Mary Ann Hayes (1845-1921)
married (1867)
William Donaldson (1827-1913)
The "Mountain Retreat" Family
Mary Ann - born in an English Village
Mary Ann was born 16 March 1845 in the pretty English village of Medbourne. She was the first and only daughter to Mark and Maria Hayes who went on to have 11 sons! Maria was only 19 years old when Mary Ann was born. Grandparents William and Judith Hayes now had two little granddaughters on their doorstep to enjoy. When Mary Ann was born, her Uncle Teddy and Auntie Amy's daughter Eliza was about 5 or 6 years old, giving her a big cousin on her father's side there in the village.
Her other Grandparents, George and Mary Searcy, were from the next village north, Hallaton, but must have moved to Medbourne as George had died there in 1836 before Mary Ann was born. Maria had three older living siblings, thus Mary Ann's aunts & uncles. Uncle Thomas with wife Jane and one year old baby George were there in the village when Mary Ann was born. Aunts Elizabeth and Frances and eight more cousins were all in Uppingham 8 miles north-east from her home.
(She was 10 years old when her Grandma Mary died five years after Mary Ann had left for Australia.)
Baby George arrived before Mary Ann's first birthday in Jan 1846. Thomas was born in June 1849 but this baby brother died somewhere in the next 18 months. Mary Ann would have been about 4 or 5 and able to understand all the sad emotions of the event.
Mary Ann's parents made a huge decision that impacted her, George and all her siblings to come. Mary Ann and George said goodbye forever to their three Grandparents in November 1850. As Uncle Teddy and Auntie Amy followed them with Eliza 3 months later, we assume they knew they would be followed making their farewell less painful.
Having arrived in Australia on the 14th March 1851, Mary Ann celebrated her 6th birthday two days after landing in Melbourne. The family travelled inland in search of farming land. Her first brother, Mark, born in Tooborac in 1852 sadly died at about 6 months old. William came along in 1854 when Mary Ann was nearly 14 years old. Her mother must have really appreciated having her to help then and for the next six brother - Edward 1856, Mark Henry 1858, James 1859, David 1861, Joseph 1863 and Alfred 1866. Joseph had arrived when she was 18 years old but he sadly drowned in a tragic accident when she was 21 years old. This must have affected her and all the family deeply. Alfred was only 3 months old when this tragedy occurred and as he was born not 'quite right', he would have needed extra work to look after. Being the only girl, Mary Ann would have had to help Maria greatly.
Her other Grandparents, George and Mary Searcy, were from the next village north, Hallaton, but must have moved to Medbourne as George had died there in 1836 before Mary Ann was born. Maria had three older living siblings, thus Mary Ann's aunts & uncles. Uncle Thomas with wife Jane and one year old baby George were there in the village when Mary Ann was born. Aunts Elizabeth and Frances and eight more cousins were all in Uppingham 8 miles north-east from her home.
(She was 10 years old when her Grandma Mary died five years after Mary Ann had left for Australia.)
Baby George arrived before Mary Ann's first birthday in Jan 1846. Thomas was born in June 1849 but this baby brother died somewhere in the next 18 months. Mary Ann would have been about 4 or 5 and able to understand all the sad emotions of the event.
Mary Ann's parents made a huge decision that impacted her, George and all her siblings to come. Mary Ann and George said goodbye forever to their three Grandparents in November 1850. As Uncle Teddy and Auntie Amy followed them with Eliza 3 months later, we assume they knew they would be followed making their farewell less painful.
Having arrived in Australia on the 14th March 1851, Mary Ann celebrated her 6th birthday two days after landing in Melbourne. The family travelled inland in search of farming land. Her first brother, Mark, born in Tooborac in 1852 sadly died at about 6 months old. William came along in 1854 when Mary Ann was nearly 14 years old. Her mother must have really appreciated having her to help then and for the next six brother - Edward 1856, Mark Henry 1858, James 1859, David 1861, Joseph 1863 and Alfred 1866. Joseph had arrived when she was 18 years old but he sadly drowned in a tragic accident when she was 21 years old. This must have affected her and all the family deeply. Alfred was only 3 months old when this tragedy occurred and as he was born not 'quite right', he would have needed extra work to look after. Being the only girl, Mary Ann would have had to help Maria greatly.
William the Third
William Donaldson was born 3 Nov 1826 in Flimby, a tiny Cumbrian Coast village in England, to William and Esther Donaldson. William "Bill" Junior had a big brother and three big sisters. Two Williams had been born and had died before he was born - thus he was William, the third.
William the Adventurer
Bill went to sea at eleven years of age! Yes, from Bill's Obituary in the McIvor Times June 12 1913, we discover a most amazing life. He spent several years at sea and claims to have sailed the Spanish Main with friend Henry Thomas. Henry appears to have also settled in the Tooborac area, as he was obviously a known identity to the community.
Enjoy a good read all about bushrangers, Eureka Stockade -'the riot', and successful gold mining. |
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Late finding love
Mary Ann (22 years) married William Donaldson (40 years) on the 1st June 1867 at her parents home, "Leicester House". The ceremony was by Methodist rites. Mary Ann's youngest brother Alfred was nearly one at the time and her mother, Maria, went on to have her final son Albert the following year in July 1968.
Six Sons and Six Daughters
They settled down in Tooborac near Mary Ann's family. Mary Ann and William had their first son, John in September 1868, just two months after her mother gave birth to her last son, Albert. John, known as Jack, was soon followed by Maria Jane 'Jenny' in 1868; Margaret 'Maggie' Esther in 1870; William 'Bill' in 1871; Mark Edward 'Ted' in 1873; Mary Ann in 1874; Elizabeth 'Lizzie' in 1875; Annie Eliza in 1877; Sarah Louisa in 1879; David 'Dave' Henry in 1881; Joseph Albert in 1883; and finally George Hayes in 1885.
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Lives Well Lived
Bill's Obituary is above and here is Mary Ann's:
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