The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1955-07-15
@ L | M P S E S
OF
TIL E P AS
By CAROLYN LLOYD

This is the story of courageous
father who undertook a journey,
the very thought of which would
make most men quail, so that his
children could get to know their
mothers North Carolina relatives.
Gordon Ashford, his son Brian 8,
and twin daughters, Marion and
Virginia, 5, are now on the return
trip to their home in Charleston,
Washington, after spending a
week with Mr.. and Mrs. John
Boyer in Belhaven. They came by
automobile, pulling small sleep
ing trailer and camping out at
night. Mr.. Ashford and Brian slept
in the trailer, while the girls bed
ded down in the car, except for a
few nights spent in motels. They
carried their own food and ate at
roadside parkways. Every mile of
the trip was a thrill to them and
every state held it's own particular
fascination. Mr.. Ashford who was
born and reared in Hawaii, had
previously seen only three of the
United Washington, Cali
fornia, and Oregon-.and every
thing, of course, was new and ex-
citing to the children. In spite of
the long trip, they were all in good
health, though tired, when they
reached Belhaven. 1t was evident
that father and children had mas
tered the art of cooperation that
alone could make such a journey
bearable.
Their story began a long time
ago and is of particular interest
to the people of this section who
knew the children's mother and
have known her family for many
years. The mother, the late Alice
Hackett Ashford, was the daugh-
ter of Scott Hackett, of Haslin and
the late Lucy Claire Jarvis
Hackett. Mrs. Hackett died when
Alice was seven years old and the
little girl came to Belhaven to
live with her aunt, Mrs. George
Cooper and Mr.. Cooper. She and
Virginia Cooper Boyer, whom the
family visited here, grew up as
sisters. They attended the Bella
ven schools, graduated from East
Carolina Teachers College, and
taught together in several North
Carolina schools. When World
War II broke out, Alice grew dis
satisfied with teaching, and in
1913 she became a woman Marine.
For the first time since childhood
the girls were separated, but not
for long. While stationed in San
Diego, Alice met Gordon Ashford,
a sailor assigned to shore duty
after having taken part in some
of the most hazardous operations
OF the Pacific theater. They were
married in 1914. In the meantime,
Virginia had married John Boyer
Jr. of Kannapolis, who was also
a Marine. He was sent to San
Diego, Virginia followed, and once
again the cousins were together.
When the war ended, Virginia
and John came home to settle
down, but the Ashfords stayed on
the West Coast. Mr.. Ashford, too,
was long way from home. The
grandson of judge assigned to
the Hawaiian Islands by the U. S.
government, he was born and
reared in Hawaii. His father died
when Gordon was seven, just as
Alice's mother had, and he was
brought up by his school teacher
mother. He first came to the
States to enter college at Wash
ington State University and he
was still there when war broke
out, so that was the only section
of the country he knew. The Ash
fords settled down in Washington,
and he returned to the University.
They had son, Brian, and when
the child was a year-and-a-half
old Alice brought him home by
plane for brief visit. Two years
later the twin daughters were
born and the family here looked
forward to having the entire Ash
ford family come back for visit.
Tragedy struck the family, how
ever, and Alice was never to come.
home again; for in 1852 she con-
tracted bulbar polyneuritis and
died in a Seattle hospital on May
IL.
Mr.. Ashford has been both
father and mother to the children
since. For their sakes he under
took the long trip across the con-
tinent. While here the children be-
came acquainted with their grand
father, their aunt and step grand
mother, isis" Hackett, their
mothers foster mother and father,
the Coopers, their little cousin,
Anne Boyer, their uncles, William
and John Scott Hackett, and
dozens of other relatives including
the Joe Simmons family Of Fair
field, and the Riddicks of Bella
/ Il