Spotlight On ... An Heirloom Ring, An Old House and Four Generations of Lismore Women

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, women’s names could easily disappear from the public record. Official documents often listed them only as “wife of” or “daughter of”, and many everyday details of their lives went unrecorded. That’s why small newspaper items — wedding notices, social snippets, obituaries and human-interest stories — are so precious.  

Finding these written words is like finding treasure!  During my family tree research, I discovered a handful of such clippings that not only named a group of women related to each other (and to me), but described their homes, their work, and even the jewellery they wore. Together, these newspaper clippings allowed me to follow an unbroken female line across four generations of the same family located in Lismore, New South Wales.

Our common ancestors are:  James Exton and Susannah Lancaster.

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When Peggy Eleanor Fraser (my paternal 3rd cousin once removed) walked up the aisle of St Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Lismore to marry Lawrence Harold Stumbles, the local newspaper - The Northern Star - published a short article that made a point about her “something old”, highlighting the fact that Peggy wore a wedding ring that had once belonged to her great-grandmother.

That small circle of gold linked four generations of Lismore women:

• Peggy Stumbles née Fraser   1924 - 2004

• her mother, Minnie Isabel Fraser née Atkin   1885 - 1962   

• her grandmother, Eleanor Jane Atkin née Jones    1863 - 1957   

• and her great-grandmother, Harriet Jones nee Lancaster-Exton (later Harriet Brown)    1833 - 1915

Their lives can be traced through a series of Northern Star newspaper items, each one adding more valuable detail about this family line on my family tree.  

Let's begin with the great grandmother mentioned in the article  ...

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Harriet Jones née Lancaster-Exton 
– the pioneer matriarch

(my paternal 2nd great-grandaunt)

After emigrating in 1844 from Lincolnshire in England to the Richmond District in New South Wales, Australia as a child with her "parents" James Exton and Susannah Lancaster, she spent about seventy-seven years in the area.

There is no definitive evidence that James was her father as her baptism record identified her as "illegitimate", and her mother's name was listed as "Harriet", not Susannah.  It's likely that Susannah was indeed her biological mother, but did not want her name on the record.  Whatever the circumstances of her birth, Harriet became the child of James and Susannah, and they were listed as her parents on her immigration record.

A few months before her fifteenth birthday, she married convict John Jones, with whom she had nine children. After his death she later married Henry George Brown, and had two more children. 

A detailed feature on the Exton family, printed in the Northern Star in 1995, adds rich context to Eleanor's life.

• Harriet's working life centred on sheep stations during her early teenage years, where she worked alongside her parents.  

• In 1860, thirteen years after her first marriage, her husband John Jones built a home for his growing family on the bank of the Richmond River at North Lismore, near what later became Arthur Park. 

• That house, lined with cedar panels and a teak floor, was known as 'Lochiel Cottage' at that time.

• From this home base, Harriet worked as a midwife for the surrounding countryside, riding out on horseback to attend women in labour.

• The Jones home later became known as 'Lochiel Hospital', a private and maternity hospital.  Significantly, the tradition of caring for local mothers and babies was carried on by her daughter and granddaughter at 'Lochiel' until 1927.

A much later clipping, written in 1981, when a reunion was being organised for people born in the house, confirms that 'Lochiel' operated as a private and maternity hospital between 1911 and 1927.

This Northern Star newspaper item explains 

• that Mrs Jones (Eleanor) “became the midwife for the surrounding countryside, making many of her visits on horseback,” 

• and that one of her daughters (Minnie) married Joseph Atkin, continuing the family’s involvement in the hospital.

The item goes on to explain that the house is now owned by Mrs. Fraser (Peggy) of Brisbane.  While mention is made that Mrs. Fraser's late husband was "a descendant of the Atkins", this was not correct.  It was Peggy who was a direct descendant of the Atkins - her grandmother Eleanor had married an Atkin, and her mother Minnie's maiden name was Atkin.

Returning to the matriarch of the family, Harriet, her long life is described in her 1915 obituary in the Northern Star. It describes her as one of the oldest links with Lismore’s past history. 

Her obituary notes:

• She passed away at the home of her daughter Mrs Joseph Atkin (Eleanor Jane Atkin nee Jones) in North Lismore, the same daughter who continued her midwifery and nursing tradition at 'Lochiel'.  

• By the time Harriet died in her late eighties, she had nearly 200 descendants – children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren – and was remembered for her bravery and hard work during the earliest days of settlement.

Through these articles we see Harriet not only as a pioneering settler, but as the founding figure in a three-generation line of local midwives and nurses.  Even in 1981, when the reunion at 'Lochiel' was announced, Harriet's legacy was still visible.  One of the prized objects to be displayed was the hospital's first admission book.  Harriet's home, and her life's work, had become recognised as an important part of Lismore's heritage.

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Eleanor Jane Atkin née Jones 
– “Mrs J. Atkin” of North Lismore

(my paternal 1st cousin 3x removed)

Eleanor - whose name sometimes appears in the records as Elena - was one of Harriet's daughters, and known to family and friends as 'Lena'.

It is easy to imagine that at some point that treasured wedding ring of Harriet’s passed to this daughter Eleanor, and then further down the line.

A short family notice from and edition of the Northern Star published in February 1882 records Eleanor's marriage:

This tiny notice tells us several important things:

• Eleanor / Elena married Joseph Atkin in 1882, when she was 19 years old.
• The ceremony was held at her mother Harriet's home (Lochiel) in North Lismore - the cedar house where Eleanor had grown up.
• Eleanor's father, John Jones, was deceased by the time of her marriage.

Eleanor and her husband Joseph bought and lived in Eleanor's parents' home, 'Lochiel' during their married life, and both Eleanor and her daughter used this home as both a private and a maternity hospital between 1911 and 1927.

In 1932, the Northern Star reported the golden wedding of Mr and Mrs J. Atkins of North Lismore - the surname was incorrectly recorded as 'Atkins' when it should have read 'Atkin'.

The article tells us that:

• The bride (Mrs Atkin) was 68 years old.

• She was a daughter of the late Mr and Mrs John Jones.

• The celebration took place at their home “Lochiel” in North Lismore, confirming that Eleanor remained closely connected to this remarkable house.

• Although the article states that 'Lochiel' was built by Eleanor's brother Oliver Jones, this was of course not correct.  The home had originally been built by Eleanor's father, John Jones, was 72 years old and had remained in the family.

This 1932 article included a photo of 'Lochiel', looking a little different to the photo later published in 1981.  Obviously things changed over the years and the house developed with the generations.

In 1949, an article title "Pioneer Family" shows Eleanor now 85, described as a well-known pioneer and trained nurse, sitting with three generations of her descendants.  

The photograph features:

• Mrs J. Atkin - Eleanor Jane Atkin nee Jones - (on the right)

• Mrs S. Fraser - Minnie Isabel Fraser nee Atkin - (on the left);

• Mrs Stumbles (incorrectly recorded as Stimbles) - Peggy Eleanor Stumbles nee Fraser - (in the middle);

• and baby Janette Stumbles, the youngest member of the line.

Together these notices show Eleanor's journey from her 1882 wedding at her family home, through decades of nursing and midwifery at 'Lochiel', to her later years as a respected "pioneer" of North Lismore, continuing her mother's tradition of caring for local families.

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Minnie Isabel Fraser née Atkin 
– the bridge between generations

(my paternal 2nd cousin 2x removed)

The “Pioneer Family” caption names Eleanor’s daughter as Mrs S. Fraser. This is Minnie Isabel Atkin, who married Alexander “Sandy” Fraser.

Peggy’s wedding report later identifies her as “a daughter of Mrs M. Fraser and the late Mr Sandy Fraser, of Terania Street, North Lismore.” 

That tells us:

• Minnie is Peggy’s mother.

• Sandy Fraser had died by the time of Peggy’s marriage.

• The Fraser family were firmly settled in North Lismore.

Minnie was the granddaughter of immigrant matriarch Harriet, daughter of the pioneering nurse Eleanor, mother of the modern young bride Peggy,and grandmother of the baby Janette . 

Given the wording of Peggy’s wedding notice, Minnie was almost certainly the custodian of Harriet’s wedding ring, passing it on to her daughter on the day of her marriage.

Minnie also appears to have been the custodian of the family home 'Lochiel', as the 1981 article notes that the house was then owned by Mrs Fraser of Brisbane, showing that the family connection to Harriet’s old home continued well into the twentieth century.

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Peggy Eleanor Stumbles née Fraser 
– the heirloom ring bearer

(my paternal 3rd cousin once removed)

The wedding notice for Peggy Eleanor Fraser and Lawrence Harold Stumbles supplies the final link.

From it we learn that:

• The ceremony took place at St Paul’s Presbyterian Church, Lismore.

• Peggy was given away by her eldest brother, Mr Ian Fraser.

• She wore a gown of white lace over satin with a coronet of frangipani, and

• as her “something old”, Peggy wore a wedding ring which had belonged to her great-grandmother.

Family knowledge identifies that great-grandmother as Harriet Jones nee Lancaster-Exton.

A few years later, in that "Pioneer Family" photograph, Peggy appears again - this time as Mrs. Stumbles (incorrectly spelt as Stimbles in the article), holding her baby girl Janette.  Her mother Minnie and grandmother Eleanor sit beside her, while Harriet's memory is present in the background, symbolised in the heirloom ring.

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Why these clippings matter

In eras when many women’s stories were rarely written down, these brief newspaper items are extraordinary gifts. They give me more than just names and dates; they preserve addresses, occupations, ages, and valuable human details — a house called 'Lochiel' on the riverbank, lined with cedar and teak; a lifetime of nursing and midwifery; a wedding held in a family home which could possibly have been the oldest house in Lismore; a ring passed from pioneer great grandmother to modern bride.

Because of these scattered lines of print, I can follow the female line from Harriet to Eleanor, to Minnie, to Peggy.  In doing so, I can restore these amazing women to the centre of their own story — exactly where they belong.

Special Note to any family members:  

If you have memories to add, photos or information to share, or perhaps corrections that need to be made, can I graciously ask that you do so by either using the comments box below or email me via the contact form at the top of my blog.  

The Story of Mary Ann Catherine Davies / Memories ... August 24

This post tells the story of my paternal great-granduncle's wife, Mary Ann Catherine Davies (1866 - 1941).

We do not have common ancestors, obviously, as our relationship is through her marriage. We do, however, have something else in common: our birthplace, and this is the reason I'm adding her story to my family tree blog. 

Mary Ann is the first person I've found on my father's side of the family tree actually born in the same area as myself (and my brother). On my mother's side, the O'Donnell / McCane side, there are many relatives born near or in Bowen - aunts, uncles, cousins. My father's side of the family tree, however, has roots deep in southern Queensland and New South Wales, so discovering that someone on my father's side also comes from north Queensland has been a total surprise.

I'm publishing her story on the anniversary of her birth.

Anniversary of a Birthday

(For my 'Family Anniversaries' page) 

Some family member's stories begin in the most rough and tough, unexpected places.  Mary Ann's life began on the banks of the Don River, near Bowen, Queensland, during the very early days of settlement in that region.  Her story is one of pioneering courage, resilience, and the enduring strength of family - a story that bridges the very first European settlements in northern Queensland to the rich family networks of New South Wales.

Roots in Early Bowen

One of the earliest photos of Bowen - taken in 1867.
The photo shows the main street and the port.

• According to her birth certificate, Mary Ann Catherine Davies was born on 27 August 1866, at “Don River near Bowen,” a reflection of her father’s occupation and lifestyle at the time. 

• Her father, John Davies (sometimes spelt Davis), was a bushman—a rugged rural labourer tied to the pastoral industry, living a self-reliant and often itinerant life. Her mother, Jane Jenkins McNeill, was one of the brave young women who journeyed to Australia seeking opportunity. Jane arrived in December 1861 aboard the ship 'Persia', the first immigrant vessel to arrive at Port Curtis (later Gladstone), at just 16 years old. She was among a small group of over 100 immigrants from Ireland and England, travelling as a single woman to find work as a domestic servant.

• Mary Ann was the second-born child of John and Jane, although their first-born sadly died soon after birth. Over the years, Mary Ann would have at least ten siblings, giving her a bustling, hand-to-mouth early childhood. The family most likely lived in tents or shacks by the Don River, as Bowen’s settlement was still in its infancy. By the time Mary Ann was born, Bowen’s population had grown to about 1,000, with cleared tracks serving as streets and the area beginning to establish itself as a hub for northern pastoral activity.

• Around the age of 10 or 11, Mary Ann’s family relocated to northern New South Wales, where her younger siblings were born, giving the family a slightly more stable environment as she approached adolescence.

Marriage and Family Life

• In December of 1882, aged 16 years, Mary Ann married my paternal great-granduncle, James Cusack,  who was 25 at the time. Permission to marry had to be given by Mary Ann's father, as she was under the age of 21. The marriage took place at her parents’ home in Lismore, New South Wales, suggesting that by then her family were enjoying a more comfortable lifestyle. 

Marriage Notice
The Northern Star Wed 3 Jan 1883 p2

• Mary Ann had married into a large, well-known Lismore pioneering family, highly respected in the area. There would have been some prestige associated to the union with the Cusack family. After the wedding, Mary Ann and James initially established their own household in Lismore, later moving to the Murwillumbah area, and then Byron Bay.

• Together, Mary Ann and James had thirteen children:

1. Florence Edith Cusack (1884–1889) – died at age 5

2. William Hugh Fay Cusack (1885–1933) – married Mabel Hicks in 1906

3. Jane Lillian Cusack (1887–1941) - never married

4. James Herbert Cusack (1889–1954) – served in WW1 1916-1919, married Edith Annie Grinstead in London in 1919

5. Alice May Grace Cusack (1891–1961) – married William J. Daly

6. Harold John Charles Cusack (1895–1942, twin) – served in WW1 - married Maud Mabel McDermott in 1917

7. Eliza Violet Cusack (1895–1961, twin) - married Alexander S. Forster in 1918

8. Ernest Thomas Stanley Cusack (1897–1919) – served in WW1, died of influenza while on leave from the front in London, England

9. Charlotte Bertha Cusack (1899–1971) – married Francis Sydney Busine in 1917

10. Marie Olive Cusack (1902–1965) – married Lewis Wooldridge in 1925

11. Eva Doris Ethel Cusack (1904–1966) – married James W. Milgate in 1926

12. Wilfred Harold George Cusack (1906–1978) – married Evangeline Grace Davidson in 1942

13. Mabel Eunice Susan Cusack (1910–1985) – married Harold R. Armfield in 1930

• Mary Ann’s early years as a mother were marked by both joy and sorrow. Her first-born, Florence, passed away at just five years old while Mary Ann was pregnant with her fourth child—a poignant reminder of the challenges families faced in that era.

Mary Ann Catherine Cusack nee Davies
- pictured later in her life.
Date of photo unknown.
(photo shared by Holmes_Lindy on Ancestry.com)

Trials of Widowhood and War

Mary Ann endured considerable hardship. Her husband, James, passed away in 1915 when she was just 48 years old, leaving her a widow with five young children ranging from 5 to 15 years old. Fortunately, her older children were approaching adulthood and likely assisted in caring for the younger siblings.

During this time, Mary Ann also faced the terrifying realities of World War I, seeing three of her sons depart for service between 1915 and 1916. Only two returned; the youngest, Ernest, tragically died of influenza while on leave in London. 

Despite these trials, Mary Ann’s resilience and devotion to family ensured that her household remained a place of care and continuity.

Later Life and Legacy

• Mary Ann lived to see most of her children grow into adulthood, marry, and have families of their own.  By the time of her death, she was surrounded by sons, daughters, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, and at least 20 grandchildren. 

• She passed away on 27 December 1941, aged 75, at the St. Vincent's Hospice in Lismore.  She was buried at the Presbyterian Cemetery in Byron Bay, New South Wales.

• Her life, from a rough riverside settlement in Bowen to the established towns of northern New South Wales, was one marked by courage, adaptability, and enduring family connections.  Her story is a bridge between the early frontier settlements of northern Queensland and the well-established pioneering families of Lismore.  Her life reminds us of the strength, resilience, and enduring legacy of early settlers.

Mary Ann Catherine Cusack nee Davies
- pictured as an elderly woman in her 70s
Date unknown.
(Photo shared by bluehills05 on Ancestry.com)

Memories ... July 22

 Anniversary  of  a  Birthday:

(For my 'Family Anniversaries' page)

Today is the anniversary of a birthday.  My paternal Grandaunt Marcella May Brown was born on this day in 1892.

I have previously written a post about Marcella (which can be read by following this link:The Story Of ... The Only Marcellas), so today I will just give a brief overview of Marcella's story on her special day.

• Marcella was born in the small township of Bexhill, near Lismore, in New South Wales.

• She was the youngest of four daughters born to Richard Joseph Brown and Ellen Cusack.

• Marcella (known as Macy to her family and friends) and her sisters grew up in Lismore, daughters of a pioneering family whose name was well-known in the Lismore district.

• When Marcella was 14 years old, in 1906, her sister Grace Olive Brown (my grandmother) married George Thomas Connors; and her sister Lillian Ruth Brown married James Alfred Connors.  Yes, the sisters had married a set of brothers.

• Sadly, Marcella's brother-in-law James passed away in very tragic circumstances the following year, in 1907, leaving Marcella's sister Lillian a widow with a six-month old baby.  Marcella, aged 15, would no doubt have been deeply effected by this tragedy and the sorrow that fell over the family.

• Marcella's widowed sister Lillian re-married late in 1908.  Then her sister Elsie Myrtle Brown married early in 1909.  Marcella would have been aged 16 for both of those weddings.

• When Marcella was aged 19, tragedy struck once again.  Marcella's sister Lillian died just two weeks after giving birth to a daughter.  This would have been a heartbreaking event in young Marcella's life.  One can only imagine the emotional weight these early losses carried for her.

• I have very little knowledge of Marcella's life between that terrible family tragedy and the day that Marcella herself got married.  After more than a decade of quiet years, for which I have no records, Marcella found love of her own.

Wedding Day - December 1923
St. Patrick's Church, Wardell, New South Wales

• Marcella, aged 31, married Alfred Loring Tyler in December of 1923. They went on to have three children, Joan Aileen Ellen Tyler, John Francis (Jack) Tyler, and Norma Maureen Tyler.

• Marcella and Alfred were married for a short four and a half years, as Alfred unfortunately passed away in mid 1928 at the age of 44.  Marcella at that time was just a few days shy of her 35th birthday and was left a widow with a 4-year old, a two-year old and a new baby, just a month and a half old.

Marcella's house and adjacent shop at Broadwater, New South Wales

• Marcella's response to this hardship was one of courage and perseverance.  She supported her young family working as a shop keeper, operating a small shop in Broadwater, a village south-east of Lismore.  She lived next door to the shop, creating a stable life for her children and remaining in the community for decades.

Marcella's Children - Joan Aileen Ellen, John Francis (known as Jack), and Norma Maureen Tyler

• Marcella never re-married.  Her quiet strength defined her later years, as she remained devoted to her family and her independence.

• In 1973, Marcella passed away just a few days short of her 81st birthday.  She had moved to south-eastern Queensland at least ten years before that, to be close to her children.

• Marcella was buried alongside her husband Alfred at the Wardell Catholic Cemetery in Wardell, north of Broadwater and south-east of Lismore, in New South Wales.

Marcella’s story is one of quiet endurance. She experienced devastating loss at a young age - of a brother-in-law, two sisters, and later a husband - yet she carried on with grace and determination. She worked hard, raised her children with love, and carved out a place for herself in her community.

Though time has dimmed the details of some chapters in her life, the outline of her journey speaks volumes: a life of service, sacrifice, and silent strength, woven through with love and loyalty to family.

A Mother and Her Daughters - Lillian Brown, Lorna Connors, Lillian O'Donnell

Some family stories arrive like whispers from the past, pieced together not through memories or passed-down tales, but through many quiet hours spent perusing and reflecting on records, certificates, and newspaper items.  Such is the story about my paternal grandmother's sister, Lillian Ruth Brown (1887-1911) and her two daughters Lorna Mary Grace Connors (1907-1975) and Lillian Madge O'Donnell (1911-1997).

Though I never met them nor heard their names woven into family conversations, research has revealed a narrative of love, loss, and resilience across generations.  While I have no photographs of my grand aunt Lillian or her eldest daughter Lorna, and only one photo of Lillian Madge, I'm hoping my words will paint a vivid and touching portrait of these women.

I have to acknowledge that there are wheels within wheels in this family story and I still don't really know all that went on and have not yet unravelled all the details.  There were obviously a number of influences, reasons and actions which made my great grand aunt's situation quite complicated, and it's something that I still don't fully understand.

Love and Loss in Quick Succession

Lillian Ruth Connors / O'Donnell nee Brown 

Born the second of four daughters to my paternal great grandparents Richard Brown and Ellen Cusack, Lillian Ruth Brown grew up alongside her older sister Grace - my grandmother - and two younger sisters - Elsie and Marcella - in Lismore, New South Wales.

Childhood bonds strengthened into adulthood when Grace and Lillian married Connors brothers just months apart in 1906.  Lillian wed James Alfred Connors in September, already expecting their daughter.

Tragedy struck swiftly.  Barely six months after the birth of a little girl named Lorna Mary Grace Connors in 1907, Lillian was widowed when James died in a horrific workplace accident.  At only 20, Lillian face the unimaginable task of raising a baby alone, likely leaning heavily on the Brown family circle for support.  She worked as a dressmaker, possibly while living with her parents and younger sisters.

Possibly in an effort to seek stability, Lillian remarried at 21 to Jeremiah (a.k.a. Gerald) O'Donnell, an Irish immigrant from County Cork.  While this Irish man had been baptised in Ireland as Jeremiah O'Donnell, he married under the name Gerald O'Donnell, and as it turned out, Jeremiah / Gerald was an interesting character!

This new chapter held both joy and sorrow for Lillian.  Her son Roger died a mere seven hours after his birth in 1909, and then in 1911, Lillian gave birth to her second daughter, Lillian Madge.  In a tragic turn of events, my grand aunt Lillian passed away just two weeks after giving birth.  

Her confinement was described as "normal" on the private hospital record until August the 27th.  The hospital record goes on to say "Then pneumonia set in and patient became weaker until death on the 31st".  The infant, at the time of delivery, was described as "delicate".  

Lillian's second daughter had been born at a maternity hospital known as Nurse Atkins' Private Hospital run by Nurse Eleanor Atkin.  That is a fact that will become quite significant as this story unfolds further.

When my grandaunt died at the age of 24, she was survived by her second husband, her daughter Lorna aged 4, and her newborn daughter Lillian.  

It is heartbreaking to know that my grand aunt, who had experienced quite a lot of grief and trauma in her short life, never got to see her two daughters grow up.

The question I've always pondered is - what happened to these two girls after the death of their mother?

The Path Of Two Sisters

Eldest Daughter - Lorna Mary Grace Everson nee Connors

Lillian's eldest daughter, Lorna Mary Grace Connors had turned four years old just a few months before the death of her mother.  The question of who cared for Lorna after her mother's death has long puzzled me.  She did not go into the care of her stepfather, Jeremiah, and while many relatives were nearby, it is unclear which family member took her in.  Who raised Lorna has remained a mystery for me.

Both Lorna's paternal grandparents (Thomas and Susan Connors) had passed away in 1910.  Her maternal grandparents (Richard and Ellen Brown) were both still living and were aged 50 and 49 respectively, in 1911.  Did Richard and Ellen took Lorna into their care?

Perhaps she passed into the care of one of her aunts. Marcella May (known as Marcy) Brown was still living in Lismore, but was only 19 years old at the time of her sister's death.  It's unlikely that she would have taken on the responsibility of her four-year old niece.

Lorna's other aunt, my grandmother Grace, was living with her husband and three children at Mullumbimby, nearly 50 miles away.  Grace and her husband George were moving around quite a lot around this time in their marriage, following opportunities for work as George was a dairyman and continually looking for work on dairy farms.

Lorna's aunt Elsie, aged 21, had married by the time her sister Lillian died, and had a one-year old daughter.  She was still living in Lismore, so perhaps she was the one who stepped in.

Alternatively, perhaps Lorna became part of the Connors family, her father's family.  As previously mentioned, Lorna's paternal grandparents were no longer alive at this point, so they are ruled out.

Lorna's paternal aunt, her father's oldest sister, Mary Ellen Bates (nee Connors) was 36 at the time, married with three children and pregnant with her fourth. They were all still living in Lismore, so could they have taken on the responsibility of raising Lorna?

I've not found any evidence during my research that can help me answer the question of what happened to Lorna during her childhood years.

I do however know something of Lorna's adult years.  

By 1926, Lorna had married Frederick James Everson in Annandale, New South Wales.  Motherhood, however, brought grief mirroring her mother's story.  Lorna gave birth to twin daughters, Florence and Sheila, in 1928.  Tragically, Florence died the day after she was born, and Sheila passed away two years later. 

Lorna's later years were spent near Broadwater, where her aunt Marcella May Tyler nee Brown lived, suggesting family ties may have quietly persisted.

Lorna passed away in 1975, aged 68.

She was buried at the Evans Head Cemetery, near Broadwater, in New South Wales.

Youngest daughter - Lillian Madge Rapmund / Robertson nee O'Donnell

Of the two sisters, Lillian Madge's story is perhaps the most astonishing.  

Records have led me to discover who cared for Lillian Madge after the passing of her mother.  Many, many years later, in 1934, Lillian Madge, appeared in Sydney's Probate Court to 'apply for leave to swear to the death of her father, Jeremiah O'Donnell.'  She pleaded her case and the leave to swear to her father's death was granted.

During this probate court hearing Lillian Madge Rapmund nee O'Donnell shared some heartbreaking information about her life and her relationship with her father.  Details of the probate application were published in several newspapers at the time, and here is an example:

"The applicant (Lilian Madge Rapmund) had no memory of having seen her father, but identified herself as his daughter from particulars shown upon the marriage certificate of her mother and the certificate given at her mother's death.

It appeared that O'Donnell (Jeremiah, her father) was born at Murwillumbah in 1883 (This detail was not correct as proven by the details Jeremiah supplied when he enlisted).  In 1908 he married at Lismore, his wife's maiden name being Brown.

In 1911, a child (the applicant) was born at a maternity hospital in Lismore.  The mother died 14 days later and from then onward (until marriage in 1931) the child remained with the matron of the hospital (Mrs. Atkin).

O'Donnell made no attempt to support his child and eventually left Lismore and enlisted in the A.I.F.  While on sick leave from France he went from England to Ireland.  He never rejoined his regiment, and was recorded as a deserter."

So it was that Lillian Madge grew up in the care of Eleanor Atkin nee Jones - Nurse Atkin - the matron of the maternity hospital where she was born.  Obviously, the father of the baby never turned up at the hospital to take his daughter home, and what is also rather strikingly obvious is that this little baby girl did not go home with any of the Brown family (my grandaunt's sisters or parents).  This was such a shock to me!   

My great grandparents, my grandmother and my other grandaunts, apparently left this infant to the care of the woman who ran the maternity hospital.  My incredulity about this situation led me to dig deeper.  Who was this Nurse Atkin?  

She was in fact a relative of my grand aunt Lillian Ruth and her daughter Lillian Madge. Nurse Atkin was Eleanor Atkin nee Jones, and was my grand aunt Lillian Ruth's 1st cousin once removed. 

 

They were both descendants of Susannah Exton nee Lancaster.  

Eleanor Jane Atkin nee Jones (Nurse Atkin) was the daughter of Susannah's eldest daughter Harriett. 

Lillian Ruth Brown was the granddaughter of Susannah's daughter Eliza (my 3x great grandmother).

Eleanor Atkin nee Jones had taken over her parent's home, and had established a maternity hospital in the building known as 'Lochiel', following in the footsteps of her mother Harriet, who had acted as midwife to all the families in the district for many years in the late 1800s.

So it came about that Lillian Madge, "remained" with Mrs. Eleanor Atkin until the day of her marriage.  Did any of her close Brown or Connors relatives have contact with her during these twenty years?  I'm unsure about that, but Lillian Madge lived in Lismore for her entire lifetime, and there would have been extended Brown and Connors family living in the same town that entire time! 

The knowledge that Lillian Madge's father appears to have abandoned her from birth, having no contact with her at all from then on, caused me some consternation.  I felt compelled to do some further research into the life of this man, Jeremiah / Gerald O'Donnell.

He was the son of Rodger O'Donnell and Margaret Molan, born in 1880 in Mitchelstown, County Cork, Ireland.  He had been baptised in the Parish of Brigown and Marshalstown in the Cloyne Diocese.  At some point (I'm still researching this) it appears he emigrated to Australia, where Jeremiah sometimes used the name Gerald.

At the age of 28, he married Lillian Ruth Connors nee Brown, under the name of Gerald O'Donnell.  Six years after the death of his wife and the birth of his daughter, he enlisted with the AIF under the name of Jeremiah O'Donnell.

The attestation paper he completed in January of 1917 indicated that he was born in Mitchellstown, County Cork, Ireland.  

He stated he was a widower and that his next of kin was his daughter Lillian Madge O'Donnell.  

Jeremiah recorded the address for his daughter as:  c/- Nurse Atkin, North Lismore, Richmond River, N.S.W.

After enlisting with the 9 / 54th Battalion, Jeremiah served in France from September 1917 to February 1918.  He went on leave at the end of February and went to England.  Jeremiah's war service record however indicates he did not stay in England for his leave, but travelled home to stay with his brother William O'Donnell in Carragnane, Mitchelstown, County Cork, Ireland.

He failed to return from his leave, could not be tracked down in Ireland, and was declared an illegal absentee in March of 1918.   In July of 1920, Jeremiah was discharged from the A.I.F. in consequence of being an illegal absentee. 

In Jeremiah's war service record, I found a copy of a letter written by Eleanor Atkin (Nurse Atkin) in 1923, concerning Lillian Madge, although Eleanor refers to her as Madge Lilian:

She was writing in answer to a letter that had been sent to Lillian, but obviously the Australian Army was unaware of Lillian's age.  Eleanor stated she had not heard from Lillian's father since 1918 and mentioned that she had "adopted" Lillian.  It was made clear that Eleanor (and therefore Lillian) had not heard anything about the fate of Jeremiah during and after the war.  

While he had listed Lillian as the beneficiary on the will he made before shipping out from Australia, he did not send any of his army pay back home to provide support for her.  He had to all intents and purposes, abandoned her and was never heard from again.

I have found evidence that Lillian Madge had indeed been adopted by Eleanor and Joseph Atkin.  

When Joseph passed away in 1941, Lillian is mentioned in his obituary as his "adopted daughter", but mentioned as Mrs. H. Rapmund.

Lillian Madge had married Henry David Rapmund in 1931 when she was 20 years old.  They went on to have three children, but their married life was to be cut short after eleven years.  Lillian's husband enlisted for service in January of 1942 and never returned home.  He served in New Guinea, where he was killed in action in December of 1942.  

Lillian was 31 years old when she became a widow with three young children to support.  She re-married five years later, in 1947, to a Scottish immigrant named James Brown Robertson.  She was 36 years old.

I stumbled upon a newspaper item with a photo showing Lillian on the day of her second wedding.

She is the lady standing on the right wearing "a blue crepe street-length frock trimmed with sequins at the neckline and featuring a full skirt".   The description continues, she "carried a white handbag and a posy of cream roses".

Interestingly, the newspaper item states that Lillian was "attended by Mrs. Adrian Rix" and she was "given away by Mr. Rix."

Adrian Rix was the son of Irene Eliza Atkin - yes, Atkin - the niece of Eleanor Atkin (Nurse Atkin).   

Eleanor had married Joseph Atkin, while her sister Hannah had married Thomas Atkin (Joseph's brother).

So, it seems Lillian did end up with family, but a totally different branch of the family.  While I feel somewhat comforted to know Lillian was amongst her own, I am still left wondering whether or not she ever had interactions with closer relatives of her mother.

Lillian passed away in 1997 at the age of 85.

She was buried at the Northern Rivers Memorial Park Cemetery in Lismore, New South Wales. where her story began.

The intertwined lives of Lillian Ruth Brown and her daughters reflect a lineage marked by grief but also perseverance and resilience.  From Lillian's brief yet eventful life to Lorna's quiet endurance and Lillian Madge's remarkable independence and fortitude, their journeys remind us how love, loss and kinship - sometimes from the most unexpected corners of a family tree - shape the generations that follow.

While gaps remain in their stories - especially about childhood years and family connections - I share what I have pieced together with care and respect.  These women now take their rightful place in our family's ongoing story.

Special Note to any family members:  If you have memories to add, photos or information to share, can I graciously ask that you do so.  If there are events that are not quite correct, do please let me know.  You can use the comments box below or use the 'Contact Form' at the top of the sidebar on the right side of my blog post.  All contributions are invaluable and will provide future generations with a story to truly treasure.

I'm joining Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge.  The prompt for this week's challenge is:  Wheels.

For anyone wishing to join the challenge, please click on this link:  Generations Cafe (Facebook Group)