Day Family Cemetery, Section 24, Richland Township, Tama County, Iowa
Day, John d. 29 Apr 1872 age 24 y 9 m 19d
Day, Mary A. d. 20 Feb 1872 age 25y 7 m 11d
No Name or Dates- Infant Daughter of John & Mary E.
Day, Henry 2 Dec 1806 – 16 Nov 1858 Father
Day, Phylana 16 Jun 1817 – 14 Nov 1901 Mother
Fry, Clara d. 20 Feb 1881 age 2 weeks Daughter of J. & H. Fry
McKeen, Alphred d. 12 Jul 1865 age 39y 1 m G. A. R.
McKeen, Samuel 30 Apr 1797-30 Jun 1869 age 72y 2m b. ____bury, Me.
McKeen, Asenath 14 Feb 1803-25 Feb 1861 age 58y 11d b. Lovel, Me. Wf of Samuel
Stiles, Stephen A.
9 Apr 1824- 23 Aug 1865 Age 44y 3m 14d b. Stoneham, Me.
Member of Co 128 of the Iowa Volunteers
Stiles, Emery P. d. 10 Aug 1863 age 4y 3m 2d, Son of S. A. & A. Stiles
5 Stones $125.00
1. Henry Day
2. John Day
3. Clara Day
4. J. Day
5. H. Day
Day Cemetery, Richland Township, Section 24.
First recording of cemetery in 1867, one-half acre by Evert
Marten
Land surrounding cemetery owned by Johnny Vajgrt (1617 S. Ankeny
Blvd, Ankeny, IA 50021)
Located forty rods South of 480th Street, three-fourths mile east
of R. Avenue
Cemetery measures 40 feet by 90 feet
Brush killer applied in 1997
5-barb wire and 6 l/2 foot steel posts in 1999
New gates 1999
Stone repaired in Oct 1999
Submitted by Sandra L. Wilkinson-Blandford
Comments
DAY
Henry Day , born 2 Dec 1806, with his wife Phylana Guptill, the daughter of Rice Rovell Guptill born 20 Feb 1793 and Tryphena Fox born 2 Mar 1794 of Fryeburg, Main. Henry and Phylana Day and their children: Noyes A., Zelmon, Eveline and John were listed on the 1850 Census for Fryeburg, Oxford County, Maine. Henry Day died 16 Nov 1858 in Iowa after having three more children: Seth, Henrietta and Harriett. Based on the birth State of his children it appears he brought his family to Iowa between 1852 and 1858. Henry Day is named in the “History of Tama County” as one of Richland Township’s earliest settlers. Also, in the “Town History of Fryeburg, Maine,” 1776 is listed pioneer Moses Day, surveyor of highways and Ebenezer Day, warden, and probably ancestors of Henry Day. There is circumstantial evidence to suggest that Henry Day was the son of Moses Day, Jr. and his wife Susannah McKeen. If the information is correct about Henry Day’s parentage, then he and Samuel McKeen, Jr. (both of whom settled in Richland Township, Tama County, Iowa), as well as Samuel McKeen’s wife Asenath, would have been first cousins.
Henry and Phylana Day’s son, Zelmon Day married Jane Catherine Wilkinson, sister of Robert Wilkinson and daughter of William and Jane Elizabeth (Stewart) Wilkinson. Although the Wilkinson’s are of English descent, they were born in and emigrated from County Donegal, Ireland to the United States on 22 Jul 1834. The Wilkinson family came to Iowa in October, 1849 and is listed in the “History of Tama County” as the earliest settlers of Salt Creek Township. See “Wilkinson Family Cemetery” listing, Salt Creek Township, Tama County, Iowa.
Henry and Phylana Day’s daughter, Eveline Day, married Orin McKeen, the son of Samuel and Asenath McKeen. They had a son, Alphonso L. McKeen born in September 1866. Eveline and Orin are buried in the Haven Cemetery, Richland Township, Tama County.
John Day who died 29 Apr 1872 is the son of Henry and Phylana Day. John’s wife, Mary A.’s surname is presently unknown. Their marriage is not recorded in Tama County, Iowa. Also, their infant daughter’s name is currently unknown and could not be read on her tombstone. John Day age 22, born in Maine, property value $1,600, personal effects $900 and wife Mary, age 18, born in Illinois are listed on the 1870 Census for Richland Township, Tama County, Iowa . It is interesting to note that Mary died on February 20, 1872 and just 68 days later, her husband John also died on April 29, 1872.
FRY
“Jones,” actually James Franklin Fry was born about 1842 in Ohio. His father was also born in Ohio, and his mother was born in Pennsylvania. “Jones” is listed on the 1870 Census, Richland Township, Tama County, Iowa in the household of Phylana Day, widow of Henry Day, as her son-in-law. Also listed is Henrietta (DAY) Fry, daughter, and Phylena Fry, granddaughter age 3, born Iowa.
Clara Fry d. 20 Feb 1881 is the daughter of “Jones” Fry and Henrietta (Day) Fry. They also had another daughter, Cora Fry.
MCKEEN
Samuel McKeen, Jr. born Woodbury, Oxford County, Maine, and died on 30 Jun 1869, appears on the 1860 Census for Richland Township, Tama County, Iowa next door to Phylena Day (who is next door to Robert Wilkinson.) Listed with Samuel is his wife Asenath (McKeen) and their children, Orin, Matilda (McKeen) Stacey, age 21, born Maine, Noyes, age 17, male, born Maine, Jane, age 14, born Maine and F. W., age 1, male [sic], born Illinois. “F. W.” is possibly Frank W., son of Matilda (McKeen) Stacey (later Morrison) or Frances A., the daughter of Samuel L. and Elizabeth (Woodruff) McKeen, and the grandchildren of Samuel and Asenath McKeen.
Asenath (McKeen) McKeen is the daughter of David and Anna (McAllister) McKeen. Anna (McAllister) McKeen born about 1779 on the 1850 Census was living with her son Ephraim in Stoneham, Maine. Anna and Ephraim are living near son Samuel McKeen’s widow, Anna Parker.
Samuel McKeen, Jr. is also listed on the 1850 Census, Division Stoneham, Oxford County, Maine. Here is how all the McKeens are listed: Charlott, age 42, property value $600, Oliver H., age 17, Farmer, Martha, age 12; Samuel , age 52, Farmer, property value $1000, Asenath , age 47, Alfred [Alphred], age 23, Farmer, property value $125, Moses, age 22, Cooper, Samuel, age 20, Emily, age 18, Orin, age 16, male, Persis, age 13, female, Matilda, age 11, Clarisa, age 8, Noyes, age 6, and Jane age 4.
Samuel McKeen, Jr.’s son, Orin McKeen, married Eveline Day, daughter of Henry and Phylana Day on 17 Nov 1861, Tama County, Iowa. Samuel’s daughter, Jane McKeen, married Noyes Day, the son of Henry and Phylana Day.
Alphred McKeen who died 12 Jul 1865 is the son of Samuel and Asenath McKeen.
Matilda (McKeen) Stacey Morrison, daughter of Samuel McKeen, Jr. and Asenath (McKeen), on 23 Sep 1868 attested she personally knew Ann Durgan to be the wife of Stephen A. Stiles and that she was present on 25 Feb 1856 at the birth of their daughter, Minerva M. Stiles.
George McKeen, age 17, born about 1853 in Massachusetts, farm laborer, and Clara McKeen, age 27, Domestic Servant born in Maine are listed on the 1870 Census, Richland Township, Tama County, Iowa in the household of Norris (Noyes) Day, age 29, farmer, property value $3,600, personal effects $1024, born [probably Fryeburg, Oxford County,] Maine. Noyes Day is the son of Henry and Phylana Day. Clara McKeen is actually Clarissa, the sister of Noyes Day’s wife, Jane McKeen. It is not known at this time how George McKeen could be related to the Samuel McKeen family nor the Noyes Day family.
STILES
Stephen A. Stiles, born 9 Apr 1824 in Stoneham, Oxford County, Maine is currently believed to be the same Stephen Stiles, age 24 (born 1826) found on the 1850 Census for Stoneham, Oxford County, Maine. Stephen is listed with his wife Ann (McKeen), age 28, his father Jacob age 64, his brother Luther age 13 and sister Henrietta age 9. Stephen A. Stiles married Mary Ann McKeen on 4 Aug 1850. The marriage was performed by Solomon Heald, Justice of the Peace at Stoneham, Oxford County, Maine. Matilda (McKeen) Stacey Morrison and her brother, Orin McKeen, later of Tama County, Iowa, attended their wedding.
Stephen A. Stiles of North English, Iowa County, Iowa enlisted 15 Aug 1862 at Millersburg, Iowa, as a Private at the age of 38 (born 1824) in Company I, 28th Infantry Regiment Iowa on 13 Sep 1862. He was mustered out on 31 Jul 1865 in Savannah, Georgia with his company at that date with remark “Wounded in battle of Cedar Creek, Virginia October 19, 1864.” Stephen died at home in Richland Township on 23 Aug 1865. His widow, Ann applied for a pension for their minor daughter, Minerva M. Stiles, born 25 Feb 1856. Ann remarried on 8 Jul 1866 in Tama County to William Durgan. Eveline McKeen said she attended the wedding of Ann (McKeen) Stiles to William Durgan on 7 Jul 1866 which was performed by Newton Hiatt, Justice of the Peace at Richland, Tama County, Iowa. Additionally, she and her brother Orin McKeen swore they were present and saw the marriage between Stephen A. Stiles and Ann Durgan on the 4th day of August 1850 at Stoneham, Oxford County, Maine performed by Solomon Heald a Justice of the Peace. A Minor’s Application #157953 was filed by an A. Durgen, for a pension on 24 Feb 1868.
Jacob Stiles, Stephen A. Stiles’ father, was born 31 Mar 1786 in Bridgeton, Cumberland County, Maine, married Olive W. Bryant born on 26 Feb 1797 in Saco, (Pepperellboro) York County, Maine. They were married on 7 Mar 1817 in Otisfield, Oxford County, Maine. After Jacob’s second marriage he was living in Ohio and he moved to a place nearer home, at Bacheller’s Grant (now Stoneham, Oxford County, Maine) March 1821. He was one of the earliest settlers. By summer he had made an opening in the deep forest, and had built a log house. While their new home was being prepared, he and his family found a temporary home with a neighbor, Mr. John McAllister. The log house was occupied for eleven years.
Stephen Stiles’ wife, Mary “Ann” McKeen is probably related to Samuel McKeen Jr., both of Stoneham. There is a record of an Anna McKeen born on 17 Dec 1821, Fryeburg, Oxford County, Maine to parents Samuel McKeen and Cyntha McKeene. Stephen Stile’s wife Ann McKeen is listed as a widow on the 1880 census in Atlantic, Cass County, Iowa with her daughter, Minerva, age 23 born about 1857 in Illinois and her son-in-law Fred Hover, age 31 born about 1849 in New York, a brick mason. Also listed are Stephen’s and Ann’s grandchildren, Herbert and Goldie Hover.
Emery P. Stiles who died 10 Aug 1863 was the son of Stephen A. and Ann (McKeen) Stiles.
Comments were written by Sandra L. Wilkinson-Blandford from research collected by herself as well as other family historians such as Steven McLaughlin, Mary Beth Wheeler, Ina Wilcox, Ruth Ann Dunn, David, descendant of Samuel McKeen, Sr., and family trees at www. rootsweb.com. Sandra lives in San Antonio, Texas and is the Great Great Granddaughter of Robert Wilkinson and Great Great Grandniece of Jane Catherine (Wilkinson) Day, wife of Zelmon Day. Revised on October 20th, 2007.
Mail: Sandra L. Wilkinson-Blandford
158 Bolerio Dr
Universal City, TX 78148
email: blandfos_2000@yahoo.com