From History of Texas, Published in 1896

W.R. Joyce has been a resident of Hood County only since January, 1894, but his sterling worth has won him a place among the leading farmers and respected citizens of the community, and it is therefore with pleasure that we present the record of his life to our readers.

A native of Louisiana, he was born in Franklin Parish July 25, 1847, and is a son of William Henry and Eunice (Price) Joyce, both of whom were natives of Mississippi. His father was born in Hines County, that state, and was of Scotch-Irish descent, while the birth of his mother occurred near Jackson. Her death occurred when her son was only two years old, and by the death of his father he was left an orphan at the age of twelve. He resided with his grandfather Price until the latter's death in 1860, after which he made his home with his maternal great-uncle for two years. His youth was spent on a farm, and his educational privileges were rather meager. During the progress of the Civil War he served for six months in the state militia.

Mr. Joyce dates his arrival in Texas from 1867, at which time he took up his residence in Tarrant County, purchasing a tract of wild land on Big Bear Creek. He improved one hundred and sixty acres of that farm, and from time to time extended its boundaries by additional purchase until it comprised four hundred and sixteen acres. He also bought a farm of three hundred and ninety-six acres, which he sold. He now owns two hundred and forty acres of land in that county, of which one hundred acres is under a high state of cultivation. He followed farming in Tarrant County until January, 1894, when he came to Hood County, and here purchased two hundred acres of valuable land on the Paluxy Creek, of which one hundred and fifteen acres has been transformed into rich and arable fields. He raises several different crops, and is also engaged in stock-raising, making a specialty of the breeding of high-grade horses.

Mr. Joyce has been twice married. On the 14th of October 1868, he wedded Miss Josephine Jeanette Witten, a native of Missouri and a daughter of C. H. and Jeanette Witten, who were early settlers of Texas. Five children graced this union: Eunice Jeanette, wife of William Rogers, of Fort Worth; John P., of Erath county; William Walter, George W. and M.M. The mother of these children died in 1883, and Mr. Joyce was again married October 14, 1885, his second union being with Miss F.S. Glenn, a native of Lamar County, Texas, a daughter of William and Nancy (Griffin) Glenn, the former of Kentucky, the latter of Arkansas. They became pioneer settlers of Texas. There are three children by the second marriage-Pearl, Aubrey and Earl.

Mr. Joyce is a member of the Christian Church and his wife belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics he is independent, and has never sought or desired political preferment, desiring rather to give his entire attention to his business interests, in which he has met with signal success. Without capital or influential friends to aid him and dependent entirely upon his own resources, he has worked his way steadily upward from a humble position to one of affluence, and is today one of the substantial citizens of Hood County.

 SOURCE

History of Texas, 1896, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Co.

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