Day was located in the northwest corner of section 32 of Southern Township, where the north township line crosses the middle fork of Wolf Creek. Here Francis J. Lance lived and ran a country store. Lance and his neighbors petitioned for a post office. The petition was granted but the name Lanceville was not acceptable. The Post Office Department asked for a shorter name. Charles Lance, Francis’ son, named the new post office Day. The name was accepted and the post office was set up in a corner of lance’s Store, December 10, 1897.
Mr. Horace Green of Mount Vernon, a retired Goreville businessman, says, “For a long time I lived in Pulley’s Mill. I was born there. I can remember when the mail was carried on horseback to Carbondale from Pulley’s Mill by way of Lanceville (Day) when there was a post office and a store there; from Lanceville to Wolf Creek, where there was a large store and post office and from Wolf Creek to Cottage Home where there was a store and post office and on to Carbondale.”
Francis Lance lived on a small farm on the high banks of the creek, just south of the store. Some fifteen families lived around the store. The land was small plots. Lanceville was never platted into lots but rather a loose community that had a population of about 75. There was no other business there.
Francis Lance died and his son, Charles, took over the store but did not accept the post office. The post office was closed with the death of Francis on April 10, 1907. Charles was crippled when a boy and had a leg amputated. He devoted all his time to the store, not attempting to farm.
Today some of the old pillar stones upon which the Lance store building sat are set upright along the driveway. The old well that was in front of the store, still stands with its concrete base and four foot vitrified clay tile curb. The sycamore sapling that grew up in the corner of the store is now four feet in diameter.
Charles Lance’s house stood up the hill about fifty yards west of the store. It still stands and is occupied by Jesse Lindsey. Charles Lance’s widow, Mrs. Minnie Lance, lives in Marion.
(Ghost Towns of Southern Illinois, by Glenn J. Sneed, published 1977)