Born on April 22, 1838, in New York City, Captain John Loquier Day’s early life unfolded against the backdrop of transatlantic migration. His parents, Henry G. and Mary A. Day, embarked on their American journey from Bristol, England, in 1831, eventually settling in New York. The Days raised a large family, totaling nine children, though tragically, two succumbed to infancy.
From a young age, John was immersed in the world of mechanics, apprenticing alongside his father across various sectors, including millwrighting, machine shops, and pattern making. By the age of 22, he secured employment with the government as a journeyman, a position that exempted him from military duty. Two years later, at 24, he ventured into entrepreneurship as a machinist.
In 1860, Captain John L. Day exchanged vows with Mary R. Strobar, the daughter of Francis and Martha A. (Beasley) Strobar, prominent figures from Savannah. The union bore fruit, blessing the couple with four children. However, their familial bliss was marred by the untimely deaths of two sons. John P. tragically passed away in infancy, while Harry G. succumbed to illness in 1884 at the tender age of 17.
In 1867, John L. Day embarked on a new career path, transitioning into the realm of steamboating. Over the ensuing 12 years, he navigated the waters of the Oconee and Ocmulgee rivers, overseeing the operation of three steamboats in conjunction with railroad lines. Notably, Day took a hands-on approach to his trade, personally constructing his vessels and christening them in honor of his beloved children.
The loss of both parents marked a significant turning point in John’s life. In 1854, tragedy struck when his mother fell victim to yellow fever at the age of 43. Subsequently, his father assumed the role of manager for a steamboat line operated by the Georgia company. However, fate dealt another cruel blow in 1858 during a voyage from Augusta to Savannah. A devastating fire engulfed his father’s vessel on the Savannah River, resulting in the destruction of cargo, including 780 bales of cotton and 40 barrels of flour, as reported by The Delaware Gazette in 1859. The harrowing incident forced passengers and crew to abandon ship, with Henry among the unfortunate passengers who perished, unable to swim, in the ensuing chaos.
In 1869, tragedy once again cast its shadow upon the Day family. John’s brother Henry, whom he hadn’t seen in a decade, embarked on a journey from Richmond to Augusta. However, fate took a cruel turn as Henry fell gravely ill aboard the train. Despite John’s timely reunion with his ailing sibling in Augusta, Henry succumbed to brain fever just four days later, passing away at the young age of 27.
The river, synonymous with both livelihood and peril for the Day family, claimed another victim in 1890. Thomas G. Day, a sibling of John and a respected steamboat captain, met his demise in a tragic accident when his vessel collided while navigating the river’s treacherous currents.
Beyond the trials that befell his family, Captain John L. Day distinguished himself as a pillar of the local Methodist Episcopal Church community. Sometime between 1880 and 1885, Captain Day erected an imposing Italianate brick residence, speculated to be the first of its kind in Telfair County, although historical confirmation remains elusive. Notably, the intricate cast iron fence, porch rails, and columns of the home bore resemblance to the rails of a steamboat, a design choice that reflected Captain Day’s background as a machinist, perhaps hinting at his personal involvement in their creation.
On March 9, 1906, Captain John L. Day departed from this world at the age of 67, leaving behind a legacy intertwined with the ebb and flow of the river he once navigated. He and his kin found their final resting place in Laurel Grove Cemetery North in Savannah, their graves a testament to the enduring bonds of family and the indelible mark they left upon their community.
Photography By: Leland Kent of Abandoned Southeast