Taylor & Ashdown Family Genealogy
- John MAYO (1763c - 1821)

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Extract from 'Along the Windsor Richmond Road Book 3' - The Early Days of the Ezzy Family

A Story of an Early Pioneer Family, Researched and written by present-day members of the Family, themselves.

These pages are dedicated to the memory of my cousin the late Grace Douglass

The following article was compiled by Grace Douglass & researched with Laurel Legge and published in 'Along the Windsor Richmond Road' 1985 (ISBN 0 9589831 0 0 and ISBN 0 9589831 3 5) and is subject to copyright. Written permission is held from the late author Grace Douglass for the writer to publish contents via the Internet. However, although this book is in the public domain, it still remains copyrighted material and may not be copied for any reason without permission. I do not have the right to give permission to others to reprint the book. I was only given permission to put it on line. All copyrights stay with Grace Douglass & Laurel Legge and whoever they appointed, for control of the book. Under no circumstances may it be reprinted for profit.
Extractions of parts of the information for personal use with references to the book as the source is encouraged.

It should be noted that since the book was published over twenty years ago, that a lot of the material in the books have been superseeded by later research, some of which can be seen at my Rootsweb database at Amanda Taylor's Genealogy

John MAYO (1763c - 1821) on pages 59 to 60

John Mayo was a convict who arrived on the "Royal Admiral" in 1792. John had been tried at Aylesbury on 6/10/1791 and had been given a sentence of 7 years.

On the 6th February 1805 John was married to Mary Weldon at St. John's church at Parramatta. Mary was also a convict and she had arrived on the "Glatton" in 1803. Mary had been convicted on the 20th April 1802 of stealing a quart pewter pot and a pint pewter pot from the "Hat and Ton" Inn. Her sentence was also 7 years.

The couple had three children. Their first child, George was not baptised and we only know that he was born prior to the date the 1806 Muster was taken, even though he does give his age as 21 years at the time of the 1828 Census. The other two children were John born 14/4/1813 and Jane born 21/1/1815 who were both baptised at St. Peter's Richmond.

On the 18th December, 1805 John was Granted 100 acres in the District of Evan (Penrith), and he was evidently successful as a farmer as by the time the 1814 Muster was taken he was fully supporting his Family and they were all Off Stores. The Family had moved to Richmond Hill some time before their second child, John was born, for it was claiimed in later years that he had been born on the banks of the Hawkesbury opposite where "Belmont" later stood. John was not baptised until after his sister Jane was born.

There is a considerable amount of "Folk Lore" and "Scuttle-bug" associated with this Family, much of which we have already disregarded. Stories that John Mayo was a First Mate on the first trading vessel to come through Sydney Heads about the year 1800. The Captain of the vessel had died on the voyage and John had taken over the commnd. He continued on as a trader and brought supplies of pickled-pork to the Colony from Tahiti. Colourful, but sadly not historically correct. This John Mayo was most definitely a convict, although there were others of this name that came to the Colony. The stories about Mary's background are even more elaborate. She was reputed to be the daughter of a Spanish Countess who had run away to England and married a Sea Captain. Mary was supposed to have trained in England as a nurse and after arrival in the Colony been made Matron of the first Sydney Hospital. The story then continues that the Captain John Mayo applied to Governor Macquarie for permission to marry his Matron and take her back to England with him. The good Governor is reported to have replied -- "Be dammed Mayo, I'm not losing my Matron and my Trader at the same time!" This story ends with Governor Macquarie giving the Trader a Grant of Land and permission to marry his Matron provided they both remain in the Colony.

As I say, colourful, but historically inaccurate. John and Mary were already married with their son George already born and farming at Evan before the good Governor arrived in the Colony. Mary, like many women of her time acted as the local midwife, and it is recorded in many places that she was the person who laid Margaret Catchpole out when she passed away, but that possibly is as far as her nursing training went.

We have no further information on John Mayo senior as he died whilst the Colony was still in infancy. He passed away on 21/8/1821 and was buried in St. Peter's Churchyard and said to be 58 years of age.

At the time the 1828 Census was taken George was employed by Thomas Miles of Richmond and Mary was acting as housekeeper to Thomas Miles and her two younger children, John and Jane living with her. Mary is not listed as Mary Mayo but as Mary Miles with a notation that she is also known as Mary Wilder, however, the additional information given "Glatton" - 7 years - 1803 - age 56" makes us quite sure it is her -- although it puzzled Mr. Mutch when he saw it as he already had a record to the effect that Thomas Miles had married an Eliza Weston.

Thomas and Eliza Miles had two daughters Eliza and Ann. At the time the 1828 Census was taken, Eliza was living with John Davis to whom she had had an additional two children, and her eldest daughter, Eliza Miles was living with her. Eliza Miles senior, is however, not listed as Eliza Miles, she appears as Eliza Wilson, but all other information tallies. The second daughter born to Thomas and Eliza Miles, known as Ann Miles was living with her Father and was more than likely under the care of Mary Mayo as her own Mother appears to have been gone for about 7 years.

George Mayo did not marry and according to information supplied by a member of the Mayo Family, he was a pit-sawyer and was found dead in the bush where he had been working. He died 21/12/1867 and wwas buried at St. Peter's Richmond in the Mayo Family Plot. From statements made by the Family at the time of John Mayo jnr's death, it would appear that "Woodbine" orchard had been a Grant made to George Mayo, which he did not take up, but his younger brother did so in his place, however we have not investigated this claim at the present time, but we do know the name of John Mayo appears on the Parish Map as being the original Grantee.

In the section of the Ezzy Family History relating to the Family of John and Rebecca Ezzey there is some considerable reference made to "Woodbine" orchard and the life of John Mayo jnr.

Jane Mayo married the year following the 1828 Census being recorded. She married Thomas Blake on 6/7/1829 and her daughter Mary Ann was born one month later, although it is unlikely that Thomas was the Father of the child as she was baptised Mary Mayho.
[Note : My late cousin Grace Douglass subsequently advised 'Jane gave birth to her daughter Mary Ann, when she was less than fifteen years of age and she had married Thomas BLAKE only a month earlier. Thomas was not the father of the child, otherwise she would have been baptised 'BLAKE' and not 'MAYO'. Jane had two more daughters, before being laid to rest in St. Peter's Churchyard, shortly after her 20th birthday, leaving behind three daughters aged between eighteen-months to less than six years.]

Mary Mayo lived until 1854 and although it is known from the writings of Mr. Boughton that she spent the last few years of her life in the home of John and Rebecca Ezzey, it is not known what she did in the early years following the 1828 Census. One can only assume that she possibly raised her three Grand-daughters, when her daughter Jane died in 1835.

Mary Mayo passed away 19/3/1854 and was buried with her son in the Mayo Family Plot in St. Peter's Churchyard. Accordingly to the Burial Register she was 84 years of age. (Row.14 GR. 55/60. Sec. A).

N.B. For further details of Jane Mayo -- see Jane MAYO and Thomas BLAKE at my Rootsweb database and the chapter regarding Thomas Blake in 'Along the Windsor Road' which can also be accessed via the 'Index to Spouse Families'.

My complete Rootsweb database can be seen at Amanda Taylor's Genealogy

Surname List of my Direct Ancestors Individual Name Index

Prepared by:
Amanda Taylor
P.O. Box 5042
Wheeler Heights NSW 2097 Australia