The Joyce/Lynch Family Story
The Joyce surname originated in the west of Ireland, in Counties Galway and Mayo. In fact that part of Ireland is still known as “Joyce Country.” The name is first recorded in the 13th century in Co. Galway. Thomas de Jorse or Joyce, a Welshman of Norman descent married into one of the Irish royal families. However, not all of the Joyce’s remained in Co. Galway and Co. Mayo. My ancestors moved to Co. Cork in the south. Family tradition has it that my Joyce ancestors were poor. They probably left Galway in search of better conditions.
My story starts with Edmund and Nora Joyce. They had at least 2 children. James was born April 1831 and Thomas about 1843. This was before the great famine years of 1844-1849. James was said to have worked on his father’s farm in Ireland but, at best, Edmund was a sharecropper who did not pay taxes on the land he worked.
James Joyce married Margaret Lynch at Rathcormac, Co. Cork on May 3, 1859. Witnesses were Thomas Joyce and John Lynch. Margaret was born in Co. Cork in March 1839. She was the child of John Lynch and Ellen Magner.
While still living at Rathcormac, James and Margaret had their 1st child, Honora. She was baptized at Rathcormac April 1, 1860. Sponsors were John Hurley and Mary Jones. Their 2nd child, a girl, Anna, died at birth.
By the time they had their 3rd child, James and Margaret had moved to Glenville which was a barracks town in those days. Edmund, their 1st son, was baptized in Glenville on Jan. 25, 1863. Sponsors were Timothy Kannell and Margaret Caffe. John Henry, later known as Jack, was born in Glenville Oct. 21, 1864 and baptized on Oct. 23, 1864. Sponsors were Pat Buckly and Kate Cahil.
James registered John’s birth, as was required by recent law, on Nov. 9, 1864. At that time James listed his occupation as a laborer. Sometime after this date, James, Margaret, their 3 children, and, presumably, Thomas Joyce immigrated to America. They sailed from Queenstown which is now known as Cobh (pronounced ‘cove’) and arrived in Massachusetts.
James and Margaret went on to Galesburg, IL where they were living in 1866. James was a railroad laborer and Margaret kept house. They had 9 more children while living in Galesburg. They remained there until their deaths. Thomas was living alone in Lawrence, MA. at the time of James’ death in 1900. Presumably, he never married.
John H. Joyce married Louise Mueller. They had four children including my father, John Paul who married Gladys Clayton.
My Irish ancestors passed down the Catholic faith and a pride of being Irish that has inspired me to explore my roots. One word in the Irish language also was passed down from James and Margaret. The little children in the family were lovingly called ‘amadans’ which translates to ‘fools.’
Last revised 09/13/00