Thomas Joy, of Hingham

Thomas Joy was born circa 1610 probably in England, possibly Norfolk County, died 1678 in Hingham, Massachusetts.

Joan Gallup, married Thomas Joy, 1637, Boston, Massachusetts

The first record of Thomas Joy is found in Boston, Massachusetts on February 20, 1636 when he purchased land. He was a principle contractor, master builder and architect in Boston, Massachusetts. About 1646 he moved to Hingham, Massachusetts and in 1648 became a member of the Boston Artillery Company now the famous “Ancient and Honorable”. In 1657-1658 he built a house in the market place of Boston, which was at one time the arsenal, court house and town hall of Boston and the first seat of government in Boston. He was admitted a “Freeman of the Colony” in 1665. (CFUS)

Parents: not known. Seen as Thomas Joy, Jr. & Frances Joy without supporting evidence. Birth seen as May 06, 1610 Hingham, Norfolk, England without supporting evidence.

Married:

1. 1637 to Joan Gallop, who died 20 Mar 1691.

Children:

1. Samuel 2/26/1635-9 died 1670-1 married in Hingham 11/13/1668 Ann daughter of Edmund and Ann Pitts;
2. John 10/10/1641 probably died young;
3. Thomas 3/2/1642-3 died in Hingham 12/2/1648;
4. Ensign Joseph carpenter born 4/1/1645 died 5/31/1697 married in Hingham 8/29/1667 Mary daughter of John and Margaret Prince;
5. Ephraim 2/7/1646-7 married Susanna;
6. Sarah 1648 married in Hingham 12/7/1669 Hick Dunning;
7. Benjamin 6/12/1650 died before his father;
8. Eliza born 1652;
9. Elizabeth 1/7/1653-4 married in Hingham 3/15/1676-7 Nathaniel Beal;
10. Ruth 2/28/1658-9 married in Hingham 9/25/1679 John Low and 10/21/1719 John Curtis widower of Scituate

Biographical Summary

from James Richard Joy (below)

THOMAS JOY AND HIS DESCENDANTS. [1]

Thomas, parentage, date and place of birth unknown, probably
b. about 1611,* in England, possibly Norfolk County, d. Hingham, in Massachusetts Bay Colony, Oct. 21, 1678. The will on file in probate records of Suffolk County, Mass., is dated 8 July, 1677, and proved 31 October, 1678. (The estate, chiefly in lands, was valued at £258.2.8.) Is described as a "house carpenter." Was a principal contractor, master builder, and architect in Boston.

He first appears in Boston land records in 1636-7. After his political difference with Winthrop's government (1646) he re- moved to Hingham, fifteen miles distant, and became identified with that village though still holding property in Boston, and for some years resided there.

All his children excepting the youngest were brought to the First Church in Boston for baptism. In Hingham he bought the dwelling, farm, and mill privilege of Bozoan Allen. He built or enlarged the grist mill at the town's cove, and erected a saw mill in the same locality.

In 1658 he became a member of the Boston Artillery Company, now the famous "Ancient and Honorables," and in 1657-8 he built the house in the market place of Boston, which was at once the armory, court house, and town hall of Boston, and first seat of government of Massachusetts.

In 1665 he was "admitted Freeman" of the Massachusetts Colony.

Notes

Thomas JOY, builder/house-carpenter, born circa 1610, died 1678, removed from Boston to Hingham due to disagreement with civil authorities, by 1659 with the easing of religious liberties he became more active in Boston again; "an ardent lover of liberty"

Parentage of Thomas is unknown but date and place of birth was probably about 1611 in England, possibly Norfolk county. In 1635 Thomas Joy, age 25, sailed from Gravesend, England for Virginia in the ship "CONSTANCE", Clement Champion was master of the ship. He was described as a "house carpenter", a principal contractor, master builder and architect of Boston. He built and owned a grist mill and sawmill in Hingham. (Massachutts Bay Colony)

He also was probably the master builder and contractor of the first Town House of Boston. Thomas spent most of his life at Boston, MA

He had 8 children-

Samuel (maybe later changed to Peter)

John (died young)

Thomas (died young)

Joseph (married to Mary Prince 1667 who bore 15 children

Ephraim (married to Susanna Spencer Cattensby, 1673 in Kittery, ME had 2 children, Tabitha and Ephraim)

Sarah (married Hicks Dunning 1667

Elizabeth (married to Nathaniel Beal 1677

Ruth (married to John Low 1679

He and wife Joan were buried in the churchyard on the hill by the old meeting house near the oldest Protestant church in the US, Hingham, MA. His $ estate consisted of 258 pounds.

Links

• Thomas Joy, of Hingham
• http://www.jayfamily.org/docs/research/ResearchDoc2.pdf
• http://www.oakbaydesigns.com/Maine/2joy.htm
• http://www.schenectadyhistory.org/families/hmgfm/washburn-1.html
• http://www.entechdesign.com/jaywebsite/secure/exhibita.htm

Sources

• HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF STONINGTON, County of New London, Connecticut, from its first settlement in 1649 to 1900, by Richard Anson Wheeler, New London, CT, 1900, p. 382
• Joy, James R. Thomas Joy and His Descendants in Lines of His Sons, Samuel of Boston, Joseph of Hingham, Ephraim of Berwick: A Portfolio of Family Papers. New York: s.n., 1900.
• A Brief History of the JOY Family. By One of Them.” by Cornelia C. Joy Dyer. 1876

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