The John S. Joyce House
(1898-1995)

Welcome back, Monroe history lovers. Today’s history takes us to Lower Stepney, near the intersection of Main Street and Judd Road. We’re going to learn the interesting and unique history behind the house seen in the foreground of our first supporting image, how it came to be and its eventual fate. We’ll also correct an error in our historical record. Are you ready? Let’s head over to Lower Stepney.

It all began in May of 1898 when John Sherwood Joyce of Judd Road decided to build a new house for his family, a large and comfortable abode that would serve them in his eventual retirement years. At 61 years of age, the experienced stonemason dug the cellar and set each stone in the foundation in preparation for the house to be built. It was to be 24x29 feet with a 12x24-foot addition. With the foundation completed, the construction of the house was contracted to Philo Burr of Upper Elm Street, an experienced and well-respected Monroe carpenter.

By September, the house was nearly completed, with only the interior plastering and painting remaining. The Joyce family planned to move in on October 1st, and once completely settled, their original small house on the same property would be torn down. Their new house was a simple country Victorian and was known in its day for the massive buttonball sycamore trees standing guard over the property at the roadside. Immediately west, and seen in the distance in the same image, is the home of John’s son, Herbert William Joyce. Driving west on Judd Road today, you would never imagine that this quaint scene ever existed, and all less than a quarter mile west of Main Street.

John and his wife Sylvinia were certainly enjoying life in their new home, and in 1906 their son, John Carlton Joyce, brought home his new wife Mary. It wasn’t long before they were blessed with children. Tragedy struck In 1912, however, when Sylvinia passed away from complications of a lingering illness. She and John had been married for just over 50 years when she passed. The family soldiered on in Sylvinia’s absence and life eventually returned to some sense of normalcy. That is until the rumors began, rumors of the new Easton Reservoir project and how it might affect those living in the area. The Joyce’s home was over a mile from the proposed site of the new reservoir. Surely, there was no need for concern, or was there?

In 1923 there was a knock at the Joyce’s front door. It was representatives from the Bridgeport Hydraulic Company, informing them that their 25-year-old home was directly in the planned path of the Stepney Canal, a man-made waterway that diverted a portion of the Western Branch of the Pequonnock River onward to the Mill River, their confluence then flowing into the head of the new Easton Reservoir. By November, a deal was struck, and the family sold their house and farm to the hydraulic company. Soon after, a farm auction was held and the family relocated north to Charlton, Massachusetts.

The house was ultimately saved from destruction by Charles F. Nichols, an enterprising relative of the Joyce family by his father’s second marriage. Charles’ father, Jerome Nichols, owned land along Main Street, just north of the corner at Judd Road. His land is seen in the second supporting image, a map of the area land holdings from 1924. Charles F. Nichols hired a contractor to move the house just 200 yards over land to Main Street, where it stood until the mid-1990s, when it was torn down to make way for the strip plaza at 179 Main Street. Moving the house across the land rather than by road completely avoided the challenges presented by the overhead telephone and power lines.

Now, to correct the error in our historical record. For over a half century the history was told that this house had been moved to Main Street from its original location in Easton. This is not accurate. The fact is that Charles F. Nichols sold his home in Easton in 1925 and moved with his family into the Joyce house once it had been relocated from Judd Road over to Main Street. Sometimes, the details of our history can be misinterpreted, even with the best of intentions.

So, now you all know the interesting history of how the John S. Joyce house originally came to be on Judd Road and its eventual fate just 200 yards away on Main Street. I hope you enjoy this week’s historic spotlight on this lovely house from our past. Please share this post with your family and friends, and as always, thank you for your continued support and interest in Monroe’s rich history. Until next time, keep an eye peeled. Our history and our houses are always on the move.

Regards,

Kevin Daly
Historian, Monroe Historical Society
www.monroecthistory.org
Our Past is Always Present