Unravelling my family name: Woodlands

This post has been years in the making. It all began when cousin Gail kindly took an AncestryDNA test. The results revealed exactly what I’d hoped for—and so much more. To tell the full story, I need to go back to her maternal grandfather, James Woodland, and then further still, to his mother and her family. None of this history had been passed down—until now. I’m thrilled to have documented it so it can be shared and preserved for future generations.

A surprising start to my family history journey

When I began researching my family history in 2016, I never expected to uncover that "Woodlands" wasn’t actually my family name. I’d carried it for more than 60 years—long enough to find its place at the tail end of the alphabet a mild annoyance, and its length a bit of a mouthful alongside "Christine Margaret."

Over the following five years, I slowly peeled back the layers of the past. While some questions still remain unanswered, one truth emerged: my grandfather wasn’t born with the surname Woodlands. I’d always known him—though he passed away before I was born—as James Oswald Woodlands, the older brother of Gail’s mother, Lorna. I also knew the name had been altered at some point, with the “s” added along the way.

Uncovering the truth about James Oswald Woodlands

Basic research helped me build my grandfather’s family tree, which matched stories I’d heard over the years. But I couldn’t find a birth certificate for James Oswald Woodlands—until I searched under a different name.

Chart 1 - My paternal grandfather's known family - my "social" family tree

Eventually, I found a child named Oswald Cahill born in 1891 to Agnes Cahill. Further evidence, both documentary and genetic, confirmed that Cornelius Bray was Oswald’s biological father. So while I’m biologically a Bray, not a Woodlands, my grandfather was known as James Oswald Woodland from age eight. When Agnes Cahill married James Woodland (senior) in 1901, James (senior) became my grandfather’s stepfather.

(You can read about my discoveries that my grandfather was born Oswald Cahill in 1891 here and that Cornelius Bray acknowledged paternity here.)

Chart 2 - My paternal grandfather's biological family

Tracing James Woodland (Senior)

To learn more, I traced the parents of James Woodland (senior): George Austin Woodland and Margaret Mary Ryan. Their 1877 marriage in Newcastle was easy to locate, but I couldn’t find a birth record for James.

Eventually, I discovered that James Ryan was born on 23 November 1874 to Margaret Ryan. His birth was registered as illegitimate. Once again, history repeated itself.

Record of James's birth from ancestry.com

My tenuous link to the Woodlands family name

So two stepfathers explain my Woodlands name

Here's how:

• James Woodland (senior) was the stepfather of James Oswald Woodlands (born Oswald Cahill).

• George Austin Woodland was the stepfather of James Woodland (senior), who was born James Ryan.

The children of James Woodland (Senior) and Agnes Cahill

James and Agnes had three children:

• Myra, born in 1898 (before their marriage), is listed as a previous issue on Frank’s birth certificate.

• Frank, born in 1903, lived only three weeks.

• Lorna, born in 1914, married Stan Bisgrove in 1934 and had two children: Ron and Gail.

With Ron's passing in 2012, Gail, her children and grandchildren, and Ron’s descendants are the living descendants of James and Agnes.

Chart 3 - Gail and my relationship

What DNA revealed

Gail and I both tested at AncestryDNA. The results confirmed:

• We both share DNA cousins on the Cahill/Dunn line (Chart 1).

• Gail does not share my Bray/Pascoe DNA matches (Chart 2).

• I do not share her Woodland/Ryan matches (Chart 1).

This supports our relationship as half-first cousins once removed, with Agnes Cahill as our most recent common ancestor—Gail’s grandmother and my great-grandmother.

Chart 4 - Tracking Gail's maternal cousins

DNA matches helped solve the puzzle

Thanks to Gail’s maternal matches, I confirmed:

• Margaret Ryan arrived in the colony on 22 June 1874.

• Her mother, Margaret McDonnell (also recorded as McDonald), was already in NSW.

• James Woodland (born Ryan) was born five months after her arrival.

• The children of Margaret’s marriage to George Woodland were James’s half-siblings.

• My grandfather and Gail’s mother, Lorna, were also half-siblings.

These matches also revealed:

• Margaret McDonnell married William Crowe in 1860 in Raymond Terrace and had three children.

• Margaret Ryan had at least one sister in NSW—Norah, who married Thomas Gray in 1874.

• Gail also has unknown DNA matches which may eventually identify the biological father of James Woodland (senior).

Key DNA connections (See Chart 4)

Gail’s maternal DNA matches fall into four groups:

• Descendants of James Cahill and Eliza Dunn (yellow box – includes me).

• Descendants of Margaret Ryan and George Woodland (green boxes – Robert and Tracey).

• Descendants of Margaret McDonnell and Edward Ryan (orange box – “R.S.”).

• Descendants of Margaret McDonnell and William Crowe (lime box – “koyr02”).

Other matches have been traced to these lines but are not charted here for simplicity.

Chart 5 - Gail's Woodland cousins
Gail and Robert are half 2nd cousins
Gail and Tracey are half 2nd cousins 1x removed

Chart 6 - Gail's Ryan and Crowe cousins
Gail and "R.S." are 3rd cousins
Gail and "koyr02" are half 3rd cousins

Margaret Ryan: My Step Great-Great-Grandmother

Margaret Ryan was born in 1849 in Toomevara, County Tipperary, Ireland. Baptised in the Catholic Diocese of Killaloe, she was the daughter of Edward (Ned) Ryan and Margaret McDonnell.

She arrived in Sydney on 22 June 1874 aboard the Jerusalem. Five months later, her son James was born in Newcastle. It remains unclear whether she was already pregnant when she boarded the ship or met the father during the voyage. If James was carried to full term, his conception would have occurred roughly four weeks before his mother departed London.

Margaret's baptismal record

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60448283

Margaret Ryan: A journey of reunion, resilience and family

An article published in the Illustrated Australian News for Home Readers (Melbourne, Vic. : 1867–1875), p.131 makes fascinating reading—it tells us that most immigrants on the Jerusalem came to reunite with family or join friends already in the colony.

"The above vessel, the first of a number to be chartered by the New South Wales Agent-General in England… arrived in Port Jackson on the 22nd June… The 313 immigrants were landed in the best of health and spirits."

The Jerusalem carried skilled tradesmen, unskilled workers, and young women of good character. With so many passengers reuniting with family, the immigration barracks remained relatively quiet.

One of those immigrants was Margaret Ryan. Her journey brought her back to her mother after more than 20 years apart. Margaret was about four years old when her mother left for the colony. Her sister Norah had already arrived earlier. I have yet to find the immigration records for either Norah or their mother, Margaret (senior). But what we do know is that upon arrival, Margaret met her stepfather, William Crowe, and three half-siblings aged 8 to 13.

According to the NSW Assisted Immigrant Passenger List, Margaret Ryan was a 21-year-old dairymaid from Toomevara, County Tipperary. She was Catholic, unable to read or write, and listed her mother, Margaret McDonald, as living in Sydney. There is no mention of her father. In reality, Margaret was closer to 24 when she arrived.

https://www.ancestry.com.au/search/collections/1204

Rebuilding her life: From Sydney to Newcastle

Shortly after arrival, Margaret travelled to Newcastle. Her son, James, was born there on 23 November 1874, at King Street. Witnesses at the birth were R. Harris and Mrs. Jack.

On 18 August 1877, Margaret Mary Ryan married George Austin Woodland at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Newcastle. She was a housemaid; he, a compositor. According to their children’s birth certificates, George was a year older than Margaret and came from Athlone, County Westmeath, Ireland.

Their children

• George Joseph Ryan Woodland – Born 11 May 1874, Newcastle. Married Elizabeth Florence Archer in 1907. Six children (one died in infancy). Died 22 July 1927, Little Bay.

• Margaret Agnes Woodland – Born 19 December 1879, Newcastle. Married Alfred John Haggett in 1901. Twelve children (three died as infants). Died 8 February 1949, Mascot.

• Edward Joseph Ryan Woodland – Born 2 November 1881, Newcastle. Married Catherine Jane Edgar and later Wilhelmina Le Breton. Three children. Later lived with partner Ray. Died 4 October 1934, Redfern.

• Francis Xavier Woodland – Born 16 January 1884, Goulburn. Died 14 March 1884 in a tragic accident.

• Winifred Honora Woodland – Born 8 January 1885, Gundagai. Married Walter Raymond O’Leary in 1904. Five children. Died 10 February 1963, Newtown.

Francis Xavier Woodland died at just eight weeks old, smothered during the night while sleeping between his parents. A coronial inquest ruled it death by accidental suffocation. GOULBURN ART UNION. (1884, March 15). Goulburn Herald (NSW : 1881 - 1907), p. 4. Retrieved August 20, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103505650]

Struggles and separation

By 1887, the family had returned to Cook’s Hill, Newcastle. In 1890, twelve-year-old George Joseph was attending Cook’s Hill Primary School and appeared in court, accused of wandering the streets without purpose. He was found barefoot, poorly dressed, and frequently truant. The magistrates urged his parents to take more responsibility. [COOK'S HILL PUBLIC SCHOOL PRIZE PRESENTATION. (1887, December 17). Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), p. 5. Retrieved August 21, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article135985770]

Just months later, on 16 October 1890, George Austin Woodland deserted the family. The NSW Police Gazette from March 1891 described him in detail, including his alias—“Little Dandy.”

"He is 37 of age, 5 foot 4 inches high, stout build, fair complexion, cleaned shaved except sandy moustache, hair cut short, round face, teeth regular but black, hollow cheeks, blue eyes, pug nose, high forehead, rings tattooed on the third and fourth fingers of one hand, tattoo mark on left wrist; walks lame owing to injury on the left instep, a compositor, dressed in brown coat and vest, dark tweed trousers, and dark soft felt hat. Supposed to be employed on one of the papers, Bathurst, went by name of Little Dandy."

That's the last trace of George! Margaret was left alone with four children aged 5 to 12. Her eldest son James was 16.  

A new start: Marriage to James O’Hara

On 2 June 1896, Margaret married James O’Hara at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, West Maitland. She was a 41-year-old widow working as a washerwoman; he, a 51-year-old bachelor and carter from County Cavan.

James’s brother, Michael O’Hara, had sponsored his migration in 1879. Michael arrived in NSW in the early 1860s, married, and settled in Newcastle. Their sister Mary had also emigrated and married in Armidale.

Tensions existed in the blended family. In May 1897, a court case was struck out where George Woodland (junior) accused James O’Hara of assault—perhaps an indication of friction in their household. [SUMMONS DIVISION. (1897, May 19). Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), p. 6. Retrieved August 21, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134874417]

Margaret’s final years

Margaret died on 13 October 1900 at her home at 53 Charles Street, Cook’s Hill. She was only 51. She was buried at Sandgate Catholic Cemetery, though the location of her grave is unknown. Her second marriage to James O’Hara had lasted just four years, but perhaps they were more peaceful years than those with George.

Family Notices (1900, October 15). Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), p. 8. Retrieved August 21, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136238635

James died in 1905 and was buried at Sandgate with his brother Michael, sister-in-law Bridget, and their daughter Catherine. A funeral notice from James Woodland referred to James O’Hara as “his beloved stepfather”.

Family Notices (1905, March 28). Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954), p. 8. Retrieved August 22, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138750967

James's burial site

Ryan connections continue

James O’Hara’s sister-in-law, Bridget Ryan, was born in Nenagh, only 12 km from Margaret Ryan’s birthplace of Toomevara. Bridget’s sisters Mary Agnes and Anne Jane Ryan also lived in Newcastle. At this point, there’s no documentary or DNA evidence linking Margaret to the Ryans of Nenagh—but the proximity and surname invite speculation.

Going back another generation: Ryan to McDonnell

On Margaret’s marriage and death certificates, her parents are recorded as Edward Ryan and Margaret McDonnell (or McDonald). The immigration record that mentions her mother living in Sydney helped confirm this.

DNA matches through Gail’s AncestryDNA test provided the breakthrough. These matches (shown in Chart 5) link back to Margaret McDonnell, born about 1820 in Toomevara, daughter of Michael McDonnell and Julia Gleeson. She married Edward Ryan at 17 and had four daughters—two of whom we can identify:

• Honorah “Norah” Ryan (c.1848–1919)

• Margaret Ryan (c.1849–1900)

The other two daughters died before their mother, and their names are unknown. Margaret likely left Ireland in 1853 after Edward’s death, leaving her daughters behind temporarily.

Gail's maternal line

Norah Ryan: A sister’s story

Norah married Thomas Gray in 1872 at Raymond Terrace. They had seven children. After Thomas’s death in 1890, Norah married Olaf Olsen, but the marriage ended in divorce. She died in Sydney on 16 March 1919.

Gail’s DNA match “R.S.” is Norah’s great-grandson. He and Gail are third cousins, with shared ancestors Edward Ryan and Margaret McDonnell.

Norah's 1919 death notice

A new chapter: Margaret McDonnell marries again

On 21 April 1860, Margaret McDonnell married William Michael Crowe at Raymond Terrace. Together, they had three children:

• Matilda May Crowe (1861–1899) – Married Daniel O’Keeffe

• Julia May Crowe (1863–1949) – Married William Louis Delacheur

• William Crowe (1866–1934)

Margaret died on 26 April 1911 and is buried at Pioneer Hill Cemetery in Raymond Terrace with her granddaughter Ellen.

A DNA match with “koyr02” confirms the link between Margaret’s children from both marriages, showing Gail is a half third cousin through Margaret McDonnell.

Margaret McDonnell's burial site

Final thoughts

Margaret Ryan’s life story is one of family separation and reunion, hardship and strength. Her journey from Toomevara to Newcastle intertwined the fates of the Ryans, McDonnells, Crowes, and Woodlands—and it’s through DNA and determination that we’re slowly uncovering the full tapestry.

If you have any additional information or photos that could enrich this story, I’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch via the blog’s contact form.

My grandfather, James Oswald Woodlands