Person:Solomon Joy (4)

History

Solomon Joy Jr. was born Nov 7, 1828 in Delaware County, Ohio. He married Jerusha Prouty in October 1849 in Delaware County.

His daughter, Sylvia Angeline, was born about 1851, and a son, Picton Drayton, was born 2 years later, in March 1853. They moved to Peoria, Mahaska County, Iowa, where another daughter, Mary, was born in 1856, as well as sons Stephen Merritt (b. 1858) and Byron F. (b. 1862).

Solomon was left widowed when his wife Jerusha died in January 1866, but he remarried Margaret Ann Thompson a mere ten months later. No doubt part of the haste was to help raise his 5 children! Margaret had a daughter, Emma D. Joy, who was born in 1867. Sadly, Solomon died in Mar 1868 and left five of his children orphans. His eldest daughter, Sylvia, married Whitten Bonsall in Sep 1868, and by the 1870 census, most of the Joy children had been taken up by various Bonsall family members in Mahaska County. Sylvia and Whitten took in her 13-year old sister Mary, even though they also had a brand-new baby of their own, Rita Bonsall. Merrit Joy is listed as a farm laborer, 12-years old, living with the Maris family, who only had three young girls. (The head of the family, Humphrey Maris, was the husband of Martha Bonsall and the son of Martha Bonsall and John Maris.) Byron Joy, age 9, was living with William J. Bonsall and his wife Ellen, who were childless at the time. Margaret Joy and her daughter Emma were found on the 1870 census living in Pella, Marion County, Iowa, and she married Emanuel Wallace in September 1870.

Census

1860 Census: IA, Mahaska Co, Black Oak Twnshp. Page 41, House 284, Family 279 Solomon Joy Jr, age 32, farmer, b. OH Jerusha, age 32, Housewife, b. NY Sylva A., age 9, b. OH Picton D., age 7, b. OH Mary, age 4, b. IA Merrit, age 2, b. IA

Military

Thirty-third Infantry.Cols., Samuel A. Rice, Cyrus H. Mackey; Lieut.- Cols., Cyrus H. Mackey, John Lofland; Majs., Hiram D. Gibson, Cyrus B. Boydston. This regiment was mustered into the service at Oskaloosa Oct. 4, 1862 and on Nov. 20 set out for the front, being first placed on duty in St. Louis. On July 4, 1863, at the bravely won battle of Helena, Ark., the 33rd fought its first fight and fought it valiantly. The regiment, in this baptismal battle, lost heavily, and the regimental colors planted on the breastworks were cut by 27 bullets. Cos. B and G were in a charge that captured three or four times as many prisoners as there were captors. Sickness from malaria and loss in battle had reduced the numbers of the regiment by this time to 285 effective men. On April 4, 1864, the regiment was within hearing of the engagement at Elkin's Ferry, and at Prairie d'Ane, it played its full part. On April 14 Gen. Rice's brigade, to which the 33rd was attached, was ordered on a forced march to a cross road. There was advancing and fighting all day, in what is called the battle of Camden. The regiment also participated in the combats at Poison springs and Marks' Mills. On the night of April 25 began the retreat -- a retreat fraught with danger and great suffering from cold, hunger and fatigue -- interrupted on April 30, by the sanguinary battle of Jenkins' Ferry. The 33rd was in the hottest of that long fight and displayed unsurpassed bravery and endurance. On the further retreat the 33rd was train guard, and after almost incredible suffering reached Little Rock, where the regiment had its headquarters until Feb. 1865, when it was sent to participate in the Mobile campaign. After Spanish Fort was invested and taken the regiment moved with its command to Fort Blakely, arriving just as the assault had succeeded. The following day at Whistler's Station there was a slight skirmish, and then the 33rd was ordered to Texas. On July 4 it reembarked for New Orleans, where on July 17, 1865, it was mustered out. It lost in killed in battle and died from wounds 67; in deaths from disease, 200: wounded, 177: discharged, 145. Source: The Union Army, vol. 4 Battles Fought Fought on 10 November 1862 at Oskaloosa, IA. Fought on 16 February 1863 at Yazoo Pass, MS. Fought on 04 July 1863 at Helena, AR. Fought on 10 April 1864 at Prairie D'Anna, AR. Fought on 15 April 1864 at Camden, AR. Fought on 23 April 1864 at Saline River, AR. Fought on 25 April 1864 at Mark's Mills, AR. Fought on 26 April 1864. Fought on 26 April 1864 at Camden, AR. Fought on 28 April 1864 at Saline River, AR. Fought on 30 April 1864 at Jenkins' Ferry, AR. Fought on 30 April 1864 at Saline River, AR. Fought on 28 January 1865 at Clarksville, AR. Fought on 28 March 1865 at Spanish Fort, AL. Fought on 02 April 1865 at Spanish Fort, AL. Fought on 05 April 1865 at Spanish Fort, AL.

"1867-1874 JOY, Solomon Jr. Margaret A. Joy, Wid. 26 Mar 1868 p.3" Keo-Mah Genealogical Society, compiler; MAHASKA COUNTY, IOWA PROBATES AND GUARDIANSHIPS; 1844-1881; Iowa Genealogical Society, Des Moines, IA, pub; 1992; No. 1462.

1. ↑ 1850 Census, Ohio, Delaware Co, Troy Twp.

   Solomon Joy Jr., age 23, farmer (b. OH), with Jerusha, age 23 (b. NY)
   Next family is Solomon Joy, 52, farmer (b. VT), Eliza, 49 (b. VT), Eliza A., 17, (b. OH), Sarah A Foust, 2, (b. OH)