Joy, Texas
Encyclopedia
Joy is an unincorporated community
one mile west of the intersection of Farm to Market Road 173
and State Highway 148
, 16 miles south of Henrietta
in southern Clay County
, Texas
, United States
. The population was about 150 in 1990.
about 1880. One of the pioneer families had a sick child who passed away on the way west and the mother refused to leave its gravesite. In 1881 the community had a small log-cabin school and a Methodist church. The large, expansive grasslands attracted the Red River Cattle Company to Joy in the late 19th Century. In 1895 the community petitioned for a post office because mail was often mixed with mail for Fannin County. The origin of the name Joy was dictated by the US Post Office. The post office operated until 1930. Bypassed by every major US and state thoroughfare and railroad through Clay County, the community never flourished. Oil discovered in 1942 boosted the population to its current level of 150, one of the few small, unincorporated towns in Clay County to actually grow during the 20th Century. In 1990 the nearby Joy field had 14 oil wells with an annual production of 25 million barrels of crude oilhttp://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/JJ/hlj13.html. The population of Joy was reported as 150 in 1990.
, so called because it is situated midway between Joy and Bluegrove.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
one mile west of the intersection of Farm to Market Road 173
Farm to Market Road 173
Farm to Market Road 173 is a short farm to market road in Clay County, Texas.-Route description:FM 173's western terminus is in the unincorporated community of Joy, at an intersection with Old Joy–Shannon Road...
and State Highway 148
Texas State Highway 148
State Highway 148, or SH 148, is a north–south state highway that runs from SH 79 in Petrolia, Texas through Henrietta, Texas to US 281 in Jacksboro, Texas.-Route description:...
, 16 miles south of Henrietta
Henrietta, Texas
Henrietta is a city in and the county seat of Clay County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Wichita Falls, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,264 at the 2000 census.-History:...
in southern Clay County
Clay County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,006 people, 4,323 households, and 3,181 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 4,992 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was about 150 in 1990.
History
Joy Creek runs through the Joy oilfield north of the community. Joy was first known as Fanninton when it was established by a group of settlers from Fannin CountyFannin County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 31,242 people, 11,105 households, and 7,984 families residing in the county. The population density was 35 people per square mile . There were 12,887 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile...
about 1880. One of the pioneer families had a sick child who passed away on the way west and the mother refused to leave its gravesite. In 1881 the community had a small log-cabin school and a Methodist church. The large, expansive grasslands attracted the Red River Cattle Company to Joy in the late 19th Century. In 1895 the community petitioned for a post office because mail was often mixed with mail for Fannin County. The origin of the name Joy was dictated by the US Post Office. The post office operated until 1930. Bypassed by every major US and state thoroughfare and railroad through Clay County, the community never flourished. Oil discovered in 1942 boosted the population to its current level of 150, one of the few small, unincorporated towns in Clay County to actually grow during the 20th Century. In 1990 the nearby Joy field had 14 oil wells with an annual production of 25 million barrels of crude oilhttp://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/JJ/hlj13.html. The population of Joy was reported as 150 in 1990.
Education
Joy is served by the Midway Independent School District (Clay County, Texas)Midway Independent School District (Clay County, Texas)
Midway Independent School District is a public school district in Texas . The district is located in southern Clay County and extends into a small portion of northern Jack County....
, so called because it is situated midway between Joy and Bluegrove.