John Brett, 1842/3-1904 and Johanna (Murphy) Brett, 1821-1899
JOHN BRETT was born in May 1842 or 1843 in Boherstooka, Parish of Ballyanne, County Wexford, Ireland, to parents Moses BRETT, a farmer, and an unknown mother.[1] John spent the majority of his life living on the same property in Boherstooka, a small farming community.
Griffith’s valuation for Boherstooka shows Moses BRITT occupying
parcel #3 in the mid-1800s, leased from George P. Haughton (who owned all
properties in Boherstooka). The description states that the land included
offices and a house, and was 9 acres, 3 roods, 30 perches in size. The land was
valued at 4 pounds 5 shillings, the buildings valued at 15 shillings, for a
total of 5 pounds.[2]
The map of Boherstooka from Griffith’s valuation shows the
delineation of the properties:
A current Google Map of this area shows that Boherstooka has
the same boundaries as it did in the mid-1800s, but there are no buildings on
the land previously owned by Moses BRITT:
John married JOHANNA MURPHY on 27 May 1865 at the
Rathgarogue Roman Catholic Church not far from the farm. According to the
marriage record, John was 22 years old, while Johanna was 35; both listed their
occupations as “farmer,” and Johanna’s father’s name listed was Moses MURPHY, a
labourer.[3]
Photo
taken 21 May 2025 by Dawn Vanderwolf
Despite Johanna suggesting she was only 35 at the time of
the marriage, a baptism record indicates she was actually closer to 44 years
old. She was born on 28 May 1821 to parents Moses Murphy and Catherine Madock.[4]
Children started to arrive for the BRETTs on 01 March 1866,
with the birth of their first son Moses.[5]
It was also in 1866 that Ireland started to require dog
licenses to “identify the owners of trouble making dogs, the ones which either
worried sheep or damaged property.”[6]
The licenses cost 2 shillings per dog, plus 6 pence administrative fee, and
were required annually. The BRITTs had numerous dogs licensed between 1866 and 1893,
rarely more than one at a time however.
Terriers were often used for hunting dogs, while the others
would be working farm dogs. These records show that the BRETT family continued
to live in Boherstooka for many years.
Additional children came alone almost yearly for the next
several years. Son John BRETT was born
27 April 1867[7],
daughter Mary Johanna BRETT was born 08 November 1868[8],
son Edward BRITT was born 14 June 1870[9],
and daughter Bridget BRETT was born 30 January 1872,[10]
all in Boherstooka. Neither Edward nor Bridget ever married, and both Moses and
Mary left Ireland for the United States later in life, leaving only son John to
continue with the farm.
Starting in 1872 and continuing until 1893, John BRITT was
in petty court pretty frequently, either as a complainant or a defendant –
sometimes both in the same day. There were numerous cases between John and
various members of the FREEMAN family.
The complaints started off small with “language used to provoke a breach
of peace.” However, they escalated over time to breaking down fencing and
gates, wounding cattle, and trespassing of cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and lambs
on each other’s property.
Unfortunately, this back and forth finally escalated to
assault charges in October 1893, when John BRITT (the senior), John BRITT (the
son), and neighbor John BYRNE were put in local prison for “seriously
assaulting and inflicting serious bodily harm” on Daniel FREEMAN. The three
were released on bail after a couple days, but were back for the trial in
November 1893. According to the
transcript of the trial for the assault of Daniel FREEMAN, the long-standing
feud was over rights to the wells on the common land. The BRITTs would dig a
fresh well when the original went dry, and the FREEMANs would fill it up so
that the BRITTs and RYAN wouldn’t have water. Witnesses said that this dispute had been
ongoing for at least 15 years.
The specific assault occurred on 30 September 1893. Daniel FREEMAN had a shovel that he was using
to fill in the well recently dug by the BRITTs, and attempted to hit John (the
senior) over the head, but was blocked by John BYRNE. When Daniel attempted to
hit John (the senior) again, John struck him with a “spuddle,” which tool he
had gladly handed over to the police when they investigated. Also, William
FREEMAN struck John (the son) with a hoe and threw stones at him.
Unfortunately, Daniel FREEMAN suffered a concussion, and the jury found John
(the senior) guilty of a serious assault. The judge noted that if Daniel
FREEMAN had died as a result of the assault, John BRITT would have “stood in
peril of his life.” The jury
“recommended the prisoner to mercy upon the very just and proper ground that he
had received provocation.” In addition, the judge said that he “had no reason
to doubt what had been said about the prisoner as to his being a man of
excellent character.”
John (the senior) was sentenced to one month hard labor in
the county gaol at 51 years old, while John (the son) and John (the neighbor)
were released. The gaol was built in 1812, and ceased operating as a prison in
1903, when it was “converted into a home for female inebriates.”[11]
John BRITT (the senior) was released from County Wexford jail on 09 December
1893.[12]
In early May, 1895, Daniel FREEMAN was back in court
requesting a committal order (an order used to send someone to jail for
contempt of court) against John BRETT for non-payment of an instalment order of
£20
for damages. It was noted in the
newspaper account that John did not appear at court, and the plaintiff’s
attorney said “he had heard that the defendant had left the country.”[13]
In 1900, John BRETT appears in the United States Federal Census
living with his daughter Mary and son-in-law Arthur OLDHAM in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. Immigration information on
this census says that John immigrated in 1895, and had been in the U.S. for 5
years, which aligns with the newspaper account of him leaving the country.[14]
Unfortunately, while John was abroad, his wife Johanna (MURPHY) BRETT
passed away on 09 March 1899 in Boherstooka, County Wexford, Ireland, of “old
age.” Son John was present at her
death. Johanna was listed as 75 years
old, but she was actually 77 years old.[15]
John BRITT passed away on 06 October 1904 of pulmonary phthisis in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at 62 years old, while still living with his
daughter Mary (BRITT) OLDHAM.[16] He was
buried on 10 October 1904 at Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon, Pennsylvania,
section 13, range 7, lot 70.[17] There
is no headstone to mark his burial. His
obituary was published in the Philadelphia Inquirer:[18]
[1] For father’s name, place of residence, and birth year,
see: Rathgarogue Roman Catholic Church, New Ross Superintendent Registration
District, County of Wexford marriage record, p.430 (1865), no. 47, file no.
08259564, John Britt and Johanna Murphy; image, IrishGenealogy.ie (https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1865/11576/8259564.pd : viewed 18
April 2021). For residence, see also: "Died," Philadelphia
(Pennsylvania) Inquirer, 9 October 1904, p.7, col.2, John BRITT; image, Newspapers.com
(https://www.newspapers.com/image/169009530/ : viewed 23 May 2021). For birth month, see: 1900 U.S.
census, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Philadelphia, ward 15,
enumeration district (ED) 0290, sheet 4B, dwelling 539, family 84, Arthur
Oldham household; NARA microfilm T623, roll 1458; image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7602/images/4115189_00643 : viewed 20 November 2020), image 8.
[2] Griffith’s valuation, Boherstooka, Parish of
Ballyanne, County Wexford, Ireland, p. 103; AskAboutIreland (https://griffiths.askaboutireland.ie/ : viewed 21 January 2024).
[3] See fn 1.
[4] V. Rev. Roger O’Neill V.F., Priest of Cushintown
Parish, Co. Wexford, Ireland, parishoffice@parishofcushinstown.ie, email to
Dawn Vanderwolf, subject line: Visit on Friday?, 23 May 2025; copy of email
privately held by Dawn Vanderwolf, Valley Township, Pennsylvania, obtained
2025. Note: images provided as attachments to email.
[5] Wexford
County, Ireland, registration of birth, New Ross superintendent registrar's
district, Templendigan registrar's district, no. 130 (1865), Moses Britt;
digital image, IrishGenealogy.ie (https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1866/03539/2302652.pdf viewed 25 June 2022).
[6] “About Ireland Dog Licence Registers,” Ireland Dog
Licence Registers record setFindMyPast (https://www.findmypast.com : viewed 21 January 2024).
[7] Wexford
County, Ireland, registration of birth, New Ross superintendent registrar's
district, Templendigan registrar's district, no. 210 (1867), John Britt;
digital image, IrishGenealogy.ie (https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1867/03482/2279987.pdf : viewed 25 June
2022).
[8] Wexford
County, Ireland, registration of birth, New Ross superintendent registrar's
district, Templendigan registrar's district, no. 307 (1868), Mary Britt;
digital image, IrishGenealogy.ie (https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1868/03417/2253562.pdf : viewed 3 April
2021).
[9] Wexford
County, Ireland, registration of birth, New Ross superintendent registrar's
district, Templendigan registrar's district, no. 428 (1870), Edward Britt;
digital image, IrishGenealogy.ie (https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1870/03344/2225966.pdf : viewed 25 June
2022).
[10] Wexford
County, Ireland, registration of birth, New Ross superintendent registrar's
district, Templendigan registrar's district, no. 44 (1872), Bridget Britt;
digital image, IrishGenealogy.ie (https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1872/03258/2194135.pdf : viewed 25 June
2022).
[11] WexfordHub, “Wexford Gaol,” Wexfordhub.com (https://wexfordhub.com/history/wexford-town-jail/#:~:text=Wexford%20Gaol%20was%20built%20in,outside%20of%20the%20jail%20house : accessed 20 June 2025).
[12] Full court case: “The Ballyanne Assault Case, Trial of
the Prisoners,” The People (Wexford), 19 November 1893, p.6, col. 3; digital
image, British Newspaper Archive (https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk : accessed 16 September 2023). See also prisoner
records: New Ross (Bridewell), County Wexford, Ireland, Prison General Register
Monthly Return, book no: 1/31/5, item no. 2, 10 November 1893, John Brett Senr;
digital image, FindMyPast (https://www.findmypast.com : viewed 09 September 2023) and County Wexford,
Ireland, General Register of Prisoners, book no: 1/40/4, item no. 1, 13
November 1893, John Brett; digital image, FindMyPast (https://www.findmypast.com : viewed 09 September 2023).
[13] “New Ross Quarter Sessions,” The People (Wexford), 04
May 1895, p. 5, col. 4; digital image, British Newspaper Archive (https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk : accessed 16 September 2023).
[14] See fn 1.
[15] Wexford County, Ireland, registration of death, New
Ross superintendent registrar's district, Templendigan registrar's district,
no. 360 (1899), Johanna Brett; image, NLI.ie (https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1899/05795/4639349.pdf : viewed 27 June 2022).
[16] City of Philadelphia, return of a death, death
certificate no. 24113 (1904), John Britt; Philadelphia City Archives and
Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6619-BHP : viewed 24 Nov 2020), image 126.
[17] Holy Cross Cemetery (Yeadon, Pennsylvania),
"Burial Register, 1890-1910," B (1904), John Britt; image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2451/images/40162_261517-00045 : viewed 25 Nov 2020), image 46.
[18] See fn 1.
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