Chapter 17

EDMUND DAY, LOCAL BUSINESS LEADER

    Edmund Day was a prominent pro Union sympathizer at the time of the Civil War. His role as a private citizen in Seymour during that struggle would entitle him to a place in Seymour's history, regardless of his personal achievements in local business. His business success and his leadership in the growing economy of Seymour adds to his stature as an historic citizen of Seymour. Among his many interests were manufacturing, banking and community development of public facilities.
    Edmund's life story is closely intertwined with that of his three brothers. Their parents were Julius and Lois (Goodyear) Day. Mr. Day traced his ancestry back to Robert and Mary Day, who came from Ipswich, England to America in April 1634 on the bark Elizabeth. They were part of a group of about 100 followers of the Rev. Thomas Hooker. They landed at Boston and settled for a time in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 1636 the company walked through the forests to Hartford and settled there. Julius Day was a farmer who resided in West Springfield, where his four children were born. There was one daughter, Lois Ann, who was born in March, 1834, and three sons. The sons were Austin Goodyear, born November 24, 1824; Henry Perdy, born March 12, 1829; and Edmund, born December 12, 1831. The business interests of the three brothers in Seymour were intertwined and no account of any one of the brothers can leave out the roles played by the other two.
    Edmund attended school in West Springfield, and graduated from Westfield Academy. He entered Yale University but stayed only five months, when he left the school to go into business with his brother Henry in Seymour.
    The H. P. & E. Day Company, Incorporated was founded in 1852, when Edmund was 21 years old and his brother Henry was 23 years old. From this beginning, the men were to attain high standing in the business community, with