Day, Thomas

1801 – He was born this year in Virginia to a free black mother.

1817 – He and his family had moved from Virginia to Warren County, North Carolina, east of Caswell County.

1820 – He was baptized into the Baptist faith. However, it was a Methodist minister by the name of Gardner who recognized his talent.

1823 – He moved to North Carolina. Within a decade, he had established himself as one of the state's pre-eminent furniture craftsmen and entrepreneurs.  He had relocated to Milton by this year.

1830 – He married Aquilla Wilson in Halifax County, Virginia, on  the 6th day of  January this year.

1848 – He purchased the Union Tavern in Milton, which was then 30 years old.

1850 – Later this year, Day's business suffered financial setbacks.

1857 – It caused widespread financial difficulties from which Day did not escape.

1859 – His business was in receivership, and the court named his friend and business partner Dabney Terry as trustee for the property. The court gave him until December of this year to settle is accounts.

1861 – Thomas Day disappeared from the Milton public records, and it is possible that he died that year.