Individual Details

I find no agreement among researchers about the possible parentage of John Ashley. He is shown as born 1755, but in "Mecklenburg" Bladen Co. NC. There is no such place although there is a Mecklenburg Co in North Carolina, formed from Anson in 1762; Anson Co in turn was formed out of Bladen County in 1750. Bladen Co had been established in 1734, incorporating a large part of North Carolina.

Many databases on Ancestry have picked up a "shaking leaf" indicator to a John Ashley who served in the Revolution. Further research in Google Books, Footnote, etc. indicates this man was probably the John Ashley who served in the 10th Regiment under Abraham Shephard - 1777-78. The problem is that Shepard's regiment was formed in the Northeast part of North Carolina - NOT in Bladen County nor any of the counties formed from Bladen. He may not be the same John Ashley - but since no proof is offered for the birthplace and residence, neither can he be ruled out as being the same man. The name John Ashley is very common and no simple occurrence of his surname in a document should be taken for granted.

A letter from 1975 is attached to an Ancestry tree. Mrs. Robert E. Hudson of Windsor MO was in possession of the letter in March of 2008. It is dated 26 Feb 1975 and addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Pilkinton, and written by Sandy Farrow. Apparently a common relative is a Fannie Bush whose mail was returned and the writer is seeking an obituary - Fannie had reported to have furnished information on Uriah Ashley.
The letter states that: We descend from John Ashley, Sr., Revolutionary War soldier. He was born about 1755 in North Carolina. He served as Sgt Major in the 10th Reg. under Col. Abraham Shepherd. Commissioned, May 4, 1781. During the Revolution he lived in Mecklinberry (sic), NC. She had received three pay vouchers from the NC State Archives. [Note: the pay vouchers were all three to a John Ashley but impossible to tell if always to the SAME John Ashley.]


A land grant in Mecklenburg, NC, 200 acres granted 15 Nov 1790 to a John Ashley would seem to be a very different John - if he was indeed in Kentucky by 1781.

Marriage: 16 Dec 1782 to Mary "Polly" Calloway. Mercer Co, KY? Also the same date and place, as well as 16 Dec 1781, is shown as the marriage to Mary Hardin! (I have not found this marriage record)

John said to have married a second time, to another Mary "Polly" who might have been nee Hardin - some say after 1787 when daughter Ruth was born, and others, 1796 when daughter Sarah was born. An online marriage date of 17 Apr 1797 to Mary Hardin, if correct, would solve the problem. However this marriage, too, is a problem because the digital version of the marriage bond is on FamilySearch - Polly Hardin to marry John ASHBY, not Ashley, and one Nicholas Harding was bondsman. Later Nicholas Harding will name a daughter Mary ASHBY in his will. The name is plain and this couple is shown online with a very different set of children. I believe this was never this John ASHLEY and he was likely married only to Mary Calloway - or at least to a Mary, since his will names wife Polly.

Online sources divide the children in various way. In some databases, Mary Calloway is shown as the mother of all the children, which I believe is most likely - or there was another unknown wife at some point in time, but I do not believe it was Polly Hardin!

John Ashley did have a son, Charles A. Ashley, whose eldest child was named Charles Callaway Ashley - perhaps that's further proof that at least the first wife was Mary Callaway. All of the children's ages that I've found, show that they could have all had the same mother. The 1820 census does suggest a wife several years younger than John which could rule her out as mother of the older children.

The 1800 Kentucky Tax List shows two John Ashleys - one in Clark Co, one in Mercer Co.

Said to be the John Ashley, 1820, Adair Co, KY. This man was over age 45 and in his household was a male under 10, a male 10-16, and a male 16-26. There was a female under 10, one 10-16, one 16-26 and one over 45. This could be an older couple with a married child in the household.

The only Ashley enumerated in Warren Co TN in 1820 was a James Ashley - he was over age 45. In 1830, no Ashleys are found in Warren Co, even though the son Francis and widow bought many farm items at the estate sale in 1828, and widow Polly bought the land. The Deed records of Warren Co would likely have additional information.

Warren County, TN, Book 1, Wills & Inventories, pp. 26-31:
The Last Will and Testament of John Ashley
In the name of God Amen, I, John Ashley of the County of Warren and State of Tennessee being of perfect mind and memory but Calling to mind the mortality of man and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament.
First of all I recommend my Soul to the hands of the Almighty God who give it my Body I recommend to the earth to be Buried in a deasent manner at the discretion of my Executors all my Just debts to be paid out of the money arising out of the Sale of my property here after mentioned
first of all I give to my beloved Wife Polly Ashley the following property to wit:
one cow and calf two Beads and furniture one flax and one Cotten Wheel two head of sheep one Sow and Seven piggs also one years old Barrow one kettle one small pot and Skillet and her Saddle one Smothing Iron
(page 27) one Chest four peuter plates and four delph plates one set of Tea Cups and Saucers one Water pale piggen and milk Churn and Tin Bucket also 2 Chaires three knives and three Crocks one Coffee pot and Soop Spoon three Tin cups one peuter dish an
one delph dish also one square table and one pot Trammel and Washing tub 2 Tumblers and two mugs.
Item 2, I give unto my son Francis Ashley one Broun mare Saddle and Bridle also one Cow and Calf and one sow one Barrow also Ewe and Lamb and one plough and axe and hoe and Rifle Gun.
Item 3, I give unto my daughter Sally Abrell fifteen dollars Worth of my property
the rest of my Children having received their proportionable part my Land and all the balance of my property to be sold at twelve months credit and the money arising frome Sale after paying my debts to be divided betwen my Wife Polly, my daughter Peggy Colville, my daughter Rachel Evans, my daughter (Mary) Ingram, my son Charles Ashley, and my son John Ashley, my daughter Sally Abrell, my son Daniel Ashley, my Son Uriah Ashley
and my son Andrew Ashley, my daughter Nancy Allison and my daughter Mariah Lynn and my son Francis Ashley all to Shear and Sheare alike - ratifying and confirming this my last Will and Testament making Void all former Wills. Leaving my beloved wife Polly and William Lynn my Sole Executors in Witness Whereof I have here unto Set my hand and fixed my Seal this 11th April 1828 in presence of us.
JOHN ASHLEY (Seal)
Witnessed: Bejamin Wooten, William Wooten
(Page 28):
An Inventory of the Estate of John Ashley Dec.
To wit: One hundred and five acres of Land one Cow and Calf one yearling 13 head of Hogs 6 head of Sheep one Bed and furniture one falling Leaf Table 1 Small chest a pale and 2 piggins 5 Chairs three Wheels and 1 Loom one Cut Reel 1 pair fur dogs Shovel and TonTwo pots one Oven a Small Skillet 2 pair of pot hooks 2 Erthen dishes and 3 tumblers 3 pitchers 4 bowls two Bottles 4 plates 1 mug one Canister one razor 2 tin pans one Set of Tea Cups and Saucers 2 waters two Tea Bords 4 peuter plates and one peuter dh 1 pair Candlemoles one Sausage Stuffer 1 pair sheep shears one flax Hackle 4 knives and fork 6 Spoons one trumpet one pair of Small Stelyards and one Coffee mill 5 Crocks 2 pair Cotten Cards one Looking Glass 3 Books one Candle Stick one bedstead onefle Gun 2 shot pouches 2 ploughs and Swingletrees, 3 ____ Rings 2 Clevises 2 pair drawing Chairs one ax and tomahawk 2 hoes one Iron wedge and one Log Chain one hand Saw and one auger one Sythe and Cradle and Cuting knife one pair strechers and one mansaddle 2 Tin Cups 3 gimblets and one taper bit one Small Kegg 2 Small Barrels 2 Bells one Set of Spools a small chunk of Iron.
(Page 29):
Sale Bill of John Ashley, Dec'd
John Fults - 1 Cutting Box & Knife - 75
John Ingram - 1 Pot - 87 1/2
Thomas Miers - 1 Oven 1 large pot - 1.25
John Ingram - one falling ax - 93 3/4
Polly Ashley - 1 Set of Dog Irons - 1.75
John Ingram - Hoe & Tomahawk - 43 3/4
Polly Ashley - Shovel & Trumpet Skillet - ____
Thomas Macy - Hoe Iren Wedge - 75
Adrew Northcut - Chain & Strechers - 1.25
Francis Ashley - Singletree & C - 1.06 1/4
Benjamin Wooten - Plough & C - 1.56 1/4
John Ingram - 3 piggens - 75
Richard Allison - 2 crocks - 31 1/4
What Laym - 2 crocks - 25
Richard Allison - Hems & Traces - 87 1/2
Francis Ashley - Chains Hems & Coller - 1.50
Polly Ashley - 1 Cut Reel - 12 1/2
John Ingram - Saw & augur - 1.06 1/2
John Fults - Sythe & Bridle - 2.00
(Page 30):
David Williams - Wheel & Cards - 75
James Spradlen - Flax Wheel & cards -50
James Spradlen - & Sundries - 1.25
David Williams - Saddle - 4.00
John Sales - 2 Chairs - 50
Polly Ashley - 1 flask Tumbler & 2 chairs - 37 1/2
Austin Cappinger - 1 Small Chest - 1.37 1/2
Richard Allison - ___ Spools Water knives & fork - ____
Austin Cappinger - 1 chair - 18 3/4
Hiram Ingram - 1 folding Table - 5.00
Wm. Lynn - peuter & C - 2.18 3/4
John Ingram - Water Glass pitcher - 50
Polly Ashley - Water & C - 31 1/4
Casper Myers - 2 Boles 4 plates, cups & saucers - 1.50
Austin Cappinger - 1 Dish - 37 1/2
John Ingram - 2 Tin Cups Tumbler & Bottle - 62 1/2
Polly Braun - 2 pichers - 25
Wyat Lam - 1 Razor & Case - 50
John Ingram - Shuttles & ____ - 25
Jacob Lynn - 1 Loom ___ ___ - 3.37 1/2
William Wooten - Stelyards - 43 3/4
John Fults - fur Tariff - 25
John Myers - 1 flax hackle - 2.00 1/4
Polly Ashley- Coffee Mill - 37 1/2
John Ingram - 1 Looking Glass - 25
Thomas Myers - ____ - 10
John Ingram - 6 Sheep - 5.56 1/2
Jake Green - 1 Rifle Gun 2 Shot Bags - 17.50
John Sales - 2 gimlets & Taper bit - 37 1/2
Francis Ashley - 1 Shot pouch - 56 1/4
Rich Allison - 1 Bred Bole & Sifter - 6 1/4
Wyeth Lam - 1 Small Keg - 31 1/4
B. Wooten - Iron Sheep - 4.62 1/2
John Ingram - 1 cow & Calf - 8.87 1/2
James Northcut - 1 yearling - 4.00
Hiram Ingram - 1 Set Hogs - 5.25
James Spradlen - Flax Wheel - 75
(Page 31):
Polly Ashley - 1 Tract Land - 109.00
Amounting to 209.22 1/2
(NOTE: Next entry in this book is for the October, 1828,session)

Birth	Ca 1755	North Carolina
Marriage	16 Dec 1781	Mercer County, Kentucky - Mary Calloway
Death	11 Apr 1828	Warren County, Tennessee

Spouse	Mary Calloway ( - )
Child	Margaret "Peggy" Ashley (1786 - )
Child	Rachel Ashley (1787 - )
Child	Mary "Polly" Ashley (1788 - )
Child	Charles A. Ashley (1789 - 1871)
Child	John Ashley (1794 - 1858)
Child	Sarah "Sally" Ashley (1796 - 1879)
Child	Andrew Ashley (1802 - )
Child	Daniel Ashley (1798 - )
Child	Uriah Ashley (1804 - )
Child	Nancy Ashley (1805 - )
Child	Francis Ashley (1808 - )
Child	Mariah Ashley (1810 - )