The Day Chronology

1842: Born in New York on the banks of the Mohawk but came to maturity in New Haven, CT., where his father ran a book exchange.

1868: On the road as agent with Billy Arlington and his Arlington Minstrels in and around the Chicago area.

1869-70: Agent with the actress-manageress Laura Keene’s company at the Chestnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, opening September 20. The run was followed with a tour of the East and Midwest.

1870: Published his book Fun in Black; or Sketches of Minstrel Life.

1871: Agent for Newcomb & Arlington Minstrels, N.Y.C. Correspondent for Sporting Times and contributor to the Sunday Mercury.

1872: Published “Humors of Show Life,” New York Clipper, February 10; “Wandering Showmen,” New York Clipper, March 9; “The Fakir,” New York Clipper, April 6; “Sawdust,” New York Clipper, April 13; “Barnum on the Tented Field,” New York Clipper, July 6; “With Tights and Spangles,” New York Clipper, July 13; “In Winter Quarters,” New York Clipper, August 10; “Showmen and Their Troubles,” New York Clipper, August 31; “At the Dramatic Agency,” New York Clipper, November 23; “Ancient and Modern Troubadours,” New York Clipper, December 14; “On the Road,” New York Clipper, December 28.

1873: Published “The One-Man Show,” New York Clipper, January 25; “Seeing Tony Pastor,” New York Clipper, March 22; “‘Dried Up!’ An Idyll of Oil Creek,” New York Clipper, November 29.

1873-74: Spent the winter season composing press releases for Sharpley, Sheridan & Mack’s Minstrels, N.Y.C.

1874: Published “Room No. 1, or A Night with the Circus Folks,” New York Clipper, April 18.

1872-75: Was introduced to circus press agentry with a four season employment on the John H. Murray Circus, where he coined the phrase, “Refined Gold Needs No Gilding.”

1875: Published “Sam Sharpley the Minstrel,” New York Clipper, July 3.

1876: Agent with L. B. Lent’s New York Circus. That year Day directed a rat bill at the Cooper & Bailey organization which declared, “Thirty scoundrels who feared the light of day had in the darkness of night and on the Sabbath Day circulated vile, slanderous and libelous literature, stating that the New York Circus had been quarantined on account of a small pox epidemic and would not exhibit as advertised.”

1876: Published “Between The Acts in the Greenroom,” New York Clipper, October 28.

1877: Director of Publications with John O’Brien’s Six Separate Shows Consolidated.

1878: Agent with D. W. Stone’s Grand Circus and Musical Brigade, which went to the barn early when the show failed to attract. Agent with W. C. Coup’s Equescuricculum following the preceding engagement. One of Day’s rat bills directed at an intruding rival sharply stated, “VanAmburgh Show Dissected! Post-Mortem of a Galvanized Corpse.”

1879-81: Agent with Adam Forepaugh’s Circus. Wrote every line of a 16 page newspaper, the Adam Forepaugh Illustrated Feature Journal, which included something of interest for every member of the household - helpful hints, poems, recipes, remedies for common ailments, and a children’s section. Is credited with the idea for Forepaugh’s $10,000 Beauty Contest and the pre-arranged selection of actress Louise Montague as the winner. First brought out for the season of 1881, her appearance with the show was profitable for Forepaugh. Day’s street pageant, “Lalla Rookh’s Departure from Delhi,” with Miss Montague paraded atop the famous elephant, was a press agent’s dream. Day was acknowledged for this contribution in a display ad within the December 17 New York Clipper of that year:

HONOR TO WHOM HONOR IS DUE, THERE THE CREDIT BELONGS. To Managers, the Profession and the Public. During the summer of 1880, MR. CHARLES H. DAY of my staff suggested for an attraction for the season of 1881 the spectacular pageant of Lalla Rookh DEPARTING FROM DELHI with the HANDSOMEST WOMAN IN THE WORLD as the heroine. To that end I was induced by MR. DAY to advertise for The Loveliest Lady in the Land, offering a premium of $10,000 and inviting that photographs be submitted by contestants. The scheme was developed under MR. DAY’S personal direction, and in due time the award was made...... etc.
1879: Edited “A Clown’s Log,” New York Clipper, February 14, 21, 28. Published “Recollections and Reflections of a Retired Gymnast,” New York Clipper, November 29.

1880: Published “The Eventful Career of Levi J. North,” New York Clipper, March 6.

1882: Agent with Cooper & Jackson, Charles F. Cooper and Lyman A. Jackson, proprietors.

1883: Published “Bruce’s Parlor Circus and Royal Melange, an Old-time Agent’s First Managerial Experience,” New York Clipper, March 17. Agent with Forepaugh & Adams’ “Humpty Dumpty” Troupe, as announced in September.

1884: Agent with the Barnum & London Combined Shows, a merging of James A. Bailey’s, and P. T. Bamum’s circuses. Began his weekly column, “Sawdust,” for the Sporting and Theatrical Journal. Published “The Lost Opera House,” New York Dramatic Mirror, December 27.

1884-85: Wintered with Daniel Herzog’s Museum, Washington, DC., resigning February 14, 1885.

1885: Is honored by Herzog’s Museum, New York Clipper, February 28. Agent with VanAmburgh [Hyatt Frost], Charles Reiche & Brother. In a flyer announcing the shows 25-cent policy, Day added, “Blood on the face of the moon - war declared against VanAmburgh’s Circus because it exhibits for 25 cents.” Published “Circus Managers,” Providence Sunday Telegram, May 17.

1886: Agent with Sells Bros.’ Enormous Railroad Shows, which purported a “1st Trans-Continental Tour” and featured the clowning of Billy Burke and the equestrian feats of Willie Sells, William Gorman and Pauline Lee. His father, James B. Day, died on May 20, at his residence near Lake Whitney, Whitneyville, CT, where in late years he had been in the grocery and boat rental business. Following, Day went to New York to settle the estate as executor of the will.

1887: A return to Adam Forepaugh’s Circus, with debut performances for Adam Forepaugh, Jr.’s “Blondin,” the plank-walking horse, and the introduction of the sharp shooting act of Capt. A. H. Bogardus and Sons. Took an ad in the New York Clipper, July 2:

“UNMASKED! TO THE PRESS, MANAGERS AND BROTHER AGENTS. At my solicitation MR. ADAM FOREPAUGH gave temporary employment to one JOHN J. FOSTER, who at the end of the period for which he was engaged STABS ME IN THE BACK and assails MR. FOREPAUGH, proving himself unworthy of anyone’s confidence.”
Published a book in five chapters, advertised as “ready April 4,” Young Adam Forepaugh, Elephant Trainer, selling for 25 cents (postal notes preferred, 1 and 2 cent stamps accepted).

1888: Began contributing to The San Francisco Music and Drama. Published “The Wild Man of Alaska,” New York Clipper, January 7; “The Lion Tamer’s Mother-in-Law, a Tragic Story in One Chapter,” New York Clipper, January 21; “In the Minstrels’ Dressing Room,” New York Clipper, May 12; “Blood on the Face of the Moon!” New York Clipper, June 16; “Excommunicated,” New York Clipper, July 7. Believed to have been agent for W. S. Cleveland’s Magnificent, minstrel company, beginning in September.

1889: Published “C.O.D., $23.50, or An Advance Agent’s Revenge,” New York Clipper, June 15.

1892: Published “Concerning a Certain Circus Clem, Including a Romantic Relation,” New York Clipper, November 5.

1897: Published “Cage 50,” New York Clipper, December 4.

1898: Published “The Fat of the Land,” New York Clipper, May 7.

1899: Published “Whoa, January,” New York Clipper, July 8. Began a series of stories for The Home Magazine with “Tales of the Old Circus Man.”

1900: Published “The Menagerie’s Mascot,” New York Clipper, January 6. Serialized a story for Golden Hours, “VanAmburgh, Elephant Performer and Lion Trainer.”

1901: Published “The Invented Advertisement,” Billboard, March 23; “The Elephant as an Advertisement,” Billboard, March 23; “Taking One’s Own Medicine,” Billboard, April 6; “Shop Talk,” Billboard, May 4; “Making Much of Music,” Billboard, May 11; “Considering and Concerning the Children,” Billboard, May 18. At 59 years of age, he married 23 year old Gertrude H. Garvey.

1903: Published “The Landlord Plays Santa Clause,” New York Clipper, December 5.

1904: Published “Happy Days at the St. Charles,” Billboard, November 5; “The Only Original Sam Johnson,” Billboard, November 5.

1905: Published “The Press Agent’s Antiquity,” New York Dramatic Mirror, November 25.

1906: Contributed short biographies of circus notables to the Barnum & Bailey Annual Route Book. Published “History of American Circus and Tented Exhibitions,” Billboard, December 29; January 5, 1907.

1907: Published “Fakirs, Freaks and Frauds,” Billboard, May 11; “Charles Stowe, Circus Writer,” Billboard, August 31; “Prominent Circus Managers,” Billboard, September 7. Died of erysipelas at the hospital in New Haven, CT, October 3, age 65. He left a brother, William, residing in Whitneyville, CT. Published posthumously “The Intelligence of the Old-time Circus Manager,” Billboard, November 9.


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William L. Slout and Circus Historical Society, Inc.