Norwich bulletin., 1921-04-13
NORWICH BULLETIN
WlLLlMANTie OFFICE Tslsphens 1o5 2s chuHrh Street

.. ...- =. .. :. 2. 1 : ' What Is. Gsing On EonisAA
 American Benefit Society. Wiliimantie Lodge, No. 120, meets at s:92 Main street
 Loyal Order of Moose meets at Moose Home on Pleasant street aas
 School board meets in sclectmen's of- Bee, town building. 4- :
 7siet Z ---=---------
 Thenias Ashton, 30, t lied on .Fuesaay morning at s.30 o'clock at his home, Gu. 70 Lebanon avenue, after an illness of several weeks. Mfr. Asht5n's illness was due in a measure to a fall he received on Main street a little over a year ago. He was one of Willimaatic's best known residents and had statewide acquaiRt- Ance a <
 Re was born in Pennington sauase, Hindley, Lancashire, Engiani,, August 8, 1s41, the son of John and Mary ApRle- lon Ashton. In February, is67, when six years of age, he came to this country with his parents and they located in Three Rivers, Mass, where he went to school and entered business. At the call for volunteers for the Civil WsF, MT. Ash- ton was among the first to respond and under twenty years of age went to Ros- ton and enlisted in the First Massachu- setts Cavalry, in July 1861. In August he was transferred to the United States Marine Corps. During the war he serv- ed in the Charleston and Philadelphia navy yards and later served on the U. s. St. Louis, taking part in the thirty eight months cruise of the South At iantic Squadron. He was honorably dis charged from the service November l, 1865.
 Mir. Ashton was a maehinist by trade fn onfi rfrr- seven years ago entered the employ of the old Willimantie Linen Company as machinist. In 1898 he left this firm and was appointed superintendent of the Will dmantic pumping station, by Mayor Qs- gar O. Tanner. Following the expiration 9f his two year appointment in 19ee he entered the employ of the American Thread Company, successors to the Vii inantic Linen Company. He was placed sp the retired list July 1, 1917.
 Having served in the army and ma. ;ine corps Mr. Ashton was interested h he activities of the militia and July 2s issf, he enlisted in Company F, Third Regiment. Connecticut National Guard md res;Egnd June 1, 1888, with the rank # se7snd lieutenant. He was 3 menpbel If Francis s. Long Post, No. 30, c, A D. and had held all offices in the post rom 19A?-4 he served as aide de camp rith rank of colonel, on the staff oi Alfred B. Beers, national commander si he Grand Army.
 He was elected member Of the board R relief of the town of Windham in 0e- 5ther 1914 and served for three years He was q charter member of San Josf Council No. IA, Knights of Columbus Ind had held ever office in the gift af the council. For forty-niHe years he was 2 member of the choir of St. Joseph's shureh. He was state patFiotic instruc or for this district, resolving the appoint neat in 1911 and has had charge of pro yrams in the schools of the toWH anG 'ther gatherings. For many years he hai charge of the Memorial Bay programs aeid at St. Joseph's cemetery. He wa great ealleetor of souvenirs and the der It his home contains an interesting dis play of mementoes of which he va sFeud.
 MT. Ashton is survived by his wife, AnF Hickey Ashton; seven sons. John T., Ed gard J., Louis H., Arthur ", of this city Eugene J. of Boston, and Francis J. Ash ion of Holyol1e. Mass a daughter. Mis-. lane Ashton of this city; two sisters Mrs. Nellie Keen and Mrs. Kate Me Siehell of Willinaantie. and eleven grand children.