On June 12, 1865, 12-year-old John Joyce was strolling down the street toward his grandmother's house in Roxbury, Massachusetts, a community that would soon become a neighborhood on Boston South Side.

John was mostly a happy boy, always eager to make his mother proud of him. His father had died a few years before, and his mother's work as a seamstress barely allowed her to earn enough money for both of them to live.

John's older sister Isabella had gone to live with an aunt, but John had stayed with his mother. He sometimes heard her weeping at night, and the boy often felt his heart would break for her.

Today, though, was a special day. Isabella was in Roxbury, visiting their grandmother, and John was excited to see her. His friends would probably tease him if they knew how much he wanted to see Isabella, or how badly he missed her, but John gave that little thought.

He'd spent the morning attending class at the Dwight School, eagerly watching the clock, and as soon as the class bell told, he hurried for the door.

His grandmother's house was at the corner of Newland and Concord Street, a brick home that was divided into several flats.

John and Isabella's grandmother lived on the first floor. Her children were grown, her husband had passed away years earlier, and she doted on her grandchildren.

She was happy to have Isabella in the city for a visit and quickly prepared a small dinner so that John could eat before he returned to school for the afternoon session.

Isabella had been restless all morning, the weather was fine, and she wanted to get out of the house.

She was nearly as excited to see her younger brother as John was to see her, and she decided that he should take their dinner as a picnic.

There were plenty of places in the neighborhood where they could spread a blanket and eat. When John arrived, she told him of her idea, and he excitedly agreed to the plan.

Their grandmother was not as excited about it. She asked the children to stay and eat lunch with her.

She missed Isabella, and John and barely had time to visit her with her studies at school and his chores at home.

But Isabella wanted to go out into the fresh air, and John agreed, and told his sister, I'll show you some first-rate woods.

Their grandmother still had concerns.

I don't want you to wander too far, she said.

Johnny has classes again this afternoon.

Isabella padded her on the back. Don't be afraid Grandma, we'll be back in time for Johnny to go to school.

The siblings had decided to go to the nearby maze woods for their picnic.

It was a recreation area, and this was in the days before there were many public parks, and it was located right there in Roxbury.

It was about a mile and a half from their grandmother's house at a walk of less than a half an hour.

Their grandmother had given them coins to use the street car if they decided to.

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