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Michael Joyce

Also spelled Joice 

 

Born: 12 Jan 1834, Headford?, County Galway, Ireland

 

Parents: Miles Joyce/Joice and Hannah unknown

All legal documents list last name as Joice (Kate’s birth certificate, Mary’s marriage certificate and Hannah’s marriage certificate), otherwise census sporadically spells name Joyce.

 

Siblings:  John,  Hannah/Annie,  Mary Ann,  Patrick,  James,  Richard

 

Marriage: to Katherine “Kate” O’Connor 1858 Ireland

 

Children: Margaret  (died between 1863-68 in Kentucky),  Hannah (1859-1937),  Mary Francis,  Katherine “Kate”

 

Death: 7 Jun 1911, Edgerton, WI. Buried St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Edgerton, WI

 

 

Obituary from The Edgerton Tobacco Reporter, June 19, 1911:
   Michael Joyce, who was run down by a passenger train at the Hanerville crossing on June 7th, died from his injuries at 7 o’clock the same evening.
   The deceased was born in County Galway, Ireland, Jan. 12th, 1834. He was united in marriage to Kate Connor in 1858, whose death occurred about two months ago. They emigrated to America in 1865, settling first at Amesbury, Mass., where they lived for two years, then working west finally located on a farm a short distance west of this city, where they resided until their removal to Edgerton. The surviving relatives are three daughters, Mrs. Hannah Malowney, Mrs. H.T. Sweeney and Miss Kate Joyce of this city. A brother, John Joyce oF Amesbury, Mass, and a sister, Mrs. Patrick Steed of Janesville, also survives. Funeral services were held from St. Joseph’s church Saturday morning. Obit lists out of town attendess (not listed here).
Note: Hanerville is an unicorporated village to the northwest of Edgerton, just over the Dane county line, between Edgerton and Stoughton.

From the Janesville Gazette 6/9/1911:
EDGERTON MAN WAS STRUCK AND KILLED BY EXPRESS TRAIN
Michael Joyce Met Fate Late Yesterday When Struck by Train at Hanerville Crossing West of Edgerton [Special to the Gazette]
Edgerton, June 8 - Michael Joyce met his fate yesterday afternoon at Hanerville Crossing, about seven miles west of the city. He was engaged hauling water for the tobacco field of Andrew Augustine, and not noticing the approaching express train, due here at 4:40, the engine struck his wagon and hurled him skyward, inflicting injuries from which he died two hours afterward.
   The train was stopped immediately and the unfortunate man brought to town and taken to the residence of his son-in-law, H.T. Sweeney, just west of the city. Doctors Cleary and McChesney, who were in attendance, found the collar-bone, four ribs and left limb broken.
   The deceased was a familiar figure in this section, having resided here for the past fifty years. He was a native of Ireland and on January last celebrated his seventy-seventh birthday. Three daughters mourn his death, all of whom reside here.

 

Picture of Hanerville crossing where Michael was killed. This crossing is between Edgerton and Stoughton, WI

Mary Joyce Sweeney’s accounting of funeral expenses for her father, Michael Joyce:
Casket $50, Hearse and other undertakers expense $10; Thompson’s 3 hacks $9, spike $1.65, Wileman $7

 

Notes from Marie Sweeney Quisling :
“My grandfather Michael Joyce married Katherine O’Connor of Galway Ireland, daughter of John O’Connor. They came to the US in the fall of 1863 with daughters Hannah, age 9, and Margaret, age unknown. Had a son who died at sea, so it is said. He worked in the mines in Kentucky (area unknown), then came to Wisconsin with his family and sister Hannah. Daughter Margaret died in Kentucky. Michael was a tailor in Ireland, but worked on the railroad in Mazomanie and Janesville for a time. In 1890 when my mother, Mary Francis Joyce and Hugh Sweeney were wed, Michael was farming in Stebbsville, WI (Dane Co).”

Later in their lives, Michael and Kate divorced. This apparently occurred when Michael decided to go back to Ireland in 1907 for an extended visit. Katherine had cataracts and was nearly blind, but of course thought she was going with him, and when she found she wasn’t, she told him she would never talk to him again and she didn’t; she relayed it through her children, saying “Mary, tell Michael” whatever it was.

Mother (Mary Joyce Sweeney) of course was very upset with Grandpa Joyce; he was very much disatisfied and left on March 4th, 1907 for Ireland, getting from mother $310.00.   He returned after 3 weeks, having lost his trunk and not finding many relatives or friends that he knew.

 

Immigrations Papers: 

 This paper states he emigrated from Ireland in November 1863; this paper was filed 10/19/1868. In the 1910 census it stated the year of immigration was1870, but in all likelihood this paper is correct. Note he put an “X” for his signature.

 

 

Census:

1910 census, WI, Dane Co, Town of Dunkirk:              

Michael Joice,  employed as farm hand, age 76, divorced, born Ireland. Year of immigration 1870. Under Naturalized, indicates “PA”, meaning papers filed.  This makes year of birth approx. 1834.

 

1900: cannot locate in census. Wife Kate Joice is living with Hugh and Mary; Kate is listed as married. Perhaps this is when he went to Ireland instead of 1907.

 

1880 Census Rock Co, WI, Janesville:
Michael Joyce, age 48, married, labourer, born in Ireland; Kate, wife age 47, born Ireland; Hannah, daughter age 19, helping mother, On the day of the census she reported ‘general complaints” regarding her health and was listed under the category of Maimed, crippled, bedridden or otherwise disabled, born in Ireland, cannot write; Mary age 12, at school, born WI; Kate age 6, at school, born Wi.

 

1870 Census, Dane Co, Springfield:
Michael Joyce, age 35, farm labourer, born Ireland, both parents foreign born, unable to read and write; Kate age 35 wife, born Ireland, unable to read and write; Annie age 10, born Ireland, Mary age 2, born WI

 

 

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