The Mellett name was originally, Mellott. These records are also documented by the Land Deeds. The Mellett name, when pronounced with a strong Irish accent, has a number of variations to the ear. Add the fact that often times individuals could not read or write, thus the change in spelling.
Michael and Patrick were brothers. They were both caught steeling sheep. They were both charged with the same crime. Patrick was a younger brother to Michael. Michael was in line to take over the family farm, 112 acres in Hollymount, Co. Mayo. Family tradition calls for the land to pass to the oldest male child. If that is not an option the land is passed to a female. In the Mellott family, Michael was to receive the land from his father according to birth order tradition. However, there was a small problem. Michael and his brother Patrick were caught stealing sheep.
There were two options for someone convicted of the crime of steeling sheep. 1: In prison for the rest of their life or 2. Send them off to Australia for their life but at least they could have an open life. Provided the ship arrive safely to Australia.
Now more to the story. Patrick takes the full blame for the crime and Michael is then released. He goes back to Hollymount. I imagine the two brothers worked things out between themselves. Patrick tells Michael that he has the land so he, Patrick, will take all the blame. As a single guy he will then take the option of off to Australia. Michael agrees and the two resolve a painful goodbye. Michael receives the land deed from their father Patrick Mellott and is wife Mary McDermott
Patrick is now on the ship Forth I on his way to Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The conditions in Australia were terrible. The plague was taking over and the sanitation conditions were no where to be found. However, Patrick finds his business niche and marries. From this line we highlight our cousin Mel Gibson. That detail story is for another time.
Michael and Patrick had at least one sister, Margaret (1851-1897). Things being how they were regarding available marriage partners or lack thereof, Margaret marries the boy next door, Joseph Henry Tully. When Michael married Bridgett Farragher (1844-1924). They had 8 children. Maria Mellett, my grandmother, was the oldest. On her birth record it documents that Margaret Tully assisted with the birth of Maria. That means it was Bridgett's sister-in-law that helped her with the delivery. Margaret and Joseph Tully also remain in the lives of Michael and Bridgett Mellott/Mellett. They are God parents for a number of Michael's children and Margaret continues to assist Bridgett with other of her deliveries. Bridgett Farragher's family is from the area known as "the Neal". Family members still live in that area. However, I have not begun to trace those connections.
Although Maria was the oldest, once her brother Patrick was born all understood that everyone had to leave the farm. The girls had to leave to make way for the future wife of Patrick. The parents Michael and Bridgett would live on the land until they died. So Maria was off to Galway to try and find work as a servant. Times were very tough in Ireland as the plague killed many 1665-1666. Then came the potato famine hit in 1845. Michael was a generous man to his neighbors. He allowed them to cut Bog from his land without charging them so they at least could have heat. Bog was dried grassland turf that was used as fuel for all their fires.
The home that Maria was born into was very small. They would bring in the animals at night to help warm the room. The floor was just dirt. Many babies died within a week of being born. It was the requirement of the Catholic Church to have new borns baptized within 4 days of birth. Church records and government records together help to document the birth records for individuals at that time. Some of the deliveries that Bridgett experienced were with the help of her husband Michael and a few she had to experience alone without any other help.
Maria (1879-1973) met William Hazel (Hazell) (1885-1972) in Galway. William had a very harsh time growing up. His birth mother Marie Hession (1851- Jun 1893) died from cancer when William was just 8. He was then sent to an industrial school. This was done for orphans or when one parent died and the other could not support or care for the children. The conditions of his time in the industrial school was horrible. He ran away many times only to be brought back. He learned his traded as a carpenter at the school. Finally, in his teens when he ran away again the officials just let him go. William's father Patrick Hazel did marry after the death of Marie. He married Mary Ann Burke (1869-1925). She was a widow and had at least one son. That son was with Patrick when he died. However, Mary Ann refused to take care of the children from his marriage to Marie Hession.
William had a brother Thomas V. Hazell that joined the British Army as a very young man. Perhaps he was drafted. Brother George Hazel came to America with Maria in 1909. However, he died within 10 months of arriving. Mary took her baby sister Delia to America. Delia later became Mrs. John Carter of Boston.
Back to our two main persons of interest: William and Maria. William and Maria were married just a few days before William traveled to America, 2 Mar 1908. Maria always kept her correct age a secret. However, she always celebrated her birthday on the correct day and month, August 4th. My mother was the 7th of 8 children and I am the 4th oldest of 10 / 2nd oldest of 6 surviving.
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