Luther Day
Encyclopedia
Luther Day was a Republican politician in the U.S. State
of Ohio
who was in the Ohio Senate
and a judge on the Ohio Supreme Court 1865–1875.
Luther Day was born at Granville
, Washington County, New York
, and attended common schools. His father died when Luther was twelve, and he worked until age twenty to support the family at a farm and sawmill. In 1835, he entered Middlebury College
in Vermont
, and studied for three years. He moved to Ravenna
, Portage County, Ohio
, studied law under Rufus P. Spalding
, and was admitted to the bar October 8, 1840.
In 1843, Day was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Portage County, but moved to Akron
in 1845 for about a year. On July 24, 1845, Day married Rufus Spalding's daughter, Emily Swift Spalding. Back in Ravenna, he was elected Prosecutor again in 1849. In 1850, he was an unsuccessful Democratic Party candidate for the United States House of Representatives
. In 1851 he was elected Common Pleas Judge
and served two terms.
April 10, 1852, Mrs. Day died, and Day re-married April 26, 1854 to Ellen I. Barnes of Lanesboro, Massachusetts. His second term on the court expired in 1857, and he returned to private practice.
When the American Civil War
started, Day became a Republican. He was appointed Judge Advocate General by governor Tod
. In 1863, he was elected to the Ohio Senate for the 56th General Assembly, but resigned in 1864.
Day resigned his Senate seat because he was elected a judge on the Ohio Supreme Court in 1864. He was re-elected in 1869, but failed at the polls in 1874. In 1875, Governor Allen
appointed him member of the Commission to revise the statutes of the State, and he resigned that position when appointed by Governor Hayes
to the Supreme Court Commission in 1876. He retired from that service, and died at Ravenna in 1886
Day's first wife had three children, including William R. Day
of Canton, Ohio
. His second wife had six children, including Robert H. Day
of Massillon, Ohio
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
who was in the Ohio Senate
Ohio Senate
The Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...
and a judge on the Ohio Supreme Court 1865–1875.
Luther Day was born at Granville
Granville, New York
Granville is a town on the eastern border of Washington County, New York, United States. It is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Washington County, New York
Washington County, New York
Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Glens Falls, New York, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,216. It was named for the Revolutionary War general George Washington...
, and attended common schools. His father died when Luther was twelve, and he worked until age twenty to support the family at a farm and sawmill. In 1835, he entered Middlebury College
Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont, USA. Founded in 1800, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the United States. Drawing 2,400 undergraduates from all 50 United States and over 70 countries, Middlebury offers 44 majors in the arts,...
in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, and studied for three years. He moved to Ravenna
Ravenna, Ohio
* Chris Bangle; automobile designer* Bill Bower, last surviving pilot of the Doolittle Raid* David D. Busch; best-selling author* William Rufus Day; U.S. Supreme Court justice* Calvin Hampton; Classical organist* Robert B...
, Portage County, Ohio
Portage County, Ohio
Portage County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 152,061 at the 2000 Census and 161,419 at the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Ravenna. Portage County is named for the portage between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas Rivers...
, studied law under Rufus P. Spalding
Rufus P. Spalding
Rufus Paine Spalding was a nineteenth century politician, lawyer and judge from Ohio.-Early life:Born in West Tisbury, Massachusetts, Spalding graduated from Yale College in 1817. After graduating, Spalding began his study of law as an apprentice under Zephaniah Swift...
, and was admitted to the bar October 8, 1840.
In 1843, Day was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Portage County, but moved to Akron
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
in 1845 for about a year. On July 24, 1845, Day married Rufus Spalding's daughter, Emily Swift Spalding. Back in Ravenna, he was elected Prosecutor again in 1849. In 1850, he was an unsuccessful Democratic Party candidate for the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. In 1851 he was elected Common Pleas Judge
Ohio Courts of Common Pleas
The Ohio Courts of Common Pleas are the trial courts of the state court system of Ohio.The courts of common pleas are the trial courts of general jurisdiction in the state. They are the only trial courts created by the Ohio Constitution . The duties of the courts are outlined in Article IV, Section...
and served two terms.
April 10, 1852, Mrs. Day died, and Day re-married April 26, 1854 to Ellen I. Barnes of Lanesboro, Massachusetts. His second term on the court expired in 1857, and he returned to private practice.
When the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
started, Day became a Republican. He was appointed Judge Advocate General by governor Tod
David Tod
David Tod was a politician and industrialist from the U.S. state of Ohio. As the 25th Governor of Ohio, Tod gained recognition for his forceful and energetic leadership during the American Civil War....
. In 1863, he was elected to the Ohio Senate for the 56th General Assembly, but resigned in 1864.
Day resigned his Senate seat because he was elected a judge on the Ohio Supreme Court in 1864. He was re-elected in 1869, but failed at the polls in 1874. In 1875, Governor Allen
William Allen (governor)
William Allen was an Democratic Representative, Senator and 31st Governor of Ohio. He moved to the U.S. state of Ohio after his parents died, residing in Chillicothe, Ohio....
appointed him member of the Commission to revise the statutes of the State, and he resigned that position when appointed by Governor Hayes
Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States . As president, he oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the United States' entry into the Second Industrial Revolution...
to the Supreme Court Commission in 1876. He retired from that service, and died at Ravenna in 1886
Day's first wife had three children, including William R. Day
William R. Day
William Rufus Day was an American diplomat and jurist, who served for nineteen years as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.-Biography:...
of Canton, Ohio
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. His second wife had six children, including Robert H. Day
Robert H. Day
thumb|right|250px|circa 1921Robert Henry Day was a Republican lawyer from Massillon, Ohio, United States who served as a judge on the Ohio Supreme Court from 1923 until his death.-Biography:...
of Massillon, Ohio
Massillon, Ohio
Massillon is a city located in Stark County in the U.S. state of Ohio, approximately 8 miles to the west of Canton, Ohio, 20 miles south of Akron, Ohio, and 50 miles south of Cleveland, Ohio. The population was 32,149 at the 2010 census....
.