Patrick Joyce
Patrick Joyce, my great great grandfather, was born in Belmullet, Mayo County in 1833.
His parents’ names are unverified at this point. I am working on the likelihood of them being Patrick Phillip Joyce and Mary McHale. He had four brothers, named Henry (b.1835), John (b. 1839), James and Peter (b. 1832).
At the age of 16 Patrick and his brothers John (age 11) and Peter (age 7) were listed in 1850 on the S.S. Bark Pacific as crew, travelling together with no apparent relatives accompanying them. They departed from Galway and arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in June of 1850. I have often wondered what dire circumstances they had encountered. In my research only his brother James has not yet been accounted for.
Picture above: Townsite map of Erin Prairie from late 1800s, with three branches of family living near each other and many others from Ireland nearby.
Patrick married Catherine Monaghan, (born in 1834 in Belmullet) in 1856 in Wheeling, West Virginia. Catherine's father was named Patrick Monaghan and mother was Ellen. Her siblings included Julia (b. 1833), Mary, Michael (b. 1835), John, James, and Thomas. Catherine had also made the crossing from Ireland to America at age 19 on the Fidelia. Since she was also from Belmullet, I wonder whether Patrick and Catherine knew each other before landing in America. Her siblings are also not all accounted for in my family tree.
After marrying, they lived in Decatur, Green, Wisconsin in 1860, Patrick worked as a farmhand in a farming community with many other Irish families, including more Joyces, Monaghans, and Barretts. Then they all settled in Erin Prairie, Wisconsin, named because of the Irish settlers that came there to be together ,forming a strong community.
Pictures right: Illustration of 19th century American farmers
Patrick enlisted Sept 3, 1864, served during the Civil War in the 44th Wisconsin Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry and was discharged July 2, 1865 with pension and diagnosed heart disease. Anthony Barrett was also discharged at the same time.
Patrick and Catherine had eight children, four boys and four girls: Mary, 1857-1942, John, 1859-1909, James, 1861-1899, Henry, 1863-1944, Patrick 1865-1937, Nell (Ellen 1866-1958, Michael 1868-1888, Catherine 1873-1947, Julia A. 1876-1956)
Nell Joyce was the connection to my Barrett family, she married Michael L. Barrett (b.1860) . He was at various times a labourer, teamster, lumberman, contractor, sawmill operator, and farmer. He was a leader in the farm cooperative movement in Wisconsin, and was cited as "one of the most active residents of the entire region (Ashland) in movements looking toward the welfare of his fellow men." Michael was the son of Anthony Barrett (1832-1914) and Catherine Monaghan (1828-1867) (a different Catherine Monaghan than above) After Catherine died , Anthony married Sarah Gaughan (1840-1921) who was born in Ireland.
Anthony Barrett was the son of Francis Barrett who lived in Kilcommon, Mayo and Susan Alice Dougherty (1808-1882) They would be my third great grandparents, and as early as that part of my tree goes. Anthony had four siblings, Ellen (1835-1874), Rose (1840-1927) who married William Meath,, John Francis (1843-1925) who married Anna Clark and Susan (1847-1937), who married Ed Quinn.
In 1880 the three branches of my family were together again along with many others of the same Irish community in Erin Prairie Wisconsin, including two of my Barrett GG grandfathers, and possibly Monaghan great uncles. They all owned land in the farming community there, and there were many other names common to the Belmullet area who were neighbours in this community. See Erin Prairie townland map) Patrick and Catherine continued living there as farmers in 1890, and 1905, and Patrick died there in 1906. He is buried in Immaculate Conception Cemetery in New Richmond, St. Croix County, Row 14, grave 58 Zone J.
Picture left: Newspaper article is from the New Richmond Voice, Nov. 29, 1905, the obituary for Patrick Joyce.
Patrick was survived by his wife and children John T. (who married Anna Padden) of Tower Minnesota, Henry E. of Richmond (who married Anna Meary) , Patrick W. of Erin (who married Mary Dixon) , Michael of Idaho (who married Catherine Gillen), Miss Mary Joyce of Richmond, Mrs. Michael L. Barrett (Nellie) of Ashland Mrs. W.M. Casey(Catherine) and Mrs. Ed Early(Julia) of Richmond and one brother , Henry, who was listed at the age of 71 as "uncle" living with Edward Early and Julia (Joyce) Early in 1905 in Richmond, Sr. Croix. Earlier in his life, at age 45, Henry was listed as a shoemaker in the 1880 census.
Reverend Father M.E. Boyce conducted the funeral service, assisted by Reverend father L. Trompeter of Turtle Lake
Friends and neighbors who were pall bearers:M.P. Early, Bryan Dean, T.E. Riley, N.T. Loomis, Pat O' Connell and John Gunning.
