Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1904-06-29
STEPHEN DECATUR JOY.
Rrief sketch of his Life His Ances.
tors.
fBanper N0mnereial.l

Ranger Commercially
Undoubtedly every person VINO mas or
-, had occasion to frequent the bust
ma. portion of Ellsworth, has seen
rather aged, but active man, odd, but i7-
,.u,ssnt. who calls himself Stephen De-
..,ur Joy. oo the other hand 1t is safe
70 say, that very few who have seen this
singular character In whatever task he ia
engaged know that bis ancestors and rel
s,ivss bsd great fame and honor, and
slso that his own life has not been
narrow and Idle ono, and so the Justice
dpe this man demands a short account OF
hts ancestry and OF bis own II Q.
Mr.. Joy was born In Hancock, in 1929.
MIA mother was Almina Lee, the daughter
n Abuer Lee, who was brother OF
Gideon Lee, the second mayor OF New
Work city. Hts grandfather, also named
Gideon Ice. came over from England
with Richard Henry Lee, prominent
American patriot, and signer OF the
declaration OF Independence. Mr.. Joy 10
.,so connected through the Lee blood
with the Confederate general, Robert K.
lie. and with the famous Light Horse
Harry" Lee. one OF washIngton's men.
Besides these a relative OF his has
married Russian nobleman, who holds
high position in the Russian cavalry.
His grandfather, on his fathers side,
was Benismin Joy, who came from New
Hampshire with the first party OF white
settlers who ever came to Ellsworth.
They came in vessel, sailed into Union
river bay, up Union river, both banks OF
which were then covered With an old
Rrowth OF pine, spruce, and maple,
landed near where the foundry aud ma
chine shop OF b. b. Walker now stands,
and cooked the fret meal that ever was
eaten by permanent, inhabitants of Ellis
worth.
with this short account OF Mr.. joys
sneestory, OF which he might be proud,
although be never cares to boast, and
with difficulty is be persuaded to speak of
il, his own life has been one Allied with
activity, from he time when, he a young
man, began to follow the sea, and sought
sIiseiihood from the coas.ing trade, until
when, as a lieutenant commander OF the
navy he left the sight OF the world, and
settled down to obtain his living by the
labor of bis hands on the farm In Han
cock which he still eultivates.
His boynood was spent in the same
town which now bears his name as an old
citizen. As to education he had little, as
was usual for the boys CT the time; three
or four months for few years spent
in an old log cabin under the instruction
OF an oid-fsshioned schoolmaster, com
pleted his education. AT the age OF seven
teen be went to sea, an occupation which
he continued until he enlisted In the
navy.
During the fifteen years OF seafariDg life
he sailed in many vessels and to many
ports. At the age OF IS he became master OF
the schooner owned by c. and J. Peters in
which be sailed until he enlisted In the
navy in 1861. He was then - years OF sge.
The government needed men for he great
navy which was to blockade and capture
the sout bern ports, and as be was an able
captain he enlisted In New York. He was
then sent to the Brooklyn navy yard for
gun practice, after which be obtained his
commission as lieutenant commander and
was ordered aboard the steamer j. p.
Jackson, Capt. Woodruff, which was to
take part in Admiral Farragut's expedi-
tion up the Mississippi river.
The fisst consisted OF seven steamers,
twenty-three mortar schooners, and two
supply ships. The fleet Immediately set
out Tor the Mississippi, but 1t was not until
the last OF March, 1862, that any amount
OF fighting occurred. The object of the
expedition was to capture the forts and
strong holds along the river, and thus
aided by the Union army, to cut the east
ern part of the confederscy from the
western part.
Whatever ports opposed the passage up
the river were quickly silenced, the chains
which the Confederstes bad strung across
the river below New Orleans to prevent
the voyage was cut, until the feet arrived
at New Orleans which hsd then been
captured by Union troops. From here
orders were received to 60 to Vicksburg.
Here considerable resistance was met, but
by the aid OF the motar schooners witch
"ele kept continually oomoafuihg the
city, the men-of-war were run up around
the bend OF the river to vicksburg. II
was here that Mr.. Joy had the closest
escapes; one man was killed while stand
ing beside him in the wheel house. He,
however, was not injured during the ex-
petition. Immediately after this battle
the mortar fleet was ordered to the James
river.
The whole fleet dropped down the
river to New Orleans where Lieut..
Commander Joy was taken Ill with the
nalarisi fever, and so was sent to the
Brooklyn nsvaiihospital In the fall OF 1862.
After fourteen days Of suffering at the
hospital, he reported for duty and was
Immediately ordered aboard the bark
Midnight for blockade duty off the coast