Individual Details

Walter Joy's name appears in New England records for only about ten years. He is named in a York County deed 28 Aug 1650, as already having land allotted. No records indicate he ever owned & occupied land in New England. Some of his associates suggest he was a mariner. He appears in the Essex County Quarterly Court several times.

1672
"Deborah Joy aged ab 27 yrs, wife of Walter, comeing before me the 17th of the 7th mo 1652, saith that Thomas Warren, who dyed with Prince Rupert, was cousin germain to William Sargeant of Glocester and that there is none neerer of kin in this country, and I beling alike related, do desire William Sargeant may administer the estate be accountable. Increase Howell"
from Essex Co Court Records, printed NEGH Reg 1878, XXXII 34.

On 25 Oct 1653, a Dutch trader, Capt Kempo Sybada of Block Island brought charges against Joy and others. Joy lacked bond and was put in prison. He deposed on 14 Nov 1653 that Capt Edward Hull had employed him to bring Hull's boat, the "Swallow" from Rhode Island to Boston. (Rhode Island had earlier commissioned Hull to go privateering against the Dutch.) One witness tesitified that Walter Joy was an accomplice of Edward Hull from the beginning. There were also several suits against Joy for debts. His last appearance in the New England records is at Salem Quarterly Court on 4 Mar 1659 when he was fined for being drunk.

Records & Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County Massachusetts, Vol. 1, 1636-1656, Published by the Essex Institute, Salem, MA, 1911
p.313 Court held at Salem 29:9:1653 [This is the 9th month - November. The writ above by Capt Kempo Sebanda against Robert Hull, Walter Joy, and Thomas Guild was actually dated 28:7:1653 - September - a copy was record in Boston Court a month later.] Capt. Kempo Seibada v. Robert & John Hull, part owners of the barque Swallow, frigott, under command of Edward Hull, pirate, for damages to goods taken out of his house at Block Island by Edward Hull, value 96£. Defendants were receivers of part of the bootyand concealers of Edward Hull's estate. The verdict was for the defendants [and against the Dutch....].
The Writ of 28:7:1653, was served as an attachment of the ship. For want of security, Thomas Gold & Walter Joy were committed to prison.
Sebanda had also served a writ to Robert & John Hull, 17:9:1653. They gave bond for appearance at Salem court.
A Petition to the General Assembly at Portsmouth, 17 Aug 1653, Capt. Sybando v. Edward Hull, stated that the goods taken were valued at 200£ sterling. She was taken the 18th or 19th of April. Verdict was found for the plaintiff and the vessel adjudged not to be a prize, as she was taken without a commission.
Walter Joy deposed he was employed by Capt. Edward Hull to bring the Swallow from Rhode Island to Boston, which Hull said had been commissioned by Rhode Island to command against the Dutch and the bark was ordered by Edward Hull to be delivered to Robert & John Hull, along with some goods and bills of exchange. Mr. Wilkes, master of the Swallow, delivered the bills together with the bark. Edward Hull received two-thirds of all the goods.
Ralph Earle Sr of Portsmouth, deposed that Samuel Comstock came to Rhode Island with Edward Hull and Comstock was 1/8 owner and was employed on it upon a man-of-war design against the Dutch. Comstock sold his interest to Ralph Earle who sold it to Edward Hull. Josias Wilkes was to deliver to Robert & John Hull, the back, with a parcel of linen cloth, mathematical instruments, etc.
William Baker gave the list of articles which were delivered to him at Block Isalnd by Sybanda, part of which was sold for fish & wampum. The fish & wampum and what was left of the goods, Capt. Edward Hull's company took away. William & his wife Mary testified that Samuel Comstock and others came to the house and had water & tobacoo, saying they had not seen or heard of Kempo Sybanda. Comstock told Baker he had a warrant from the Gov. of Connecticut to fetch them off the island because there was likely to be war. Baker helped carry the goods aboard, only after he was aboard was he tole Sybanda had been taken and that he himself was prize together with the good. Baker and his wife were set ashore at Pequott.
Francis Bennet, aged 30 years, testified that he and Samuel Comstock bought of Richard George, one quarter of the bark, Swallow, Edward Hull, master. Sworn in court 26:8:1653.
Samuel Edsall of Boston, aged 18 years, deposed that last spring & summer Edward Hull went in the Swallow and deponent assisted in taking all the vessels that Hull took. Hull received two-thirds of all he took. Thomas Gold & Walter Joy were of Hull's company when they took Capt. Sybanda and his goods from Block Island. He heard Ralph Earle had sold an eighth part of the barque. Sworn in court, 26:8:1653.
Lawrence Turner, of Rhode Island, aged 32 years, deposed that the Swallow was the same vessel then lying in Master Joshua Scotowes dock. That Edward Hull received two thirds of all the goods he took, one third for the vessel and the other for victualling. That Walter Joy & Thomas Gould were with Hull from the beginning of their design at Rhode Island until they took the French prize at the same place and his departure for England. Sworn 17:8:1653.
Testimony revealed that Robert Hull was a brother, and John Hull, the father, to Edward Hull. They insisted they disapproved of the activities of Edward and had asked him to stop; he had told them he had a commission; if they had protested he threatened they would never see him or the vessel again, they had not been responsible for taking away Sebanda's goods and not profited in any way. They had in fact lost the profit of the Swallow for the whole summer.


The McAdams book also gave the details on this affair of the Swallow. The court files of Essex Co MA, record that Capt Kempo Sybando of Pequot [New London] brought suit 15 Oct 1653, at Boston against Edward Hill, Walter Joy and Thomas Gould for taking his goods in his trading house at Block Island. William Baker & his wife Mary testified that they were at Sybando's when Samuel Comstock & others came up to the house; that Samuel Comstock said he had a warrant from the Gov. of Connecticut [John Winthrop] to fetch them off the island because there was likely to be a war between the Dutch and the English. Baker dared not resist a Governor's warrant so prepared, helped carry the goods aboard. When they came aboard he told them Sybando had been taken at Connecticut by Edward Hull and we were taken as a prize, together with the goods, showing me a large piece of parchment he said was his commission. They promised to set me and my wife ashore where we wanted, so they set us ahore at Pequot. When Mr. Winthrop had examined me, he commanded me and Mr. Daniel to go aboard and take account of the goods. The master was absent, and neither him nor the key would be found. Dated at Warwick, 28 Aug 1653. Francis Bennett swore in Court on the same day that he and Samuel Comstock did jointly and severally buy of Richard George of Boston, the bark called the "Swallow", whereof Edward Hull was master.
Ralph Earle Sr of Portsmouth, RI deposed that Samuel Comstock came to Rhode Island with Edward Hull on the bark "Swallow". Samuel Comstock was owner of 1/8 part and employed in and on this bark against the Dutch. Comstock sold his interest to Ralph Earle who sold the 1/8 part of all prizes due or taken to Edward Hull. Ack. before Wm. Stebbens, 12 Sep 1653.

A frigate, or barque, was a three masted ship, square-rigged. They were used as warships with lighter armament. The navy of Dutch Republic was the first navy to build the larger ocean-going frigates around 1600. The fleets built by the Commonwealth of England [presumably used in the Colonies] in the 1650s consisted of ships described as frigates. Some were two-decker great frigates carrying as many as 60 guns, other were cruisers, independent fast ships - which would most likely have been most useful to pirates. The term frigate implied a long hull which relates directly to speed.



Walter Joy's wife at Milford was treated by Dr Winthrop in 1657.
from Old Fairfield CT records.

An Isaac Joy's Inventory was presented 9 Jun 1675. It showed a small property at Milford and Guilford. He left a mother who lived at Guilford, three brothers and one sister related by the father and mother and two siblings related by the mother only. This seems to have been Walter's children and stepchildren.

Birth places, dates & birth order of the children of Walter & Deborah are not certain. Deborah married Thomas French of Guildford after Walter's death and had two children by him.

Spouse	DEBORAH WATHEN ( - 1679)
Child	JACOB JOY (1645 - 1691)
Child	Mary JOY (1645 - 1683)
Child	Isaac JOY (1650 - 1675)
Child	Joseph JOY (1652 - 1690)
Child	Abraham JOY ( - 1687)