Joy family journals, 1812-1813, 1844.
Collection Number: 6014

History: Arad Joy was a banker, merchant and pension agent who worked for widows after the War of 1812. He was also treasurer and trustee of the New York State Agricultural College and served on the Board of Trustees of Ovid Academy. His diary was written while he was in the army (during the War of 1812) as a regimental paymaster in the 19th Regiment of Detached Militia, in New York State, under Lt. Col. Henry Bloome.

Scope: His diary (August 1812 - April 1813) covers his service in the War of 1812. He describes living conditions in the army where his unit traveled, and gives descriptions of his duties as regimental paymaster.

Contents: Description of his first view of the British Army, at Black Rock (near Buffalo, N.Y.), description of his visit to Niagara Falls with the members of his regiment, and a description of the falls themselves, descriptions of living conditions in the army, explanation of the punishment for desertion (the men had half of their heads shaved, and were forced to walk before the regiment with their hands extended by a board across their backs and fastened on their foreheads), description of the regiment's first brief skirmish with the British, descriptions of army life (marches, drills, parades, battles), description of his duties as paymaster, records of State Supreme Court cases in rear of the diary, and a day book.

History: Henry Joy (1822-1892) was the son of Arad Joy. He was bom in Ludlowville, N.Y. but settled in Marshall, Mich. He received his early education at the Ovid Academy and his B.A. from Union College. He received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in 1849. Dr. Joy was active in public affairs and served as both alderman and mayor in Marshall. At the time of his death, he was a health officer in that city. He was also at different times a member of the American Academy of Medicine, and State Medical Society of Michigan, as well as president of the United States Pensions Examining Board and president of the Calhoun County Medical Society.

Scope: Henry Joy's Travel Journal (2 vols., April 23 - June 4, 1844) was written during his travels through the mid-western United States. Joy makes comments on everything he sees on his journey and minutely describes the places he has seen. Most of his traveling was done by boat, but he also used the stage coach and traveled on foot or horseback through other areas. He also describes the hotels he sleeps in and places where he dines.

Contents: A list of towns, villages and cities that Joy passed through and the number of miles he traveled each day, criticisms of inns and taverns in which he ate, descriptions of conversations with people he met along the way (in a stage coach ride from Cleveland to Pittsburgh one of the passengers he mentions is a former senator from Ohio, Mr. Spaulding): descriptions of towns he passed through and any interesting sights found in the town, discussion of the Pennsylvania Dutch and their farming methods, an account of a sermon he heard preached by H. B. Stove's husband, description of an iron works, a glass works, and a nail factory, comments pertaining to historical sites he visited, names of persons he had introductions to in various cities, and drawings of historical sites (stone house where an abolitionist was shot in Alton, 111.).

Contents: A list of towns Joy passed through; information on a garrison he visited (Prairie Du Chien), historical background regarding the towns he visited, descriptions of Indians he saw canoeing along the upper Mississippi, an account of an Indian chief who comes on board his boat and passed a peace pipe around; description of his visits to St. Anthony's Falls (which he says are more impressive than Niagara), Chicago, Milwaukee, Kalamazoo, and Battle Creek, Michigan.