Typed by: Kay Ward


WOODLAND, ASA GLOVER              NOTE: See Correction to this bio at bottom

Surnames: WOODLAND, WRIGHT, JONES, RAGLAND, MATTHEWS, PEEPLES, MARTIN, SWINNEA, DILLARD, ERSKINE, SHORT, CLIFFORD

Asa G. Woodland, b August 27, 1891 at Blue Ridge, Falls County, Texas, d March 8, 1959 and buried in Blue Ridge Cemetery-was a son of William Howell and Ella Cynthia (Wright) Woodland. On February 18, 1917, he married Mary Jones (called Molly as a young girl, and Polly thereafter), b November, 1897, died July 20, 1979-a daughter of Joseph O. Jones (1854-1924) and his wife, Anna Jane (Ragland) Jones (1855-1940) of Bremond, Robertson County, Texas. Joseph O. Jones was an agent for the Houston and Texas Central railroad, and his family lived in the freight depot, where they reared their thirteen children, and where he was president of the Bremond School Board for years, and very active in the affairs of the Presbyterian Church in Bremond.
Asa and Polly lived in the of his parents at Blue Ridge for some time, and he farmed for a period, but later Asa became a Prison Guard in the Texas Department of Corrections at Huntsville, until his retirement from that position. Polly (Jones) Woodland was an accomplished pianist, and a member of the Presbyterian Church. However, there being only one church in Blue Ridge (Baptist), she served as pianist for that church for many years. She took an active part in all the church work, in school affairs and the P.T.A., and in other civic affairs of the community. After Asa's death, Polly resided in Marlin, Texas until her death. The three children of Asa G. and Polly (Jones) Woodland were:

Asa G. Woodland, Jr., b ca 1918 at Blue Ridge-married first to Mary Alice Matthews, died 1937 when her first child was born-a daughter of John and Mamie (Peeples) Matthews. Their one child was Sandra Woodland, b 1937, who married Michael Lewis Martin, Jr., who died April 22, 1986 in Irving, Texas and buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Waco, Texas. Michael and Sandra had two children:
Michelle and Dawn-both now of Austin, Texas.
Asa G. Woodland Jr., married second to Julia Catherine Swinnea-a daughter of James Cornelius and Sarah Katherine (Dillard-Erskine) Swinnea of the Stranger, Texas community. Asa G. and Julia Catherine (Swinnea) Woodland, Jr. had three children (two sons and one daughter):
Nancy Woodland,
Joe Woodland, and
Donald Aldredge (called "Willie") Woodland.
Asa G. Woodland, Jr. died about 1983.

Aldredge Woodland-married Geraldine Short, and had
Julia K. Woodland,
Bonnie Sue Woodland,
Fred Glover Woodland, and now resides in Grove, Texas.

Polly Anna Woodland-who married Stalling M. Clifford. They have no children, and reside in Lake Jackson, Texas.

Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart for printing these bio of these Falls County Families to this Web page
"Families of Falls County", Compiled and Edited by the Falls County Historical Commission,
page 497, column 1 and column 2
Member of Falls County Historical Commission

CORRECTION: Submitted by Dawn Martin

The site reads:  "Their one child was Sandra Woodland, b 1937, who married Michael Lewis Martin, Jr., who died April 22, 1986 in Irving, Texas and buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Waco, Texas. Michael and Sandra had two children:  Michelle and Dawn-both now of Austin, Texas." 

 The Correction:  Sandra married Michael Charles Martin, Jr.

 Polly Anna Woodland's husband Starling Clifford passed away in 1999.

 Additional facts:  Sandra Merle Woodland Martin, b. 02-03-37 now living in Austin, TX married 6-14-58 in Marlin, TX.  Michael Charles Martin, Jr., b. 09-21-37, d. 04-22-86 

 (f: Michael Charles Martin, Sr., b. 04-19-1893 in Innishmagrath, Ireland. m: Kathryn Dailey, b. 12-09-1896 in Kentucky -- both are now deceased, but I do not have the dates)

Their children: 

Sandra Michelle Martin, b. 07-19-62 in Denison, TX

Dawn Kathryn Martin, b. 05-05-59 in Marlin married 1-15-92 in Austin, TX  Ronald Reed Holley, b. 05-06-42 in Longview, TX to (f: J. D. Holley, m: Ruby Reid -- both now deceased, again I do not have dates) families from Mineral Springs, AR

Children of Dawn & Ronald: a son, Avery Michael Martin, b. 09-04-92 in Austin, TX

a daughter, Sloan Cadance Holley, b. 12-04-94 in Austin, TX     

a daughter, Teague Dailey Holley, b. 06-14-99 in Austin, TX  

My mother has an old family bible.  It lists the full name of Asa, Sr. and Asa, Jr. as follows: Asa Glover Shields William Benjamin Franklin Woodland.