Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-10-06
Rufe Joy, Ancient Tar Of Portland.
Said to be a Relative Of the Joys Of
Ellsworth

lie Sailed to the West Indies When Pirate.
Infested Those >.as-Two Voyage. to Afri-
ca After >la,es-Fined Dollar for smok-
ing on the >trcct-A Elo~ out That Neal
bow Didn't ent-Thruugl the Holy
Land with William II. >eward-Long and
Gallant Career in the Navy, With Much of
Gr"g. tIogging-, and Hard Fights for Hi.
Country.
Portland Daily Press.
II have squared the yards so far. and
CUES. shall TO the end of the cruise"
The speaker was an Old, very Old mar
lIer, with gray locks aud bent form, clad
in well worn suit OF blue, of which the
cap denoted that he was the inmate Of one
of the natlon's homes for its disabled sea
heroes. In spite of shakiness In his tim
0ers. the old mariner bore the peculiar air
Of combined valor. audacity and loyalty
that distinguishes but one class of men on
this round earth-the true-bue Yankee
tars of the old United States navy.
\ few old Portlauders have recognized
in the sged mariner the familiar figure Of
him who was 10 them in their boyhood the
most glorious, free handed. open hearted,
bois,erous man-of- wars-man on earth
umphant progresses along Portland's
streets used 10 take both sidewalks, make
the deaf to hear and scatter his gold
and pennies among the boys as If money
were free ~ sunshine on the broad deep.
What son Of Portland has forgotten those
memorable celebrations, when Joy and
some Of his mates used to have themselves
hauled about the streets in boat mounted
on heels, while they waved the American
flag and sung sea songs to the people?
The old sailor took vacation q few
weeks ago and came from the home at
Philadelphia to see his old scquaintances
in Portland. He is stopping with Capt.
Crowell al 80 India street, but hopes to
get back TO the home before long His
pension money has paid his board, but will
not take him back to Philadelphia, and the
old tar Is some distressed in his mind to
know how to get to Philadelphia. and still
"square The yards on his bills" He Is very
anxious also to ind the present wherea-
bouts Of DR. Morse" the volunteer sur
geon who. in 1861. at Gouldsborough's as
sault on Fort Barlow, on Roanoke Island.
bound up the wounded head of Gouldsbor-
ough's signal quartermaster For that
signal quartermaster was Rufus Joy, and
he was stricken down just as Admiral
Gouldsborough shouted. joy, hoist the
signal to cease firing" II JOY can find this
DR.. Morse, who is supposed to be Mas
sachusetts man, it will mean snug little
increase of the old sailors pension.
Joy was born in 1908, on Munjoy Hill
which was named for his father, he says
joys mother was a native of old Wells
and his father and grandfather before him
of old York. The grandfather was Rev
olutionary soldier. If Rufe Joy amt 8
Yankee, where will you find one" says ht
| proudly as he tells of his ancestry.
A sailor who has cruised West Indis
waters in the days when pirates vexet
| those seas, tho has twice raided the coas
| of Africa in SLAYER, who has served IN
der officers tried at the battles on the lakes
who bears wounds received in two war
so far apart as the Seminole and civi
wars, who has taken
His Grog and FIoggings
TIL both stomach and back were as tougl
as leather, is not q common visitor thes
days.
JOY began to sail out of Portland as
mere boy in the grand old sea-fariDg day
of 1926. There were Yankee sailors II
those days. Joy went in the brig Unite
States, owned by Ben and Isaac Knights
Isaac was the father of Capt Knights, tn
Federal street fruit dealer. He also wen
in the brig Franklin. All these voyage
were to the West Indies, and gave youn
JOY taste for sea and adventure. An
where could there be more adventure 10
q man than in the American navy, or j
one of those heavily armed slavers
manned by Spaniards, Portuguese, Eng
lisb. Yankees and the adventurers OF a
nations, that lodged the English men-oi
war to bring valuable cargOes Of slave
from the west coast of Africa to the ric
planters of the West Indies? As yout
Joy tried both the SLAYER and the navy
Very early, in 1927, or few years lateI
| after Wliberforce's work was done, 10
left an American vessel in Havana TO shi
on a SLAYER, where he was to receive $lU
a month and the privilege OF oringin
back one negro to sell as venture. 10
went two voyages on the SLAYER. On tn
first voyage he bought a negro girl ior
gallon Of rum, and sold her in Havana io
$500. The slaves were gathered In In
mense corrals on the African coast, an
from this they were driven aboard II
slavers to be chained up like cattle for II
long voyage. The SLAYER carried ten gun
and could beat of moderate slzed man
war. On the second voyage Joy bought
stout negro youth for gallon OF rum an
an old musket. In Cuba the BOY woul
bring a thousand dollars, and visions
the gold fitted before the Imagination {
the young Yankee all the way across u
Atlantic They picked up the coast
Cubs, and stood off until dark ready 10 p
TO sea in case any man of-war should a
pear. None appeared. and At DARK tns
ran into sheltered cove and prepared
land their cargo. Suddenly there was
English cheer. and the blue-jackets Oh