FAMILY ALBUM

A Missionary Life:
Rev. J. Wesley Day
China, Malaysia, Indonesia

Scrapbook: Family Album

When Wesley Day was born in 1910, he completed a family of four boys born to Roby and Vivia Day. He stepped into a family that had been in the making since Roby Franklin Day (1872-1964) was born to Jackson (1830-1883) and Survila Ann Beall (1831-1882)Day, and Rachel Vivia Cochel Walker (1874-1957) was born to George Washington Wesley (1837-1915) and Rachel Browning Purdum (1835-1910)Walker.

Wesley's father Roby had grown up on the "Silent Valley" farm, bottom land to the north west of Damascus, Maryland, until his parents had died when he was 10. Wesley's mother Vivia had grown up on the Walker Farm in Browningsville, which her father, a farmer, music teacher, and organ seller, had named "Mendelssohn Terrace". Both Wesley's parents had grown up in large families -- each was was the second youngest of ten -- and Wesley had over a hundred first cousins. Even though Wesley grew up in Inwood, Long Island, his life was full of visits with his Maryland aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Vivia's parents, George Washington Wesley Walker and Rachel Browning Purdum Walker, about 1860 and 1870. Scan by James Roby Day, Jr.

Sisters, about 1890. Vivia's sister Rosa Bell (1870-1891), who died when she was 21. Roby's sister Vivia Burdette (1874-1950). Scan by James Roby Day, Jr.

Harry D. Purdum was Vivia's first cousin; Harry's father William Henry Harrison "Billie" Purdum (1841-1923) was her uncle. This photo, at about the time of the Spanish-American War, was made into a postcard and sent to Vivia in Browningsville in 1898. Scan by James Roby Day, Jr.

On December 4th, 1900, Wesley's parents were married in Browningsville. The church had been decorated, but an enormous rain storm made a church wedding impossible. They had been engaged for seven years, from the time Roby had first entered Western Maryland College, in Westminster, and now he had completed both college and seminary. They had no desire to wait longer, and the minister came to Mendelssohn Terrace to marry them. Hours or perhaps days later, they celebrated with a dinner at Silent Valley. The photo is damaged; another couple on the left is obsucred by a burn mark. Roby and Vivia are in the upper right corner as you view the photo. Scan by James Roby Day, Jr.

Around the time of their wedding, Roby (28) and Vivia (26) had a chance to sit in a carnival booth where you would drop in a coin and sit while the camera took a series of photos. Clearly, they were having a good time. Scan by James Roby Day, Jr.

In 1910, when Wesley was born, 36 year old mother Vivia posed with all four of her boys. From left to right, Stick (Stockton Elderdiced), Chapin (Chapin Walker), Roby (James Roby), and Wesley (Jackson Wesley). Scan by James Roby Day, Jr.

Bradley Purdum was a younger brother of H. D. Purdum and thus another of Vivia's first cousins. The notation on back of the photo records his untimely death in an auto accident while visiting in New Jersey. Scan by James Roby Day, Jr.

Vivia's closest sister in age was named Parepa -- Parepa Wesley Weed Walker to be complete. Here she poses with her nephew, Wesley's brother, James Roby Day, about 1912. Scan by James Roby Day, Jr.

A little after 1914; Vivia and Parepa look about 40. Scan by James Roby Day, Jr.

Roby and Vivia on a visit, probably in the 1920's, location unknown, children in the photo unknown. Some might be theirs; the little girl of course is not.