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Tri-Counties Genealogy &
History by Joyce M. Tice
Tri-County Emigrants Section
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Bradford County PA
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Chemung County NY
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Tioga County PA
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Sullivan Township, Tioga
County PA to Minnesota
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Submitted by Joyce M. Tice from her Sullivan-Rutland
Genealogy Project |
Moved to Minnesota Ashley Genealogy by Trowbridge, 1896 Syracuse Library.
An Illustrated History of Jackson County, Minnesota, 1910,
p. 342.
WELCH ASHLEY (1865), deceased was one of the founders of the
village of Jackson and one of the town's prominent men in the early days.
The Ashley family is one of the old American families, Robert Ashley having
come to the new world from England in colonial days and settled in Massachusetts.
Welch Ashley's grandfather, David Ashley, was born in Westfield, Massachusetts.
He was a soldier in the French and Indian war, serving eighteen months.
He also served seven years in the revolutionary war and was with Colonel
Ethan Allen at the capture of Ticonderoga. He rose to the rank of
Major. Welch Ashley was born in Hancock, Delaware County, New York,
on the first day of the year 1807, the son of Forest and Harriett (Welch)
Ashley. Forest Ashley was born June 2, 1771, at Pittsfield, Massachusetts,
and died in Mainesburg, Pennsylvania, August 15, 1856. He was married
in Hancock, Delaware County, New York, in 1794. He was a carpenter
by trade.
At an early age Welch Ashley moved with his parents to Troy,
Bradford County, Pennsylvania, where he lived a number of years.
He served as sheriff of Bradford County a number of years. Later
he moved to Tioga County, in the same state, where he was married and where
he lived until he came west and settled in Jackson County. Mr. Ashley
was always very patriotic and a strong union man during the civil war.
He contributed to the cause and three of his sons were in the union army.
It was during the month of September, 1865, that Welch Ashley
came to Jackson County and bought the old Wood homestead, upon which had
been enacted the tragedies of the Inkpaduta massacre more than eight years
before. At the time there were only a few families living in the
whole of Jackson County, and these only recently returned after the fear
of the Indians had been removed.
In 1866 Mr. Ashley and Major H. S. Bailey laid out the town of
Jackson, Mr. Ashley being the proprietor of all that portion of the town
included in the original plat lying north of White Street. About
the same time he build the first saw mill erected in the county, which
was located on the east side of the river at the site of the present dam.
At this mill much of the lumber used for the construction of the first
buildings erected in the new town was sawed and prepared.
From the first Mr. Ashley entered into the business life of the
town, taking an active part in every movement for the advancement of its
interest. In company with his son, B. W. Ashley, he built the Ashley
House, which ever since has been the principal hotel of the village and
is now owned by his grandson, M. D. Ashley, and, for many years he was
its owner. Much of the material used in the construction of this
hotel was hauled by team from Mankato. He was also engaged at various
times in the mercantile business and in farming. He retained his
mental vigor, and in great degree his physical strength until a few days
before his death, and his interest in the town which he had founded continued
to the last. Mr. Ashley died at his home in Jackson February 23,
1885.
Mr. Ashley was always a strong friend of religion and was a member
of the Methodist church. For many years the local Methodist church
was largely supported by him and his excellent wife. It was mainly
through his efforts that the present church building of that denomination
was erected, he being not only the larges individual contributor to the
fund subscribed for its erection, but also devoting much of his time to
looking after its construction and in the collection and management of
the funds subscribed fro that purpose, in which matters his experience
and sound judgment were invaluable.
Welch Ashley was married in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, to Margaret
Smith, who survived her husband nearly twenty years and died February 17,
1905. To these parents were born seven children, as follows:
George G., Benjamin W., Mrs. Margaret Hill, Menzo L., Jesse F., Mrs. Julia
F. Downey and John C., all of whom are living except Benjamin W. and George
G.
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Bradford County PA
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Chemung County NY
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Tioga County PA
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Published On Tri-Counties Site On 14 SEP 2005
By Joyce M. Tice
Email: Joyce M.
Tice
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