Charles Joseph O'Donnell

Hilda-and-Charles-ODonnell

Charles was born on February 6th, 1887 in Gooroc, Victoria.  Charles' father was Andrew O'Donnell and his mother was Bridget (Kate) Catherine Connelly.  His paternal grandparents were Martin O'Donnell and Margaret Green; his maternal grandparents were John Roche Connelly and Elizabeth (Eliza) Greenfield. He had four brothers and two sisters, and also a sibling of unknown gender, named Frank, JB, Joe, Big Mac, Dotty, Henrietta and Andrew.  He was the fourth youngest of the eight children.  He died at the age of 42 on September 21st, 1929 in Swan Hill, Victoria.  He was buried on September 22nd, 1929 in Birchip, Victoria.^1 2 

• General Notes

  Charles’s family had been farmers since his Irish grandparents arrived in Australia in 1841. Charles and Hilda started out on land near Geelong  and gradually moved north to the Birchip district.  They appear to have taken up land in different areas as new holdings were made available by the Government and there were more sons needing to make a living. When Andrew O’Donnell (Charles’s father) died, Birdsgrove, the family farm, was left to all the children. Charles took it over and paid out his brothers and sisters. Some of his brothers bought properties but it appears most of his siblings moved off the land.  Source: Ann Marie Yee (nee O'Donnell)

Details of Charles' family with Hylda Marea Sophia Australia Adelskold