Barney Day was the son of Benjamin Bonnell and Roxana (Purdy) Day and grandson of Stephen and Mary/Polly (Bonnell) Day of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He married Sophronia Neff, Dec. 24, 1857 in Vermilion, Edgar Co., Illinois.
Barney served in the Civil War and enlisted March 7, 1861 from Catlin, Illinois. April 25, 1861, he served in Co., G, Illinois 8th Infantry Regiment and mustered out on July 25, 1861. On Aug. 28, 1861, he enlisted in Co., D 35th Infantry Regiment, Illinois and Mustered out on Sept. 27, 1864, at Springfield, Illinois. In Sept. of 1868 he was a Civilian Scout for Col. George Alexander Forsythe and witnessed the Battle of Beecher Island. He applied for a pension on July 1, 1870.
Before 1875, he and his wife, Sophronia, built a cabin in Middle Park, Grand Co., in the Colorado Basin, and had a son Barney Hulse (Judd) Day. It is said he was the first white child born there. He was their only child.
Barney, a sheep rancher, was a well known and trusted settler. He was instrumental in the founding of social and government policies in Grand County. As a result he was appointed as a County Commissioner in 1882. Shortly after his appointment, he found himself caught-up in a "nasty fallout" from an election in Grand County. Things had become a personnel vendetta by his adversaries resulting in his death.
Early in the morning of July 4, 1883, after having breakfast at Mary J. Young's Fairview House, Commissioner Barney Day, along with Attorney Edward P. Weber and County Clerk Thomas J. Dean, were walking along side by side, near the "old Anderson Cabin," to go to a commissioner's meeting, when Edward Weber said, "Oh! I am shot," he had been shot through the Lungs. Thomas Dean said later that he had heard a shot from either a pistol or rifle but couldn't say for sure which. The three had been ambushed by three or four masked men who jumped out from behind some boulders around Grand Lake and "shot them down in the first round of fire." As Edward Weber started to go down after being shot, Barney and Thomas Dean "caught hold" of him and let him down. He had been shot by John Gillis Mills. Barney managed to get four shots off before he fell face down in Grand Lake with a bullet in his heart. He had killed one of the masked men, who turned out to be Commissioner John Gillis Mills, with a bullet through his head and hit a second man. Thomas Dean was severely wounded in the hip and head and only lived for nine days, but was able to give the only eyewitness account of the shooting before he died. The other ambushers, who managed to get on their horses and ride away, were County Sheriff Charles Royer and Under-sheriff William Redman. Mann Redman, Williams brother, was suspected of being the fourth ambusher but could not be positively identified. Ambusher Charles Royer, two weeks after the incident, committed suicide after admitting to killing Barney Day. Ambusher William Redman was also seriously wounded in the shooting. No one was ever arrested.
From the Coshocton Democrat - July 17, 1883, pg.3, col.3
Obituary:
"Barney Day, who as a young man was well-known in and about Roscoe many years ago, was killed recently at Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado. He was a member of the Board of County Commissioners of Grand Co., Col., at the time of the tragedy. The two other commissioners and the county clerk were assassinated at the same time. Two of them were instantly killed and the others fatally wounded. Some official action taken by the Board, it is supposed, provoked the assassination."
Barney served in the Civil War and enlisted March 7, 1861 from Catlin, Illinois. April 25, 1861, he served in Co., G, Illinois 8th Infantry Regiment and mustered out on July 25, 1861. On Aug. 28, 1861, he enlisted in Co., D 35th Infantry Regiment, Illinois and Mustered out on Sept. 27, 1864, at Springfield, Illinois. In Sept. of 1868 he was a Civilian Scout for Col. George Alexander Forsythe and witnessed the Battle of Beecher Island. He applied for a pension on July 1, 1870.
Before 1875, he and his wife, Sophronia, built a cabin in Middle Park, Grand Co., in the Colorado Basin, and had a son Barney Hulse (Judd) Day. It is said he was the first white child born there. He was their only child.
Barney, a sheep rancher, was a well known and trusted settler. He was instrumental in the founding of social and government policies in Grand County. As a result he was appointed as a County Commissioner in 1882. Shortly after his appointment, he found himself caught-up in a "nasty fallout" from an election in Grand County. Things had become a personnel vendetta by his adversaries resulting in his death.
Early in the morning of July 4, 1883, after having breakfast at Mary J. Young's Fairview House, Commissioner Barney Day, along with Attorney Edward P. Weber and County Clerk Thomas J. Dean, were walking along side by side, near the "old Anderson Cabin," to go to a commissioner's meeting, when Edward Weber said, "Oh! I am shot," he had been shot through the Lungs. Thomas Dean said later that he had heard a shot from either a pistol or rifle but couldn't say for sure which. The three had been ambushed by three or four masked men who jumped out from behind some boulders around Grand Lake and "shot them down in the first round of fire." As Edward Weber started to go down after being shot, Barney and Thomas Dean "caught hold" of him and let him down. He had been shot by John Gillis Mills. Barney managed to get four shots off before he fell face down in Grand Lake with a bullet in his heart. He had killed one of the masked men, who turned out to be Commissioner John Gillis Mills, with a bullet through his head and hit a second man. Thomas Dean was severely wounded in the hip and head and only lived for nine days, but was able to give the only eyewitness account of the shooting before he died. The other ambushers, who managed to get on their horses and ride away, were County Sheriff Charles Royer and Under-sheriff William Redman. Mann Redman, Williams brother, was suspected of being the fourth ambusher but could not be positively identified. Ambusher Charles Royer, two weeks after the incident, committed suicide after admitting to killing Barney Day. Ambusher William Redman was also seriously wounded in the shooting. No one was ever arrested.
From the Coshocton Democrat - July 17, 1883, pg.3, col.3
Obituary:
"Barney Day, who as a young man was well-known in and about Roscoe many years ago, was killed recently at Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado. He was a member of the Board of County Commissioners of Grand Co., Col., at the time of the tragedy. The two other commissioners and the county clerk were assassinated at the same time. Two of them were instantly killed and the others fatally wounded. Some official action taken by the Board, it is supposed, provoked the assassination."
Barney Day was the son of Benjamin Bonnell and Roxana (Purdy) Day and grandson of Stephen and Mary/Polly (Bonnell) Day of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He married Sophronia Neff, Dec. 24, 1857 in Vermilion, Edgar Co., Illinois.
Barney served in the Civil War and enlisted March 7, 1861 from Catlin, Illinois. April 25, 1861, he served in Co., G, Illinois 8th Infantry Regiment and mustered out on July 25, 1861. On Aug. 28, 1861, he enlisted in Co., D 35th Infantry Regiment, Illinois and Mustered out on Sept. 27, 1864, at Springfield, Illinois. In Sept. of 1868 he was a Civilian Scout for Col. George Alexander Forsythe and witnessed the Battle of Beecher Island. He applied for a pension on July 1, 1870.
Before 1875, he and his wife, Sophronia, built a cabin in Middle Park, Grand Co., in the Colorado Basin, and had a son Barney Hulse (Judd) Day. It is said he was the first white child born there. He was their only child.
Barney, a sheep rancher, was a well known and trusted settler. He was instrumental in the founding of social and government policies in Grand County. As a result he was appointed as a County Commissioner in 1882. Shortly after his appointment, he found himself caught-up in a "nasty fallout" from an election in Grand County. Things had become a personnel vendetta by his adversaries resulting in his death.
Early in the morning of July 4, 1883, after having breakfast at Mary J. Young's Fairview House, Commissioner Barney Day, along with Attorney Edward P. Weber and County Clerk Thomas J. Dean, were walking along side by side, near the "old Anderson Cabin," to go to a commissioner's meeting, when Edward Weber said, "Oh! I am shot," he had been shot through the Lungs. Thomas Dean said later that he had heard a shot from either a pistol or rifle but couldn't say for sure which. The three had been ambushed by three or four masked men who jumped out from behind some boulders around Grand Lake and "shot them down in the first round of fire." As Edward Weber started to go down after being shot, Barney and Thomas Dean "caught hold" of him and let him down. He had been shot by John Gillis Mills. Barney managed to get four shots off before he fell face down in Grand Lake with a bullet in his heart. He had killed one of the masked men, who turned out to be Commissioner John Gillis Mills, with a bullet through his head and hit a second man. Thomas Dean was severely wounded in the hip and head and only lived for nine days, but was able to give the only eyewitness account of the shooting before he died. The other ambushers, who managed to get on their horses and ride away, were County Sheriff Charles Royer and Under-sheriff William Redman. Mann Redman, Williams brother, was suspected of being the fourth ambusher but could not be positively identified. Ambusher Charles Royer, two weeks after the incident, committed suicide after admitting to killing Barney Day. Ambusher William Redman was also seriously wounded in the shooting. No one was ever arrested.
From the Coshocton Democrat - July 17, 1883, pg.3, col.3
Obituary:
"Barney Day, who as a young man was well-known in and about Roscoe many years ago, was killed recently at Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado. He was a member of the Board of County Commissioners of Grand Co., Col., at the time of the tragedy. The two other commissioners and the county clerk were assassinated at the same time. Two of them were instantly killed and the others fatally wounded. Some official action taken by the Board, it is supposed, provoked the assassination."
Barney served in the Civil War and enlisted March 7, 1861 from Catlin, Illinois. April 25, 1861, he served in Co., G, Illinois 8th Infantry Regiment and mustered out on July 25, 1861. On Aug. 28, 1861, he enlisted in Co., D 35th Infantry Regiment, Illinois and Mustered out on Sept. 27, 1864, at Springfield, Illinois. In Sept. of 1868 he was a Civilian Scout for Col. George Alexander Forsythe and witnessed the Battle of Beecher Island. He applied for a pension on July 1, 1870.
Before 1875, he and his wife, Sophronia, built a cabin in Middle Park, Grand Co., in the Colorado Basin, and had a son Barney Hulse (Judd) Day. It is said he was the first white child born there. He was their only child.
Barney, a sheep rancher, was a well known and trusted settler. He was instrumental in the founding of social and government policies in Grand County. As a result he was appointed as a County Commissioner in 1882. Shortly after his appointment, he found himself caught-up in a "nasty fallout" from an election in Grand County. Things had become a personnel vendetta by his adversaries resulting in his death.
Early in the morning of July 4, 1883, after having breakfast at Mary J. Young's Fairview House, Commissioner Barney Day, along with Attorney Edward P. Weber and County Clerk Thomas J. Dean, were walking along side by side, near the "old Anderson Cabin," to go to a commissioner's meeting, when Edward Weber said, "Oh! I am shot," he had been shot through the Lungs. Thomas Dean said later that he had heard a shot from either a pistol or rifle but couldn't say for sure which. The three had been ambushed by three or four masked men who jumped out from behind some boulders around Grand Lake and "shot them down in the first round of fire." As Edward Weber started to go down after being shot, Barney and Thomas Dean "caught hold" of him and let him down. He had been shot by John Gillis Mills. Barney managed to get four shots off before he fell face down in Grand Lake with a bullet in his heart. He had killed one of the masked men, who turned out to be Commissioner John Gillis Mills, with a bullet through his head and hit a second man. Thomas Dean was severely wounded in the hip and head and only lived for nine days, but was able to give the only eyewitness account of the shooting before he died. The other ambushers, who managed to get on their horses and ride away, were County Sheriff Charles Royer and Under-sheriff William Redman. Mann Redman, Williams brother, was suspected of being the fourth ambusher but could not be positively identified. Ambusher Charles Royer, two weeks after the incident, committed suicide after admitting to killing Barney Day. Ambusher William Redman was also seriously wounded in the shooting. No one was ever arrested.
From the Coshocton Democrat - July 17, 1883, pg.3, col.3
Obituary:
"Barney Day, who as a young man was well-known in and about Roscoe many years ago, was killed recently at Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado. He was a member of the Board of County Commissioners of Grand Co., Col., at the time of the tragedy. The two other commissioners and the county clerk were assassinated at the same time. Two of them were instantly killed and the others fatally wounded. Some official action taken by the Board, it is supposed, provoked the assassination."
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