Person:Benjamin Joy (2)

Biography

Ben was the third son of C.C. Joy, born in 1852 in Ohio. When he was less than 6 years old, his family picked up and moved to Iowa, where they settled near the small village of Peoria, in Mahaska County. He stayed in Peoria throughout his youth, where his father owned the only hotel, the Peoria House. On Oct 23, 1873, Ben married Eliza S. Spain, whose father (Theodrick Spain) had founded the town of Peoria. Ben and Eliza’s first son, Lester D. Joy, was born in Peoria on Christmas Day, 1875. By 1878 he had moved to Wahoo, Saunders County, Nebraska, where his second son, Chester C. was born. By 1881, he was living in Osceola, Polk County, Nebraska, where he seemed to settle for some time. An advertisement in the local newspaper, the Osceola Record, from Jan 6, 1881, states:

B.F. Joy and Bro. Dealers in Harness Collars, Bridles, Halters, &c. Light and heavy harness of all descriptions made to order. Prompt attention given to all kinds of repairing at low prices. South Side Square, Osceola, Nebraska.

His daughter, Mary Lena (sometimes called Lenora), was born in Osceola on 1 Jun 1881. However, Ben still had property in Mahaska County, Iowa, in a tiny village northeast of Peoria, (?) called Granville. It wasn’t until Sep 1882 that the joint property he shared with his brother-in-law, Sanford Q. Spain, was sold to Miss N. W. Mitchel.

Ben’s final two children, Edwin E. and Ira, were born in Peoria, Iowa????

In the 1910 census, Ben is living in Moreau Precinct, Perkins County, South Dakota. His son Lester is living nearby with his wife (Charlotte “Lottie” Robinson) and their 10 year old son, Harry Vernon Joy. Ben’s son Ira is in the same area, married to Cora Meyers and with a daughter, Marguerite. Also nearby is Ben’s son Chester, who was 32 and still single. In 1912, Chester married Elner Martens in Lemmon, SD. Of the two children who weren’t living nearby, Edward was working in a restaurant and living at a boarding house in Bozeman, Montana, while Lena was married and living in Hardin, Montana.

By the 1920 census, Ben and his wife were living in Woodbury County, Iowa, with his son Chester. Chester and his wife Elner had two children at this time, Adrian Chester (A.C.) and Helen, and a third on the way. (Charles Carroll was born in November 1920.) Once again, family was close at hand… Lester Joy lived nearby with his wife Lottie and their only son, Harry. Harry was age 20 and working as a mechanic at a garage. (Lottie’s brother, Charles A. Robinson, lived right next door to Lester.)

Meanwhile, Ben’s daughter Lena had married Arthur Reno in Batavia, Wapello Co, Iowa in 1902, but shortly after, they moved to Hardin, Big Horn county, Montana. Arthur died in 1918 of cancer, and in 1920, Lena was working as a clerk in a clothing store, and living with her children Venus, Rex, and Catherine. By 1930 she had married Andy Dornberger and was still living in Hardin, Montana. At the time of the 1930 census, Ben and Eliza were staying with them. During this visit, Ben died rather suddenly on 15 April 1930. His body was shipped to Sioux City, Iowa, for burial, which is where he and his wife had a home. His sons Chester and Lester were also living in Sioux City at that time.

Notes

B.F. and wife, along with Sanford Q. Spain and wife, sold their joint property in Granville, Mahaska County, Iowa, on 13 Sep 1882 to N. W. Mitchel. (Book 30, page 156.) The notary public that recognized Joy and Spain was from Polk County, Nebraska.

NEWSPAPER Osceola Record, 6 Jan 1881 (Advertisement) B.F. Joy and Bro. Dealers in Harness Collars, Bridles, Halters, &c. Light and heavy harness of all descriptions made to order. Prompt attention given to all kinds of repairing at low prices. South Side Square, Osceola, Nebraska.

Ben Joy, Eliza Spain and children on their 50th anniversary

Ben Joy, Eliza Spain and their children

1. ↑ South Dakota, Perkins, Moreau Precinct, in 1910 U.S. Federal Census
   T624 1487 p 65B, 25-29 Jul 1910.

   Joy, Ira, age 24, married 4 yrs, b. Nebraska parents b. IA, farm operator
   Cora, wife, age 22, b. IA, father b. Neb, mother b. M, 1 child 1 living
   Margeurite, daughter, age 3, b. IA
   
   4 families later:
   Joy, Benjamin F, age 57, b. OH, parents b. OH, farm operator
   Sarah E, age 5?, 7 children, 5 living, b. IA, parents b. OH
   Next:
   Joy, Chester C, age 32, widowed(??), b. Nebraska, farm operator
   Next:
   Joy, Lester, age 34, married once, 12 yrs married, b. IA, farm operator
   Lottie, age 32, married once, 12 yrs. married, b IA, 1 child 1 living
   Harry, son, age 10, b. IA

2. ↑ Polk, Osceola Village, in 1885 Nebraska Census
   1885.

   Ben F. Joy, age 32, b. OH; Sarah E, Lester D, Chester C, Mary L, and Edwin

3. ↑ 1895 Iowa State Census.

   Benj F., Sarah E., Lester D, Chester C, Mary L, Edwin E, Ira M, and Hazzle B.

4. ↑ 1930 Census, Montana, Big Horn Co.

   School Dist 17 H. Hardin
   Dornberger, Andrew L., age 38, married at 29, born NY, parents b. NY, special officer for U.S. Immigration Services;
   Lenora (wife), age 39, KS, IA, IA;
   Catherine Reno (Step-daughter) age 19, IA IA KS,
   Ben F. Joy (father-in-law), age 77, b. IA,
   Eliza, age 75, b. IA

5. ↑ Nebraska, Polk, Osceola, in 1880 U.S. Federal Census.

   Benjamin F. Joy, age 27, b. OH, harness-maker, both parents b. OH
   Sarah E. Joy, wife, 23, b. IA, parents b. OH
   Lester O. Joy, son, age 4, b. IA

6. ↑ Iowa, Jefferson, Batavia, in 1900 U.S. Federal Census
   Batavia Town, 2 Jun 1900.

   Joy, Benjamin, b. Aug 1854, age 44, married 28 yrs, b. OH, harness maker
   Sarah E, wife, b. Oct 1856, age 43, 7 children 5 living, b. IA
   Lenore M, dau, b. Aug 1882, age ??, single, b. Nebraska
   Edwin B, son, b. Oct 1884, age 15, single, b. Nebraska
   I......, son, b. ??? 1886, age 13, b. Nebraska

7. ↑ Iowa, Woodbury, Sioux City, Graceland Cemetery, in Cemetery Records
   Benjamin Joy, Apr 1930.
8. ↑ Iowa, Mahaska, in 1860 U.S. Federal Census
   Series: M653 Roll: 334 Page: 54, 11 Nov 2005.
9. ↑ Mahaska, Sharon, in 1895 Iowa State Census
   11 Nov 2005.
10. ↑ Iowa, Woodbury, Sioux City, in 1920 U.S. Federal Census
    Series: T625 Roll: 520 Page: 141, 30 Dec 2005.

    Address 512 Riverside Ave, Sioux City, Iowa
    Joy, Benjamin F, head, renting, age 67, b. Ohio, parents b. OH, harness maker for a wholesale shop
    Eliza, wife, age 63, b. IA, parents b. OH
    Chester C, son, age 41, b. Nebraska, merchant of retail shoes
    Elner, dau-in-law, age 26, b. South Dakota, parents b. Wisconsin
    Adrian, grandson, age 6, b. South Dakota
    Helen, granddau, age 3 5/12, b. South Dakota

11. ↑ Obituary of Benjamin F. Joy, in Hardin Tribune Herald (Big Horn, MT)
    18 Apr 1930.

    Mrs. A. L. Dornberger's Father Dies at Crow Benjamin F. Joy died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Andew L Dornberger, at Crow Agency about noon, Tuesday, April 15. Death was due to apoplexy. Mr Joy was past 77 years of age and while his health had not been good for a long time, he was up and around up to the day of his death. Although his home was in Sioux City, Iowa, he, together with his wife, had been making their home with Mr. and Mrs. Dornberger the past several months. He was a harness-maker by trade. The body was brought to Hardin, Tuesday, where it was prepared for shipment by Bullis & Crilly, Hardin undertakers, and returned to Crow Agency where funeral services were held Thursday afternoon at 2:30, Rev C.A. Bentley having charge of the services. This morning the body, accompanied by his wife and daughter, Mrs. Dornberger, was shipped to Sioux City, where interment will be made. Besides his wife and daughter at Crow Agency, he also leaves a son at Sioux City, Ia., to mourn his death.

12.   Benjamin's death certificate, informed by his widow Eliza, lists his DOB as 8-16-1853 and lists his full name as Benjamin Franklin Joy.