This is your life - Thomas Martin Grills Hole

 Thomas Martin Grills Hole aka Martin Hole

The start of my research into my 2x gt grandfather began with his daughter Mary Ann's marriage certificate. As always tracking back from marriage to birth certificates, but there was no birth certificate to be found for Mary Ann. I was stuck at her marriage with only Father : Martin Hole and Mother: Margaret as the information provided.

We have already discovered that Margaret was Aboriginal, so no joy to be had there in finding documentation. Would Martin be equally difficult?

I had found the name, Thomas Martin Grills Hole in some records and thought this was the closest match to Martin Hole.  A few other researchers had also suggested that this person was a likely candidate for Mary Ann's father.

I also attacked the problem using my newly obtained DNA results. I searched for DNA matches with the Hole surname in their trees, the name isn't that common. I had a small DNA match with CW of only 6cM, and managed to engage him in correspondence about our trees and likely connection.

He referred me on to another lady that he said was likely to be a closer relative. She hadn't done a DNA test but she did have a small tree on Ancestry. Below is the relationship between the 3 of us. CW is only my 4C1R, whereas Diana my 2C2R and a gt-niece to our TMG Hole.

Amazingly Diana turned out to live fairly close to me, only about 40 mins away. We arranged to have lunch. Her daughter came along that day, I think she was a bit worried about her elderly mother meeting a stranger. We were instantly family!

She agreed to take a DNA test and she was a match at 151 cM as you can see above. She also matches my other cousins as you will see later. 

TMG Hole

At our next meeting I got a surprise. Diana had a relationship with my great-aunt Zillah, TMG Holes daughter and Mary Ann's half-sister. She had been a spinster when she died in her old age and Diana had inherited some items. One of the items was a locket that had a photo of her Zillah father, TMG Hole in it.  Diana had taken the locket to a camera store and had them take a scan of the tiny image the size of a fingernail and had it blown up for me to the size of a normal 6"x4" print. 

What an amazing thing to see and how generous a gesture from my new cousin. The image turned out to be a miniature painted portrait.  

Later on Diana also gifted me a small crystal shot glass that part of a set belonging to Zillah. Diana and I are still firm friends and I have lunch with her, and her very large dog Shaggy, every so often. 

Here is an overview of all of the DNA matches of Hole descendants, everyone in purple is a descendant and is a match with me. Many match each other as well.

DNA Descendants of Thomas Hole Snr

The timeline of TMG Hole

I don't know much about TMG other than what I have been able to find in the newspapers so here is a glimpse into his life based on the following timeline based on newspaper reports and recorded family events.

1843 – Born 10 Nov 

1861 – Martin hole steward Walgett Races 

1862 - Birth of son Alfred Augustus Roberts to Elizabeth Roberts (Namoi River)

1860+ birth of daughter, Mary Ann Hole to Margaret (Walgett)

1864 – during the floods

1868 – 21st April – appointed Pound keeper at Walgett 

1873 – Droving cattle from Narrabri to Melbourne 

1876 – Married Clara Williams in Tamworth. Clara was the sister of Frederick Hillier William's who was his partner in the Woolomon lease below

1878 – 5th July – Disputed claims to leases - Woolomon, Liverpool Plains

The location of Woolomin

1878 - 6th July Forfeited conditional purchase, Woolomin Run

Forfeited conditional purchase reported 6 July 1878

1878 – NSW Police Gazette appointed as a magistrate of the colony 

Sworn in as Magistrate 16th Oct 1878

1878 - Birth of daughter Ina Loyalty Hole

1879 - conditional purchase – section 21, County of Parry, parish of Royinn, 40 acres starting at the north-east corner of Jenkins 317 acres, running south reported in the Singleton Argus.

Purchase reported in Singleton Argus 12 Nov 1879 

1879 - Birth of daughter Zillah

1880 - Gov Gazette, a list of stock impounded at Hanging Rock from Woolomon station (Mssrs. Williams and Hole)

1883- Birth of son - Albert Royston Hole

1885 -1st Aug – Police Gazette– 3 cattle stolen from near Woolomon Station. He owned this station with his brother-in-law Frederick Hillier Williams

1885 -26 Aug NSW Police Gazette – Cattle found 

1886 - Birth of Stewart Gay Grills Hole

1889 – Lease in County of Parry, Parish of Dungowan employing 4 men

1891 - Gov Gazette 1891 page 10218 listed at Baratta Station which seems to be near Deniliquin, not sure if this is our M Hole 

1894 - 13th November his brother Charles dies

1894 - 26th November, 13 days after his brother, his father died and left him 50 pounds in his will. Note the inversion of the names Martin Thomas Grills. 

Will of father Thomas Nicholas - note the inverted names Martin Thomas Grills

1900 - Sister Florence dies in Tasmania

1902 - Brother Francis dies in Orange NSW

1904 - Daughter Mary Ann dies

1906 - Marriage of his daughter Ina

Marriage of eldest daughter Ina Loyalty

1913 – 28th July died – Woolomin, Victoria Rd Woolahra Thomas Martin Hole aged 68 (as stated in paper though he was actually 69). I think that Martin may have named his home in the city after his original property 

Death Notice 29 July 1913

1913 - Buried in an unmarked grave at Waverley Cemetery

My daughter Alicia and I took a detour to Waverley Cemetery last year in search of the resting place of Thomas Martin Grills Hole. Using the iCemetery App we managed to locate him in this huge cemetery. Initially we were at the wrong spot and lamenting that it was an unmarked grave until we realised our error and our hopes were renewed, only to have them dashed again!!  At least it was a glorious day and great views.

Where Martin lies at Waverley Cemetery - unmarked

View from Waverley Cemetery - June 2020