Hi I am new here; I'm married to a Woodward a descendant of William [b-abt-1802]... William's earlier history is quiet well documented as you see in the following... As he and Elizabeth became Pioneers of Emu Bay they lived in the bush and religion was not obvious, as they did not officially marry until after the birth of their last child… Likewise some of the second and third generations are murky, as in who married who is proving difficult in some of the families… I do have a lot of data should anyone be interested in developing the Woodward family further… Regards: Peter P
William Woodward [born around 1802]: was transported to Hobart in 1830 on the vessel "Prince Regent" [Ihave copies of the "conduct register"]. He had been a ploughman in York, near Chesterfield in England. William, convicted in Yorkshire in 1828 for stealing a watch from a N.P. Mecer of Chesterfield Derby, was sentenced to seven years in Van Diemen's Land. In Hobart, William was assigned as a labourer to a Mr. Cook, whom he remained with for several years. Receiving a pardon and "ticket of leave" [free by servitude] on the 22nd October 1835 thereafter William was a free man.
We guess that toward the end of 1837 early 1838 an association started with Elizabeth.
Elizabeth Thomas had been recently widowed with two children, Charles Edward born in 1835, and Ellen born 7th April 1837. Earlier [3rd of November 1834] Elizabeth had married an Edward Thomas, he died in 1837 a daughter to their marriage, Ellen, was just a few months old. We have found that Ellen did use her stepfather's name because she signed as Ellen Woodward as witness at her 1/2 sisters Maria's wedding, but eventually marries as Ellen Thomas. Her brother likewise held his name as Charles Edward Thomas when he married.
William & Elizabeth are to have 13 children of their own, the first [William] born in 1838 lives only a couple of months, the last [Rachel] is born in 1861. Late 1841 early 1842, with Edwards children and now two of their own, this family leaves the Launceston area and move on to Horton [Emu Bay - now Burnie] where William is employed by the Van Diemen's Land Co [V.D.L.Co].
After 32 years together raising a very large family, William and Elizabeth eventually get married, this on the 15th March 1869, [aged 69 and 51], quite an acknowledgement of a good life, well lived. Witnesses to the marriage were Ellen Sutton and John Edwards Rouse, and the registrar is George Rouse.