John JOYCE (1615 – 1666) was Alex’s 10th Great Grandfather two times over through his son Hosea and his daughter Dorcas; he was two of 2,048 in this generation of the Shaw line.

Immigrant Ancestor – Joyce Coat of Arms

John Joyce was born around 1615 in Derbyshire, England. His parents and origins are not known, but he may have come from the vicinity of Mickleover, Co. Derbyshire, England. He married Dorothy COCHET. He lived first in Lynn, MA by 1637, then Yarmouth by 1645. John died 21 Dec 1666 in Yarmouth, Barnstable, Mass.

Dorothy Cochet [Cotchet] was born 16 Oct 1608, Mickleover, Derby, England. Her parents were William COCHET and Margery [__?__]. Dorothy died 12 Jan 1679, Yarmouth, MA .

Children of John and Dorothy:

“John Joyce removed from Lynn to Sandwich in 1637 and became a proprietor there 1638, and thence to Yarmouth in 1643 where they settled with their children in the Hockanom area halfway between the town and Nobscusset. He was listed one of fifty “later-comers” to Yarmouth.

“Within four years fifty others from Lynn, Duxbury and Plymouth came, many bringing their familiess, and the ‘three-score,’ as permitted, appear on the proprietors’ records in 1641. The fifty later comers were: . . . John Joyce .

The family name became extinct in 1755 by the death of Jeremiah, his great-grandson. ”

He was said to have been born “probably in the vicinity of Mickle, Derbyshire, England. He married, probably there, Dorothy Cochet. The first record we find of him is among a list of the fifty townsmen of Sandwich who have taken the Oath of Fidelity (Plym. Col. Recs. 8:184). . . . The will (dated 5 Sept. 1657, proved 5 April 1658) of Robert Cochet of Mickle, Countie Derby, Gentleman, gives to ‘my sister Dorothy Joyce, wife of one John Joyce of England, or to their children, in my sister, their mother, be deceased, the summe of five pounds (see ‘Clues from English Archives’ (New York Gen. and Biol. Rec. 41:9]). The authors of the article just cited note that the legatees named in the Cochet will were the John Joyce and wife Dorothy of Yarmouth, and this identification is accepted also by Belle Preston in her excellent ‘Bassett-Preston Ancestors’ (1930) but no one seems to have exploited this clue in England. The fact that Robert Cochet is called ‘gentlemen’ would suggest that English records may be promising. No other John Joyce appears to be of record at the period in New England although a Walter Joyce, with wife and family, were early settlers in Marshfield.

Nine of our ancestral families were first comers in Dennis: 1 . Francis Baker, 2. Daniel, Baker, 3. William Chase, 4. Thomas Folland, 5. Thomas Howes, 6. John Joyce, 7. David O’Kelley, 8. William Twining, 9. Gabriel Weldon. Map courtesy of Lynn Keller and Cape Cod Genealogical Society

“John Joyce was on Yarmouth’s list in 1643. He had previously lived in Lynn and Sandwich. His wife was Dorothy Cochet. Charles Swift says he was wealthy and may have based this opinion on the fact that in his will, written in November of 1666, Joyce included a small bequest to the minister Mr. Thornton and to his neighbor, Richard Taylor, ‘because a poore man, in corne or in some beast the sume of 20 shillings, – provided that he vinciate my name and acknowledge the wrong that hee hath done me about a calfe, to be payed him when he had done the same.’

Abigail, one of his children, was taken to Mr. Lothrop in Barnstable for baptism in 1646, but there is no reference to any disagreement with the Yarmouth church. It may be that no new minister had been settled at Yarmouth at that time. The Joyces tended to have more daughters than sons and the name died out in the town with the death of Jeremiah Joyce in 1735.

Time Line
7 Jul 1638 – At Court of Assistants, John Joyce is granted ‘a parcell of land.’in Sandwich No indication of size.
6 Apr 1640 – Division of meadow lists among residents of Sandwich was discussed by the court. There’s a list of those who received land ‘betwixt Moonoonenescusset and Shaume.’ John Joyce received 2 1/2 acres. Parcels reanged from 28 acres to one.
2 Aug 1642 – ‘execution granted to John Joyce against Walter Devell.’
1643 – John Joyce is listed in the List of those able to bear Arms in New Plymouth for “Sandwitch”
1643 – He is listed as one of the Dennis First Comers:Joyce, John H[ockanom] N. side of 28 inside Yarm. Line R51, 60; S72″292
17 Jun 1642 – An action for ‘trespass’ entitled ‘John Joyce vs. Walter Deuell,’ was tried before the General Court of Assistants
2 Jun 1646 – John Joyce constable Yarmouth.
3 Jun 1652 – John Joyce surveyor of Highways, Yarmouth.
1652 -John Joyce was elected a deputy from Yarmouth, MA and served for 1 year along with William Lumpkin
7 Jun 1653 – John Joyce on Grand Inquest.
6 Oct 1659 – John Joyce one of these who ruled on the death of Mary Chase of Yarmouth.

“Mary Chase, the wife of William CHASE. She had a paralytic humor which fell into her backbone, so that she could not stir her body, but as she was lifted, and filled her with great torture, & caused her backbone to go out of joint, & bunch out from the beginning to the end of which infirmity she lay 4 years & a half, & a great part of the time a sad spectacle of misery. But it pleased God to raise her again, & she bore children after it.”
In October 1659 a coroner’s jury “having made search and inquiry, according to our best light and understanding, into the cause of the death of Mary Chase, viz: of our town of Yarmouth, do with joint consent present, the day and year abovesaid, that we can find no other but that she died a natural death through inward sickness, as is evident to all men naturally.”

3 Jun 1662 – John Joyce surveyor of highways, Yarmouth.
7 Jun 1665 – John Joyce sworn Grand Inquest. John Joyce on the jury which heard the case brought against John Williams by his wife Elizabeth ‘for his great abusive and unnatural carriages towards her, both in word and deed, and defaming her in rendering her to be a whore, and by persisting in his refusing to perform marriage duty unto her.’
5 Mar 1666/67 -Letters of administration granted Hosea Joyce to administer estate of John Joyce, deceased.

“John Joyce died at Yarmouth on 21 Dec 1666 (Town Recs.) leaving a will dated 20 Nov 1666 in which he mentions wife Dorothy, his only son Hosea (named sole executor) and daughters Mary and Dorcas. There is also a small bequest to Richard Taylor atte the Rock. The inventory of the estate was dated 12 Month (Feb.) 18, 1667/68, and the will was proved 5 Mar 1666/67 (Plym. Col. Recs. 4:141).”

“[fol. 35] ‘The last Will …of Mr John Joyce of Yarmouth late Deceased exhibited to the Court held att Plymouth the fift of march 1666 on the oath of mr Anthony Thacher. I John Joyce…Doe this twentieth Day of November Ammmo: Dom: 1666, make … this my last will.’ Bequests were as follows:
‘Unto Dorothy my wife all my houshold goods and movables within Dores whatsoever for ever and . . . the one halfe moyety of all my Cattle . . . to be Devided after my debts are payed and my funerall Rightes Dischargd’ also ‘one third prte of my house and lands whatsoever During her life;’
‘Unto mine onely son hosea Joyce the other two thirds of my house and of all my lands whatsoever and my wifes third prte after her Decease’ also ‘the other halfe moyety of all my Cattle’ also ‘all the Implements and Plowes harnis as Cart wheels Chaines and the like.’
‘unto my two Daughters Mary and Dorcas twenty shillinges apeece to be payed within one yeare after my Decease.’
‘unto the Reverend Mr Thomas Thornton thirty shillings within the like time;’
I Doe give Richard Tayler att the Rocke because a poor man inCorne or in sume beast the sume of twenty shillings; provided that hee vindecate my name and acknowlidge the wronge that hee hath Done mee about a Calfe; to be payed him when he hath Done the same;’
‘I Doe . . . make my said sonne hosea . . . sole exequitor of this my last will . . . unto whom I alsoe give all my goods and estate whatsoever that I have not mentioned in this my last will’
‘Postscript I John Joyce Doe . . . Make and ordaine mr Anthonty Thacher Mr Edmond hawes and Andrew hallett as overseers of this my last will’
The witnesses were Thomas Thornton and Anthony Thacher.
The inventory was taken ‘the eighteenth day of the 12th month 1666 by ‘Anthony Thacher, Richard Tayler and John Willer, ‘and exhibited to the Court held att Plymouth the fift of march 1666 on the oath of hosea Joyce;’ No real estate is mentioned.”

Dorothy Cochet

Dorothy’s father William Cotchet was born 1576 in Mickleover, Derby, England and died 13 Jun 1635 in Mickle-Over, Derby, England. He married Margery [__?__]on 1607 in Mickle Over Derby, Derbyshire, England.

Dorothy was a sister of Robert Cochet of Mickle Over, co. Derby, gentleman, who d. ca 1658.”

“English Wills: . . .Robert Cochet of Mickle-Over, Derbyshire, gentleman, sister Dorothy Joyce, wife of John Joyce of New England, 1657, proved 1658. Wootton 128.

“I Robert Cochet of Mickle Over in the countie of Derby, gent., being in good health . . . I give and bequeath vnto my sister Dorothy Joyce, wife of one John Joyce of New England, or to their children, if my sister their mother be dead, the summe of five pounds. . .. Dated 5 Sept.., 1657. .. Proved 5 April, 1658, by the executrix.”

“The widow Dorothy Joyce died at Yarmouth 12 Jan. 1678/80, testate, though the will has not come to light: In reference to the will of Mistris Joyce of Yarmouth, deceased, the Court have viewed it and taken notice of the disposall of the Estate, & doe approve thereof and have ordered that said Will shall be recorded — 2 March 1679/80 (Plym. Col. Recs. 6:31).”

Children

1. Hosea JOYCE (See his page)

2. Dorcas Joyce (See Nathaniel BASSETT’s page)

3. Mary Joyce

Mary’s husband Joseph Hall was born 14 Jul 1642. His parents were John Hall and Bethia [__?__].  John died in Jun 1716 – Yarmouth, Massachusetts and is buried in Hall burying ground, Dennis, Barnstable, Mass.

Maybe Mary went to live with her niece Mehitable Joyce Storrs in Marshfield, CT after Joseph died.

Sources:

http://trees.wmgs.org/getperson.php?personID=I10984&tree=Schirado

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=51600370

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~barbpretz/PS03/PS03_006.HTM

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/r/a/c/Natasha-M-Racz/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0313.html

History of old Yarmouth. Comprising the present towns of Yarmouth and Dennis. From the settlement to the division in 1794 with the history of both towns to these times (1884) Author: Swift, Charles Francis