Harriet Luzetta Day Arithmetic Book

Harriet Luzetta Day was the sister of my third great grandmother, Cynthia Sears Day.  She was born about 1812 in Industry, Somerset County, Maine, and became a teacher, probably giving up her occupation when she married Rowland Freeman in 1834.  Shown below is an arithmetic book owned by Harriet L. Day which I recently purchased off of eBay – another stroke of genealogical serendipity!

We know that Harriet was raised by her aunt and uncle, Nathaniel Day and Sarah Day, who were both unmarried and lived at home their parents.  Therefore, she would have known both her grandparents, but especially grandmother Sarah (Day) Day, who lived until 1845.  (Harriet would have been about 33 when her grandmother passed away.)

Harriet clearly loved her grandfather, and we know she painted a memorial for him when she was about sixteen years of age.  The arithmetic book gives us another glimpse into Harriet’s life – she dated it 1825, when she was about thirteen years old.

 

It appears this family treasure was likely passed down to Harriet’s grandson, Rowland Pease.  Rowland married Mary Martha Wilson, who was the daughter Harriet L. Maynard.  Included in the book is the teacher’s certificate for Miss Harriet L. Maynard, and three Rewards of Merit for Harriet Maynard, Henry Maynard and Cyrus Maynard.