compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber, October 2022
In correspondence to this compiler, J. Edward Day wrote, two years prior to his death, “At the time I wrote my genealogical compilation in 1959 I had not gotten back further than the Bucks County Christopher. Now I know that his parents were Christopher Day and Elizabeth Gowland, married January 30, 1677 in Easton, Yorkshire England.” There is a baptism in the records of Eston for Christopher Day the son of Christopher & Elizabeth, 22 March 1689, which was thought to be Christopher who migrates to America. However that the entry is followed by the burial of Christopher son of Christopher on 8 July the same year also recorded at Eston. J. Edward Day did a wonderful job tracking the Day heritage but ill never found the burial entry.
The first recorded land purchase we have of a Christopher Day occurred in 1689 in the Province of Pennsylvania within Bucks County. The purchase was from Arthur Cooke for a portion of a 2000 acre survey. The History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania mentions an Arthur Day and Richard Day as landowners in Plumstead, Bucks County that J. Edward Day had not connected to the family either and warrants further research.
The first confirmed record of our ancestor, Christopher Day begins with the purchase of 50 acres of land from Clement and Thomas Dungan in Plumstead Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania in 1708 when Christopher was about 19/20 years of age. On November 6, 1714 The Pennypack Baptist Church of Philadelphia notes the baptismal record of Christopher Day and wife Martha. Several publications incorrectly reference the Church as Pennyback Baptist Church. The Dungans were also members of the church.
Pennypack Baptist Church in northeastern Philadelphia was first known as Lower Dublin Church. The Church was built in 1688 along Pennypack Creek with the elder Thomas Dungan as an early minister for a company of Welsh and Irish Baptists. Pennypack or Pennepek is a Delaware Indian word which translates to water not having a current. Membership grew including meetings in Salem and Burlington in New Jersey. This second baptism of Christopher was possibly as an affirmation. Portions of the church wished Saturday as the Sabbath when Keithians [dissident Friends sometimes called Christian Quakers] merged with Lower Dublin.
Christopher and Martha had six known children. He appears on the 1722 tax list for Bucks County, Pennsylvania and according to J. Edward Day was a witness at a Quaker wedding on 17 March of that year. In 1730 he was appointed assessor and overseer of the poor. In 1731 he paid 21 pounds 6 shillings on his acreage.
Christopher wrote his will 1 September 1746. He left his wife Martha the mansion house, spring house, household goods, two cows, her riding horse, side saddle and warming pan. He set aside 100 perches for a burial ground. He left the orginal 50 acres where son Christopher where he was then living. Matthew received 50 acres off the opposite end of the tract. He made sure that his wife received a sum each year from Christopher as well as fire wood. The residue of this estate went to Matthew. Each of the other children were to receive five pounds. Christopher died March 6, 1748 and was buried in the cemetery about one mile from Cross Keys, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. tk
