David Joyce
Encyclopedia
David Joyce was an American "lumber baron" and industrialist. His fortune was eventually inherited by Beatrice Joyce Kean who used it to establish the Joyce Foundation
in 1948.http://www.joycefdn.org/about/content/about-history.html
on February 26, 1825. His father John D. Joyce operated a blast furnace
machine shop and foundry
in Berkshire county (moved to Salisbury, Connecticut
in 1844). John Joyce gave his son such moderate education as was afforded by the common school, until, at the age of twelve years, David Joyce was hired as the driver of one of his father’s teams. Desirous of learning and of aspiring disposition, he developed a taste for mathematics and for mechanic arts. By working for his father, he not only acquired a knowledge of machinery and the foundry business, but also became a practical civil engineer and surveyor, making the instruments of this profession with his own hands. He continued to work for his father until 1848, when, at the age of thirty years, he started his own mercantile business, assuming full control of two general store
s.
. He spent two years in Lyons, Iowa, engaged in the livestock and agricultural product business, before returning to his general stores in Massachusetts. He enlarged his business in 1857 by purchasing that of his father, John D. Joyce, in what was known as Joyceville in the town of Salisbury. He united the businesses and continued their operation until 1860 when he disposed of his interests and moved back west. David Joyce came to Lyons, Iowa in 1861 and leased the Stumbaugh mill, purchasing his log stock in the raft and disposing of his lumber in a retail yard. In 1869 he went into partnership with S.I. Smith, and "Joyce & Smith" erected a sawmill
on Ringwood slough, with a capacity of 50000 board feet (118 m³) of lumber and twenty-five thousand shingles daily. In 1873, Joyce purchased the interest of his partner and became sole owner. As his operations increased, he became one of the most influential lumbermen of the Mississippi valley, becoming interested in the manufacture of lumber at several other points. In July, 1888, his mill was burned, only to be rebuilt by the opening of the next season. The new mill had a capacity of 100000 board feet (236 m³) of lumber, forty thousand shingles and twenty thousand laths per day. Joyce operated this mill until his death in 1895, after which his son, W.T. Joyce, carried on the business, which continued to run as the last of the big mills of Clinton, Iowa
.
of that city. When he became mayor, the bonds of the city were selling at forty-five cents on the dollar, when he left the office the treasury was in position to pay one hundred cents on the dollar for every claim which existed against it.
Joyce was also president of the Trinity County Lumber Co. (Groveton, Texas
); Langford & Hall Lumber Co. (Fulton, Illinois
); Benjamin Machine Co., (Chicago
); Crescent Springs Railroad Company; (Crescent Springs, Wisconsin)., and Shell Lake Lumber Co. (Shell Lake, Wisconsin
). In addition, he was one of the biggest stockholders in the White River Lumber Co. (Mason, Wisconsin
); Park Hotel (Hot Springs, Arkansas
); and the Mississippi River Logging Company. He also held stock in a number of Chicago banks, and owned large tracts of timber land in Wisconsin and Texas.
Finally, Joyce was instrumental in securing the construction of the first street railroad between Lyons and Clinton, which railroad was under his general management until the fall of 1891.
Joyce Foundation
The Joyce Foundation is a charitable foundation based in Chicago in the United States and operating principally in the Great Lakes region.The Foundation primarily funds organizations in the Great Lakes region .-Programs:* Education: Focuses on public schools in Chicago, Cleveland, and Milwaukee;...
in 1948.http://www.joycefdn.org/about/content/about-history.html
Early life
David Joyce was born at Mt. Washington in the town of Sheffield, MassachusettsSheffield, Massachusetts
Not to be confused with the city of Sheffield in the UK, or Sheffield, Vermont.Sheffield is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,257 at the 2010 census. Sheffield is home to...
on February 26, 1825. His father John D. Joyce operated a blast furnace
Blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore and flux are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions...
machine shop and foundry
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
in Berkshire county (moved to Salisbury, Connecticut
Salisbury, Connecticut
Salisbury is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The town is the northwest-most in the State of Connecticut. The MA-NY-CT Tri-State Marker is located just on the border of Salisbury...
in 1844). John Joyce gave his son such moderate education as was afforded by the common school, until, at the age of twelve years, David Joyce was hired as the driver of one of his father’s teams. Desirous of learning and of aspiring disposition, he developed a taste for mathematics and for mechanic arts. By working for his father, he not only acquired a knowledge of machinery and the foundry business, but also became a practical civil engineer and surveyor, making the instruments of this profession with his own hands. He continued to work for his father until 1848, when, at the age of thirty years, he started his own mercantile business, assuming full control of two general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
s.
Business in Clinton, Iowa (Lyons)
Joyce left his home in Sheffield, Massachusetts, in 1854 to see the developing frontier country that then was IowaIowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. He spent two years in Lyons, Iowa, engaged in the livestock and agricultural product business, before returning to his general stores in Massachusetts. He enlarged his business in 1857 by purchasing that of his father, John D. Joyce, in what was known as Joyceville in the town of Salisbury. He united the businesses and continued their operation until 1860 when he disposed of his interests and moved back west. David Joyce came to Lyons, Iowa in 1861 and leased the Stumbaugh mill, purchasing his log stock in the raft and disposing of his lumber in a retail yard. In 1869 he went into partnership with S.I. Smith, and "Joyce & Smith" erected a sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
on Ringwood slough, with a capacity of 50000 board feet (118 m³) of lumber and twenty-five thousand shingles daily. In 1873, Joyce purchased the interest of his partner and became sole owner. As his operations increased, he became one of the most influential lumbermen of the Mississippi valley, becoming interested in the manufacture of lumber at several other points. In July, 1888, his mill was burned, only to be rebuilt by the opening of the next season. The new mill had a capacity of 100000 board feet (236 m³) of lumber, forty thousand shingles and twenty thousand laths per day. Joyce operated this mill until his death in 1895, after which his son, W.T. Joyce, carried on the business, which continued to run as the last of the big mills of Clinton, Iowa
Clinton, Iowa
Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 26231as of 2010. Clinton, along with DeWitt, Iowa , was named in honor of the seventh governor of New York, DeWitt Clinton. Clinton is the principal city of the Clinton Micropolitan Statistical...
.
Other business interests
The lumber and other interests of David Joyce spanned almost the length and breadth of the Mississippi Valley. He at one time was president of the First National bank of Lyons and served four years as mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of that city. When he became mayor, the bonds of the city were selling at forty-five cents on the dollar, when he left the office the treasury was in position to pay one hundred cents on the dollar for every claim which existed against it.
Joyce was also president of the Trinity County Lumber Co. (Groveton, Texas
Groveton, Texas
Groveton is a city in Trinity County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,107 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Trinity County.-Geography:Groveton is located at ....
); Langford & Hall Lumber Co. (Fulton, Illinois
Fulton, Illinois
Fulton is a city in Whiteside County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,481 at the 2010 census, down from 3,881 at the 2000 census. Fulton is located across the Mississippi River from Clinton, Iowa.-Geography:...
); Benjamin Machine Co., (Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
); Crescent Springs Railroad Company; (Crescent Springs, Wisconsin)., and Shell Lake Lumber Co. (Shell Lake, Wisconsin
Shell Lake, Wisconsin
Shell Lake is a city in Washburn County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,309 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Washburn County.-Geography:Shell Lake is located at ....
). In addition, he was one of the biggest stockholders in the White River Lumber Co. (Mason, Wisconsin
Mason, Wisconsin
Mason is a village in Bayfield County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 72 at the 2000 census. The village is located within the Town of Mason.U.S. Highway 63 serves as a main route in the community.-Geography:...
); Park Hotel (Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs is the 10th most populous city in the U.S. state of Arkansas, the county seat of Garland County, and the principal city of the Hot Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area encompassing all of Garland County...
); and the Mississippi River Logging Company. He also held stock in a number of Chicago banks, and owned large tracts of timber land in Wisconsin and Texas.
Finally, Joyce was instrumental in securing the construction of the first street railroad between Lyons and Clinton, which railroad was under his general management until the fall of 1891.