St. Paul daily globe., 1896-03-09

in the immediate past, but up to within
few years no citizen of st. Paul was
more active In all that had to do with
st. PauPs official or business welfare,
nor none more loyal to the home of his
adoption than the pioneer who went
to his long home last night
Born in Virginia in 1926, with the at
tainment of his majority, young David
came to the lead regions of Wisconsin,
where he spent three years in mining
and taking up the study of medicine in
the winters. He completed the course
in the medical department of the Uni
versity Of Pennsylvania, graduating in
1849. The same persistent spirit that
characterized these early years was OBJ
served through all his life, and no
doubt had much to do with the success
which was his share in every branch
of life which he entered 1t was in the
spring of 1849, May 6, that the young
physician, new graduate, came to ST.
Paul Only one physician was here
ahead Of him, DR.. j. J. Dewey, who is
left by DR.. Days death the only mem
Der Of the profession to connect the
'40's and the '90's. DR.. Day was sue
cessful in his profession, but in 1854 re-
linquished it for the kindred calling of
the druggist.
Soon after his arrival in ST. Paul, he
entered political and official life being
appointed the first register of deeds for
Ramsey county. He it was who re-
corded the deed, and it remains in the
records to this day, in his own writing
as in fact are the entire number con-
tanned in the volume that started then.
Later, In the same year, DR.. Day was
elected to the position which he had
previously held by appointment, and
held it until 1851. He left st. Paul for
a few years then, and in 1852 and 1858
was in the state legislature as repre-
sentative from Benton county, where
he was then making his residence.
While in that body he was elected
speaker. In 1866 Dr. Day retired from
his drug BUSINESS, being appointed
state prison inspector, and in 1874 he
was seed wheat commissioner and
commissioner of fisheries. On June l,
1875, he was appointed postmaster, a
position which he held until 1887 with
great credit.
DR.. Day was also a member of the
commission which built the present
court house and city hall, and the bells
which ring out the hours from the
belfry of that structure bear in their
lasting metal the name of DIR. Day
among others of his companions. 1t Is
an interesting coincidence that he, who
as chairman of the late board, laid
the corner stone of the present impos-
ing structure, should have been the
man who, thirty years before, drew the
plan for the original county structure,
receiving therefor the munificent fee
of $40. Perhaps it was the recollection
of those earlier days, when st. Pauls
dignity was less difficult to sustain,
architecturally speaking, that inspired
him to such indefatigable efforts to in
sure for St. Paul and the county now
a building which should be in every
way credit to the community, the
majesty of the government. and the
prudence of it's builders. Happy indeed
was DR.. David Day, when. on the 14th
| Of October, 1885, he stood by the corner
stone of that handsome structure, and
read to the assembled multitude, his
tory of the old court house and the
new, not less interesting than the beau
tiful Masonic rites with which the
stone was laid in place. And happier
still was he, when at last, the structure
was finished, and the city and county
governments were housed for the first