Ann Williams

(1820 - 1872)

and her husband Martin Hyland

Graziers of "Groses Plains", Monaro District NSW

Ann Williams was born in the Castlereagh district of NSW in 1820 to John Williams and Sarah Nash. She settled at West Bargo with her family in 1823 and relocated with them to the Queanbeyan district a decade later. Ann possibly remained in the Queanbeyan district after her family moved to the Monaro district in 1839/1840 or perhaps settled with them on their cattle run near Nimmitabel.

In 1843 Ann married currency-lad Martin Hyland at "Jerrabombera" near Queanbeyan. Martin was born in 1813 at Sydney NSW to Herefordshire convict Thomas Ireland (Duke of Portland 1807) and London convict Elizabeth Payne nee August (Friends 1811). He apparently travelled to the Monaro district in the mid-1830's as he was working as a stockman near Nimmitabel early in 1837. In 1840 he was superintending a cattle run at Ingebyra.

Ann and Martin returned to the Monaro district soon after their marriage. By 1845 Martin was employed as the superintendent of two cattle runs belonging to the Pendergast family - those at "Cottage Creek" (north-east of Dalgety) and "Moonbar" (south-west of Jindabyne). Shortly afterwards he acquired the "Groses Plain" cattle run although he and his family were removed from the run in 1850 for failing to make the appropriate claim to the lease.

"Groses Plain" was reacquired by Hylands in 1853 where they remained until the mid-1870's. In 1858 Martin availed himself of his pre-emptive right to own land around his homestead, purchasing 160 acres along the road now known as the Barry Way.  Martin died in 1865 and Ann in 1872, both at "Groses Plain".

This is a brief summary of the chapter relating to Ann Williams and Martin Hyland published in Nash: First Fleeters and Founding Families - A Three Generational Biographical History.  

Copyright 2004 - Carol Baxter

The family of Martin Hyland and Ann Williams*

1. Thomas Hyland (1847-1927) md Christina Ward in 1869. [Christina was a sister of David Williams' wife Mary Ann Ward - see David Williams and Mary Ann Ward]

2. Elizabeth Hyland (1849-1928) md James Hayden in 1870.

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