Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-06-02
OBITUARY.
STEPHEN DECATUR JOY.

stephen Decatur Joy died this morning
at his home in North Hancock, aged about
eighty years. Mr.. Joy had been IN failing
health for some months.
Mr.. Joy leaves a widow and three sons -
Barton, Watson and Herman. A brother,
Gideon l.. Joy, OF Hancock, and a sister,
Mrs. George p. Clark, OF Boston, survive
him.
Decatur JOY was one of the best known
characters of this vicinity. Eccentric
in many ways, he vet was man of keen
observation. He was well read and an
original thinker, and a rough exterior hid
mind OF more than ordinary inteili-
gence. Many stories are told of his eccen-
tricities in manner and terseness OF speech.
In his early years Mr.. Joy followed the
sea, and at the outbreak of the Civil war,
when he enlisted, he naturally found his
way to service in the navy, in which he
distinguished himself.
He enlisted early in 1851, was i'm
medistely assigned to the ship Jackson
and was soon confronting the southern
forts on the Mississippi.
In few months he was promoted to the
position of selling master on the jack
son, where his knowledge OF navigation
and his cool judgment and bravery won
for him honorabl mention. and soon after
he was transferred to the Mississippi to
act as sailing master of that soip. He was
shortly after made executive officer OF the
ship.
Mr.. Joy some years ago, during the
Spanish American war, in which he took
correspondent some OF the incidents OF
the Mississippi river campaign.
His ship, the Mississippi, was in Admi-
raj Farragut's squadron, and the great ad-
miral and Executive Officer Joy exchanged
SITUATIONS on several occasions. Mr..
joys admiration for Farragut was, like all
others who served under him, un bounded.
Vicksburg, and the torture Of the long de-
lay awaiting the order to attack was al
most unbearable.
Speaking OF Dewey's splendid victory
at Manila, Mr.. Joy said: ''Did you
see how Dewey did it, Where do you
suppose he learned how / knew Dewey
when We were both with Farragut.
Didn't see much OF him. but don't care
who 1t is, a man simply couldn't live near
FArragut and not know how and just
glory IN fight straight out from the
| shoulder knock EN- out fight. II the old
mans spirit was anywhere near Manila
that morning, I'll bet it just climbed into
the shrouds and shrieked with JOY over
what his boy Dewey was doing"
Speaking of the stay -at-home sscroak-
ers" who found fault with the way things
we're going in the Cuban war, Mr.. Joy
said: sit was just so in the sixties. Every
damn tool knew just what was going to
happen next, but it never did happen the
| way they thought they knew it would.
They used to say, when We were before
yicksbure, you'll never get it. Vicks-
burg'l get away from you,' but noticed
that when Grant came down there q year
after, when the furry over McClelIan's
campaign was past, vicksburg was there,
and she vas ours.''
Mr.. Joy fought throughout the Mississ-
| ippi river campaign, and was in the thick
| Of many bloody engagement with the
4 forts. Several times he was commended
for his bravery and GOODNESS under fire. He
was not given to boasting of his exploits,
but on rare occasions when the old war
spirit moved him, he would talk interest
ingly OF the campaign.
| His death removes a man who in the
time OF the country's greatest stress recog-
nized his duty promptly and performed it
| well.