National Republican., 1883-05-22
DIR. FRANCIS A. ASHFORD.
He Was Laid at Rest by Large Company Of
SOrOwing Friends Yesterday.
An Eloquent Funeral Address by Rev. DR..
Sunderland.

The funeral Of DIR. Francis A. Ashford took
place from his late residence, 1880 New York
avenue, yesterday afternoon at o'clock.
The attendance, in spite of the weather, was
very large, and included many of the most
prominent citizens Of the district as we'll as
representatives of every medical faculty.
Tho honorary pail bearers were Drs. s. G.
Busey, G. L. Hagner, A. Y. p. Garnett, J. w.
II. Lovejoy, William N. Marmion, and Will
lam V. Marmion; and the pail bearers, Drs.
T. Z, McArdlc, S. S. Adams, G.. N. Acker, J.
H. McBlair, +. Hyatt, and NJ. G. Elleslcy.
The floral designs were very numerous and
beautiful. There was a large chair with
Vacant" upon the foot rest, from the
students of Georgetown Medical college; q
hospital bed with AT Rest" from the Chill
dren's hospital; very striking set piece from
the staff officers of the Light Infantry repre-
senting sun setting behind the hills, q large
broken wheel, besides broken columns,
crowns, pillows, and other designs in greatest
profusion. Among the most valued me-
mentocs was small bunch Of violets, sent
with card marked, From two little orphans
who loved Dr. Ashford"
Tho services were extremely impressive,
and the address of DIR. Sunderland was
touching tribute to the memory of the dead.
DR.. Sunderland said:
Ashford is gone; gone out of the sweet
spring time; gone from the green earth's
lovclincss; the music of birds, the fragrance
of flowers, the days golden sunshine, the
nights lunar sheen. All those hours of his
last illness were as q frame'of beauty around,
bright and cheerful, smiling and shining as If
nature were full of angelic presence-a host
supernatural come to convoy him away.
Born across the river in tho autumn of 1S41
In vi arap pa IN Inn iteth ha
stead on the old Virginia soil. In 1si7 the
family came to Washington and he went to
school in the fourth district. In 1854 they
went back to the farm. In 1865 he came to
MIR Richards Union academy, and for two or
three years studied hard to lay the founda-
tons of his after life. Returning home he
gave himself to farm work, devoting his leis
ure hours TO the study of medicine.
When the war opened he was youth of
twenty years. Sharing the fortunes of his
native state, his soldierilife held through the
great battles from Balls Bluff to Petersburg,
where he was wounded and sent to Johnson's
Island shortly before the close at Appomattox.
Upon that event lie returned to Washington
and resumed the study of medicine with the
late lamented Doctors Miller and Hall.
About the year 1867 he entered oh the prac-
tice of the profession which had kindled his
carly aspiration, and toward the front rank
OF which he rapidly advanced. He saw in
this high career unlimited possibilities for
the relief of his suffering kind. Especially
fitted by nature and requirements for his
chosen life work he pursued it with self de-
votion which knew no bounds.
In early life he became n member of the
Methodist Episcopal church, but on his mar
riage with Isabella Kelly, in 1872, he Joined
the First Presbyterian church, in whose COM
munion he lived and died. The noble, faith
ful husband, the father of five chidren-four
sons and little daughter who had just como
into life-he was my friend aud family ply
sician, succeeding Dr. Harvey Lindsey in this
intimate relation. His pastor, his brother,
and friend, associated with him in many
ways, how shall i describe him or tell the
the story of his busy life in the sixteen years
fled with the work of the associated charities I;
was member of the Masonic order, the sur
gcon of the Washington Light Infantry corps,
an active promoter of the Children's hospital,
aud surgeon of the same; he was four years
resident physician of the Columbia hospital,
and u member ofits board of directors; he was
u member ofthc Washington Medical society;
lie was one of the foremost friends and
one of the directors of the Garfield NJ
mortal hospital he was professor of surgery
in the medical department of Georgetown
college and dean of the medical faculty; he
was active in organizing the training school
for nurses and lecturer for the same; he
society, looked up to for advice and aid by his
associates.
Meanwhile each year his practice grew; his
worth and usefulness increased. He spared no
pains to honor and dignity his profession.
lie made no difference between men in his
professional assiduity. He gave his best skill
and experience to the poor as well as to the
rich. His ripest monument is in the mem
ory Of hundreds of the humble who had
nothing to requite him but the gratitude of
prayer, and the most pathetic witnesses of
his unheralded beneticcnce were the num-
bers that came weeping about his doorway as
for thoir best and dying friend
l. Ho was from the first a loyal son. Filial
and true in all his thoughts he honored his
parents and his house with every childlike
affection. Ono of his last requests was that
lc might be laid beside his own loved mother
i'll the silent slumber of the grave.
2. Nor was he less loyal in his own domes-
tic circle. How he trusted and loved and
rejoiccd in his wife and children they alone
best know. How he clungto and cheered and
supported with unflagging uncOmplaining
generosity and counsel all who were bound
to him by the tics of family kinship they now
most deeply feel. But he never paraded
these private virtues, nor thought the whole
of life to consist in being good husband
aud kind father, when SO much
work remained to be done for So
were to him as the wayside flowers cheering
and adorning all the serious aspects of the
outer life and conflict.
3. He was an upright citizen, pure in ex-
ample strong in conviction, firm in princi-
pie, wise in judgment, unflinching for justice
and for right. He was patriotic and public
spirited, proud of his country and Jealous of
her good name. Nothing he could do to
crown this capital with honor was ever with
held. He was in his prime of manhood,
polished pillar ofstrength.
4. Yct ho was unobtrusive and gentle in all
his ways-modest and unassuming loving
his fellow men, reverent toward every crea-
ture whom God had made. A man, more of
deeds than words, his sentiment was one of
the Latin Terrence II am a man and there
fore hold that nothing in human shape is
alien to me-" There was something grateful
in his personal presence, in the very tone of
his voice and look of his countenance that
always came to me, and doubtless TO many
others, more like the tenderness, the purity
and the refinement of u woman, and that
something shown about him everywhere
5. And still he was SO consderate and
thoughtful, SO brave and patiently enduring.
How much he suffered and made no sign!
How much he thought and did for others,
while he himself felt the heartache and knew
the pangs he surely must bearl
g. And the secret of it all was Ashford was
a Christian. He never made the mistake of
confOunding Christ with Adam, nor the fall
of man with the recovery by the cross. He
knew that God was above humanity, and had
no use for the vapid dreams of infidels. The
church was his spiritual home, the family
of bglieVers his brethren in Christ the sane