapel in this same paragraph but does not seem to finish his thought. *3* ibid Walter W. Thornton believes from his research that both of these Miles families moved to Powell and lived and died there. If this is true then Louisiana (Day) and Thomas Miles may be buried at Bazette but just do not have markers. *4* ibid Walter W. Thornton writes "James and Francis “Frank” Day died at home in Freestone County as the result of wounds received in the Civil War sometime after the war." However, they were still living at home in 1870 with their mother, so they probably died from some sort of complications of their injuries. *5* ibid