| The Arch Joyce Sarah Jane Means Story by David Clow |
| Sarah Jane Means and Archibald Howard Joyce of Barton County Missouri... In 1870 ARCHIBALD JOYCE having moved to the Barton and Jasper County areas in Missouri, returned to Shelby Co. Indiana to marry his girl friend SARAH JANE MEANS. Sarah was the daughter of NEHEMIAH MEANS and MAY HOLMES MEANS. After the married couple returned to Lamer he taught school for 2 or 3 years, then moved to a farm about four miles South of Lamer. The farm was located across the road from where the old Forest Grove Baptist Church stood. (Sec.7 Twp31 R30) Richland Township. The Church set on the south side of the road the Joyces were on the North. His first farm consisted of 40 acres, the second place had 80 acres, later he purchased a farm with 320 acres. The Joyces had eleven Children, the boys Ollie, Caroll, Alexander, Estell, and Floyd. The girls were Gertie, Ocie, and Ivy. Three other died in infancy. Arch. and Sarah Jane owned 160 acres south of Boston, this is what was later known as the Joyce Place, in the North part of section # 31. Maps show the town of Beloit, Missouri this would later become Boston, Missouri. Beloit in 1886 set on a main street, which was the township line, and contained 22 blocks. The Missouri Pacific railroad ran first on the East side of the main street and then in the middle of town crossed the street and ran along the West side. Beloit had a Stock Yards, Post Office, School, Drug Store, the Thompson Bros. Store, and the Depot. Dr Speeces residence was also shown on the map and another school was about half a mile East of the Forest Grove Church in section 17. Neighbors of Arch. and Sarah Joyce were J.W. Lee to the East, this is the farm Arch�s son Estell would later rent after he married Ethel Selvey, J.F. Metz and C. Ludwig to the South. The Ballew�s were to the North, also the Stockdales and Metz to the West. Grandma, Sarah Jane Joyce was a small woman, almost petite, she hurt her back when she was young and as she got older she had a hump on her back and walked stooped over, she was average weight for a small women. Her hair, she always kept long and combed up on her head, she had never cut her hair. She usually wore a plain print dress for everyday. She liked long sleeve white blouses and long black skirts. She was a hard working woman. The family went to the Forest Grove Baptist Church which was one mile north of Boston. Cap and Lea lived with her on the farm and once or twice a year she would make the three or four mile ride from Boston to her son Estells for a visit. Estell and Ethel lived 3 miles southeast of Lamar, she would stay a week or two. When she came to visit, she spent most of her time setting, resting and catching up on the news. A family story� many times Grandma Joyce would get up in the morning, go to the chicken house, catch a chicken, wring its head, dress it, and have it fried for breakfast by the time everyone was ready. After breakfast she would always help with the chores, then return to the house to start all over again with the housework. The whole family described her as a workhorse. Archibald Joyce died March 8, 1906, from blood poisoning contracted from a injury. Estell was nineteen years old. Obituary for Archibald Howard Joyce.. This obit. was in the Jasper, Missouri newspaper March 8,1906. Prominent farmer passed away this Month� Succumbs to the effects of blood poisoning after a brief illness. A. H. Joyce, perhaps one of the most prominent citizens of Barton County, died this morning at eight o'clock at his home northeast of the city, after a brief illness of lead poisoning. A short time ago Mr. Joyce suffered from a sore toe but it was supposed to gotten almost well. Sunday he suffered from what he thought was rheumatism. While bathing his foot with warm water the toe began to bleed profusely and a doctor was summoned. By an operation on the calf of his leg, a bad case of blood poisoning was discovered. The ailment soon affected the heart that had been rather week anyway, and resulted in his death as for stated. Mr. Joyce�s death was a great shock, not only to the family, but to the whole community as well, as very few knew that he was sick. He leaves a wife and eight children as follows. Carol choice of Lamar, Reverend O. P. Joyce of Kansas City, Add Joyce of Lamar, Mrs. Frank Lee and Miss Ocie, and Ivy, Mr. Estell Joyce and Floyd, the last four being at home. Funeral services will be held at the Forest Grove Church Saturday, March 10, at 11 o'clock A.M. Interment in the Forest Grove Cemetery. Mr. Joyce was born in Marion County, Indiana Nov. 20,1847 making his age 58 years old three months and ten days. He came to Barton County in 1868 and for the past twenty two years has lived on the farm on which he died. He was a fine Christian man in all but the name implies and all who knew him would join in grieving his passing. Jane Means Joyce died August 23, 1932. She died at her daughter�s, Gertie Joyce Lee, home at sixth and Braodway in Lamar, Missouri. She told many times, she wanted to die in her own bed but as her health declined she agreed to go to her daughters home for care, which was only a few weeks before her death. After Sarah died the farm was sold. Jess Hubbs from California bought the farm well worth his money. The proceeds were divided between the eight sons and daughters. Arch. and Sarah Joyce are both buried in the Forest Grove Cemetery three south of Lamar. Forest Grove Cemetery is located on three acres and is down a dirt lane that keeps it hidden from the road. It was half a mile South of the old Forest Grove Baptist Church, the old Church is gone. A few items that belonged to Arch. and Sarah Jane Means Joyce still remain as prized possessions of the family. Those include a rocking chair, a straight chair, a beautifully carved table, the chairs match the table. The most treasured piece of all is the handmade wedding dresser of Arch. and Sarah Joyces. This dresser had a small piece of marble on the top, and was upstairs in the bedroom at the old Joyce place, the house is still there, �98. Later the dresser was in the basement at Cap Joyces home but now has been restored and is in very caring hands. Another straight chair of the Joyces survived, it has a cane bottom. Smaller items include Grandma Joyces tea pot. Most of the small items that might have survived the times were sold in an estate sale of Cap and Lea�s Joyce after they died. Grandma Joyce, when she was alive, gave a lot of items to her son Caroll�s family. Children of Archibald and Sarah Jane Means Joyce� Oliver �Ollie� Joyce Born in Boston Missouri. Later he became a Baptist minister and moved to Kansas City where he spent his life preaching the gospel. Ollie married Jennie Dean Stockdale they had a large family a son Winfred married Maude. Caroll Joyce Born 1871 in Boston, Barton County Missouri. Caroll married Nellie Weddle, they lived in the Forest Grove area, South of Lamar. At one time he lived and worked for the Farmers Exchange in Jasper, Mo. Caroll died 1941 in Carthage, Missouri. Caroll and Nellie children were Gladys, Estella, Ruth, May, Dorothy, Mary Gayle, Archie, Glen. Maggie E. Joyce Born March 11, 1876 and died Sept. 11, 1876 is buried in the East Cemetery this cemetery is in Lamar in Section # 30 Add Joyce Born in 1877 in Boston, Missouri, he married Mary Mack and he died in 1920. Add died from the flu epidemic in 1920. Gertie Lee Joyce Born 1880 in Boston, Missouri, she married Francis A. Lee. Frank Lee was County Treasure for Barton County and they lived in Lamar. She died in 1938. Their children were Howard and Spon. Howard married Lotte and their son is Richard Lee who married Smitty. Ocie Joyce Born 1882 in Boston, Missouri she married Alex Hill, they moved to California and she died in California. Ivy Joyce Born 1884 in Boston, Missouri, she married a Gleason, she also died in California. Estell Joyce In Chadwick�s History of Shelby Co. Indiana, on page 914, and at the end of several pages about our Grandparents Means, Estell is mentioned as a son of Archibald Howard Joyce and Sarah Jane Means. The clip says the Arch. Joyce family moved to Missouri to raise their children. Frank Joyce Born February 29, 1888 and died August 3, 1889. Grandma Joyce blamed herself for his death. She had gone out to pick blackberries, she got awfully hot and when she returned she nursed the child and he later died. She always felt she had caused his death from �summer complaint�. Harry Floyd or �Cap� Joyce Born November 13, 1890 in Boston Missouri. Cap received his nickname when he and his dad Archibald took a team and wagon over to Kenoma to pick up a load of lumber in order to build a shed. After they loaded the wagon Arch. handed Floyd the rains, he was setting up on the wagon seat, and as Floyd took the rains he drew them just as tight as he could and one of the men in the group said look Arch he looks like a little Captain. The Captain was shortened to �Cap� and Floyd was known the rest of his life as �Cap� Joyce. He first married Nell, she died during child birth, he later married Leah Arner, Cap and Leah had 5 children Floyd Joyce, Erma Lee Joyce, Jewell Joyce Gardner, Jean Joyce, Annetta Joyce. March 17, 1967 Harry Floyd Joyce (Cap) died of a heart attack. He was 76 years old, he and Leah lived at 200 West First Street, Lamar. Cap was buried in Lake Cemetery, Lamar. |
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| The Arch Joyce Family of Lamar |