Individual Details

From the Biographical Record of the Counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio. Chicago, J.H. Beers & Co. 1894 (305-306)

" Leonard Ashley was born about 1790, at Deerfield, Mass., learned shoemaking under his father, and worked at the trade during his life in Massachusetts. His mother died about the year 1799, and the youth then went to reside with an elder brother, Luther. After some years he wished to see the world outside of his native State, and migrated to Canada, where, in 1815, he married Sally McDougal, who was born in 1794, in Nova Scotia, for whose father young Ashley worked ; and while living on Yonge street, and near Toronto, in the Province of Ontario, the following named children were born : Thomas, who died in infancy ; James, who, in 1824, accompanied his mother to Ohio, where he married, became a Free-will Baptist preacher, and thence moved to Michigan, where he died, leaving twelve children ; Stewart B., late a resident of Steuben, Ohio, who died October 30, 1893, and is buried in Greenfield cemetery ; Sally, who first married David Skeeles, and subsequently Dean Keefer (she is now a widow, residing at Columbus, Kans.); and John, a Free-will Baptist preacher, of Hillsdale, Mich., who was a fellow schoolmate of James A. Garfield. After the family joined the father in Greenfield township, in 1824, there were born Luther, a resident of Bellevue, Mich.; William, of Knoxville, Iowa ; Allen T., the subject of this sketch; Joseph B., of Oberlin, Ohio; Mary, wife of Judge G. W. Lewis, of Medina, Ohio; Henry, a resident of San Francisco, Cal.; and Daniel, who went to California in 1862 and died there. 

In 1822 Leonard Ashley left Canada for Huron county, Ohio, and worked on farms and at his trade here for two years. In 1824 his wife and children arrived, and all found a home with Alden Pierce, a brother-in-law, who then occupied what is known as the "Sturges Farm" in Greenfield township. The father was known as a good farmer and a good shoemaker, and was a very active man until his death, which occurred in 1873. At that time he was on a visit to his son John at Rockaway, Seneca Co., Ohio, from which place his remains were returned to Huron county for interment in the Greenfield cemetery. His wife, who died March 19, 1863. was interred in Steuben cemetery. Leonard Ashley was a Whig until the organization of the Republicans, when he became a stanch supporter of the new party. In religious matters he and his wife were members of the Free-will Baptist Church." 
 
Family links: 
 Spouse:
  Sarah McDougall Ashley (1794 - 1863)
 
 Children:
  James Ashley (1815 - 1882)*
  Stewart B Ashley (1818 - 1893)*
  Luther C. Ashley (1824 - 1902)*
  Allen Trimball Ashley (1829 - 1911)*
  Joseph B Ashley (1831 - 1904)*
  Mary Ashley Lewis (1834 - 1897)*

Birth	19 Jan 1792	Deerfield, Franklin County, Massachusetts
Marriage	7 Feb 1814	York, Ontario, Canada - Sarah "Sally" McDougal
Death	31 Jan 1873	Rockaway, Seneca County, Ohio
Burial		Steuben Cemetery, Huron County, Ohio

Spouse	Sarah "Sally" McDougal ( - 1863)
Child	Luther C. Ashley (1824 - 1902)
Child	William A. Ashley (1827 - 1903)

Notes