Day, David, 1825-1896

David Day was born September 19, 1825 in Burke's Garden, Virginia, where he spent his childhood. In 1846 he moved to Wisconsin where he spent three years working in the mines and spending his evenings in the study of medicine. He attended lectures at the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania during the winter months and graduated in 1849.

Day moved to St. Paul in the Spring of 1849, where he believed the climate would benefit his ailing health. He practiced medicine there for five years before deciding, for health reasons, to go into the drug business, which he maintained on the corner of Third and Cedar streets in St. Paul until 1866. For several years he ran a firm in partnership with J. B. Jenks under the name of Day & Jenks.

Day served in a number of elected offices and political appointments during his years in Minnesota. Governor Ramsey appointed him the county's first register of deeds soon after his arrival in St. Paul in 1849. In 1853, while a temporary resident of Benton county, he was elected to represent that county in the state legislature and was later elected Speaker of the House of Representatives. He also served as state prison inspector, seed wheat commissioner, and commissioner of fisheries. From 1875 until his retirement in 1887, Day was postmaster of St. Paul. He was credited by his contemporaries for many improvements in the postal service and was instrumental in the design of the nation's first return postal card.

Day drew the plans for St. Paul's first courthouse, considered quite progressive in design at the time. When the burgeoning city outgrew this building, Day served as amember of the board of commissioners appointed by the state legislature to superintend the construction of the new courthouse and city hall.

From the guide to the David Day papers., 1849-1928 (bulk 1871-1896)., (Minnesota Historical Society)