Thomas Ashton

THOMAS ASHTON was born October 30, 1826, in a rooming house a Fulton Street, New York City, three days after his parents had arrived from England after a six weeks' voyage by sailing ship. He was baptized in the Methodist Church on Fulton Street. He was the son of William Ashton and Sarah Aspinall (1808–1881) of Leeds, England. She was the daughter of Aquila Aspinall whose family had operated woolen mills in Leeds for many years. The Aspinalls were proud of the fact that one of them had married into the Naylor-Leland family and they considered William Ashton-an artisan-far beneath their daughter. So the young couple-faced with parental disapproval-decided to come to America. Leaving New York, William and Sarah proceeded to Ohio, where they lived at New Baltimore, near Cincinnati, where William died about 1829. Two years later, on October 28, 1832, Sarah married William Cuberly Hutchinson (1799-1892), a widower and a skilled cabinetmaker. They moved from Ohio across the river to Mason County, Kentucky.

Tom Ashton grew up in Mason County and-reluctantly-attended school there. He was a self-willed boy, hating school, and never learning to spell, the despair of his gentle mother and kind stepfather. In 1848, when twenty-two years of age, he went South, and (in his own words) was located at Vicksburg and New Orleans contracting for the planters. He had come to know the relatively affluent family of Thomas Small, who lived a few miles west of May's Lick in Mason County, on a farm adjoining that of Mrs. Small's family. She had been Sarah McDonald, the daughter of William McDonald who had built the first brick house in Mason County-still standing (1978). Tom Ashton asked one of the Small girls to marry him, and was refused. He then turned his attention to her younger sister, Lucinda Bassett Small, who was just sixteen years of age, proposed and was accepted. They were married at May’s Lick, Kentucky, on September 12, 1850. One of the wedding gifts from the bride’s family was a negro couple, Ennis and Maria Travis, with their little daughter, Sally Alice Travis, who had been born on the Small place in 1847.

Tom and Lucinda Ashton started housekeeping in May’s Lick, and on November 22, 1852, a daughter was born whom they named Louisa Morgan Ashton. In January 1853 Thomas Small died and his two sons-in-law proceeded to sell his property and distribute the proceeds to his surviving daughters. A brother, William Henry Small, who had been a friend of Henry Clay, had left home for Sacramento, California, in the gold rush of 1849 and had never been heard of again. It was presumed that he had died on the way. A sale of the Small property was held in 1854 and in 1855 the Thomas Ashton family--Tom and Lucinda, Tom’s half sister Elizabeth, his mother and step-father, the Hutchinsons, the little three-year-old daughter Louisa, and eight-year-old black Sally--seven persons in all--embarked by steamboat from Maysville, Mason County, on the Ohio River, and came to St. Joseph, Missouri. Tom Ashton wore a belt containing gold, and Lucinda had a large sum of money sewn into her clothing. They brought their horse and phaeton, as well as the best of their household goods.

Foremost among the household treasures, almost to the point of being a talisman, was the McDonald clock. The tradition was that the McDonald forebears had brought it from their home in Sutherlandshire, far north in Scotland, when they came to American--and that it was old then. Originally housed in a black oak case, bound by brass straps, in the new land it was given a case of the traditional ‘grandfather clock’ of colonial America. It had stood in that first brick house in Mason County of William McDonald; it was to stand in ‘Ashton Place’ for as long as any Ashton was there. After that it was bequeathed to its new owner, Thomas Ashton Logan, and it still ticks off the minutes and chimes the hours of its owners’ lives with accuracy.

In St. Joseph, Tom Ashton spent a few months looking over the land, and on January 31, 1856, he purchased from William Fahnestock Ridenbaugh 120 acres of land in Section 33 of Buchanan County, several miles south of the town of St. Joseph on the east side of the Sparta Road. He paid $1,000 cash and gave his note for $1,160 bearing 10% interest. This was paid off promptly, and on November 11, 1856, he received a deed to the property. There was on the land a two-room cabin built of walnut logs. Assisted by his step-father William Hutchison and John McDonald, a bachelor cousin of Lucinda’s, Tom Ashton moved to the cabin about a quarter of a mile to a point overlooking Sparta Road, and facing west. Around the cabin they constructed a two-story house with inspiring white pediment and columns. This was ‘Ashton Place,’ for some years called ‘the finest house in Buchanan County.’

Ashton Place prospered. Tom Ashton was known to have come from the South, his smokehouse was full; black Sally Travis was busy in the household. Buchanan County was on the border, the sentiment of its population favorable toward the status quo. Abraham Lincoln was regarded as a provocative candidate, and in November 1860 he received only 10% of the votes of Buchanan County--and the state of Missouri voted the same way. Missouri was the only state that gave its electoral votes to Stephen A. Douglas. After the election, however, when states of the Deep South began to secede, many Missourians who had come from Southern states felt they must join their friends, and young men from Buchanan County began to join the Confederate forces. The North was not willing to let Missouri go, so federal forces came in, and life in Buchanan County was precarious. Troops of federal cavalry occasionally rode into Ashton Place and took what they wanted from the smokehouse. Sally would hide in the attic on these occasions. One Northern politician in St. Joseph was heard to say, “Tom Ashton is a rebel, and he has the finest house in Buchanan County. Before this War is over, I’ll have that place.” But the tightrope was carefully walked, and it never happened.

The St. Joseph Herald of April 23, 1867, reported the formation of the ‘Southern Relief Association’ at an informal meeting in the room above the State Bank at Fourth and Felix Streets, headed by R. T. Davis, Robert W. Donnell, Armstrong Beattie, with Albe M. Saxton as treasurer. Interested friends were called upon to solicit gifts of money, food, clothing, and supplies. They were advised: ‘You have been selected as active and energetic people who possess whole Soul and generous hearts, who sympathize with suffering humanity and who will use every exertion to procure subsistence to supply the need: of the destitute. This sad case requires prompt action. Today, while we are surrounded with luxury, well clothed, and faring sumptuously little children of the ill-fated South are pleading to their famished mothers for bread. The accounts daily received from Georgia, Alabama and other parts of the South are not exaggerated. Alas, the half has not been told of the extensive suffering and destitution Arrangements were made for free transportation by river or railroad of supplies received, and cash payments were to be made to A. M. Saxton, treasurer. Among the solicitors appointed were Thomas Ashton in Washington Township, G. W. Samuel in Savannah, and among the ladies in St. Joseph, Mrs. T. B. Weakley, Miss Alice O'Neill, Miss Sarah Tootle, Mrs. Israel Landis, and Mrs. B. F. Landis.

Louisa Morgan Ashton, the oldest Ashton daughter, was sent to Dr. Charles Martin's 'Young Ladies Institute' at the northeast corner of Fifth and Antoine Streets when it opened in 1869. Three years later, on September 12, 1872, she was married to John Jay Sheridan in the parlor of Ashton Place, the ceremony being performed by Dr. Martin. The newspaper writer who described the wedding in the Gazette reported: “About three miles from St. Joseph, on the Sparta Road, is a beautiful residence. Passing through an ornamental gateway, the visitor enters a spacious park thickly studded with large walnut trees, and approaches a spacious and handsome mansion indicative of the abode of wealth and refinement. Here for eighteen years have lived Colonel Thomas Ashton and his estimable lady. Coming here from Mason County, Kentucky, they selected a site and built thereon a residence that would compare favorably with the best in that region, famous for princely mansions and princely hospitality; and today there are few finer country seats in the Missouri Valley than that of Colonel Ashton. Last night a number of carriages wended their way out of the city and over the hills and into the beautiful grounds of Colonel Ashton. There were married John J. Sheridan and Miss Lutie M. Ashton.”

The Sheridans left Missouri in a few months for California where Mr. Sheridan bought a half interest in a weekly newspaper at Ventura, The Ventura Signal. There their first child, Caroline Ashton Sheridan, was born on August 4, 1875. But Louisa was homesick for the comforts of her Missouri home, and in 1880 the family returned to St. Joseph.

All through the 'seventies, eighties, and nineties Ashton Place was busy center. The land had increased to three hundred acres, the orchard had a thousand apple trees. There were five more children, william, Effie McDonald born 1857, Harry Leftwich born 1868, Annie K., and Charles T. born 1875. The kitchen was presided over by Sally, who helped bring up the Ashton children, and then became an important and revered figure for the three Sheridan children. Tom Ashton spent more and more of his time in town' at his office on the north side of Francis Street, between Fourth and Fifth. There he was active in his real estate, mortgage, and loan business. He is reported to have said, "I always charge 10% interest-it's so easy to figure.

All six of the Ashton children married, but only two, Louisa and William, had children. In St. Joseph, William's grandson is Guy Chestnut, Jr. Louisa's grandchildren are the Logan and Roundy families. Tom Ashton attempted to help his sons-in-law. In 1885 he loaned $10,000 (at 1096 interest) to enable John J. Sheridan to start the Beaumont-Sheridan Paper & Printing Company, out of which eventually grew the Sheridan-Clayton Paper Company. After Annie married Arthur H. Penfield in 1875 he advanced funds totaling $22,255 to help Penfield's Bank of Commerce' in South St. Joseph. This effort ended in failure.

On September 12, 1900, exactly fifty years after their marriage at May's Lick, Kentucky, Thomas and Lucinda Ashton gave a golden wedding reception for their friends at Ashton Place. The date was also the twenty-eighth anniversary of the wedding of their daughter Louisa to John J. Sheridan and they participated in the party. The St. Joseph Daily News reported:

"One of the most elaborate events of the season was the reception given Wednesday evening. . . . The drawing room, living room, and library were all decorated with golden rod and asparagus ferns. In the dining room, yellow roses and ferns were used. In the center of the table was a bowl of roses and on the buffet vases of roses. Gold candle sticks and yellow candles were used. Miss Lucinda Sheridan and Miss Amelia Fuelling served frappe in the library. Music was furnished by an orchestra. Col. and Mrs. Ashton received the guests, assisted by their daughters, Mrs. J. J. Sheridan, Mrs. W. Hamilton Smith, and Mrs. Arthur Penfield.”

The Ashtons sent out invitations to all their old friend sive list. Among the guests were:

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Tootle

Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Wheeler

Mr. and Mrs. George T. Hoagland

Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Ford

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Krug

Mr. and Mrs. John Donovan, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Kemper

Mr. and Mrs. Samuel D. Cowan

Dr. and Mrs. Silas McDonald

Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Morton

Rev. and Mrs. C. I. Van Deventer

Judge and Mrs. H. H. Ramey

Mr. and Mrs. Louis Fuelling

Mr. and Mrs. Lucien Carter

Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Horton

Mr. and Mrs. John A. Bassett

Mr. and Mrs. J. I. Roberts

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Penick

Mr. and Mrs. Squire Connett

Mr. and Mrs. Sol Connett

Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Hyde

Mr. and Mrs. John Gooding

Mr. and Mrs. John Kirschner

Mr. and Mrs. Harry L. Ashton

Mr. and Mrs. James McCord

Mr. and Mrs. John D. Richardson

Mr. and Mrs. B. R. Vineyard

Mr. and Mrs. John Townsend

Mr. and Mrs. George C. Hax

Mr. and Mrs. John Doniphan

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kemper

Mr. and Mrs. A. P. Clayton

Mr. and Mrs. Ernest C. Hartwig

Rev. and Mrs. W. F. Packard

Rev. and Mrs. W. F. McMurry

Mrs. James N. Burnes

Mrs. Charles B. France

Mrs. Bertha Hax Foreman

Mrs. Eliza Kay

Mrs. Abram Nave

Mrs. J. M. Richmond

Miss Agatha Pfeiffer

Miss Sophia Fuelling

Miss Mayme Kay

Miss Amelia Fuelling

Mr. Theodore Hoagland

Mr. Cavin Wyatt

Mr. T. D. Frazer

Mr. Howard Sheridan

Mr. R. E. Turner

Mr. W. C. Connett

Mr. and Mrs. Fred Garlichs

Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Battreall

Mr. and Mrs. O. B. Craig

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Townsend

Mr. and Mrs. Minetry Jones.

Mr. and Mrs Lee Utz

Mr. and Mrs. Carroll Connett

Mr. and Mrs. John S. Logan, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hyde

Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Redfern

Mr. and Mrs. George Kirschner

Mr. and Mrs. Charles T. Ashton

Mrs. Calvin F. Burnes

Mrs. Nannie E. Zook

Mrs. P. S. Connett

Miss Lucinda Sheridan

Miss Minna Fuelling

Miss Cora Connett

Mr. N. P. Ogden

Mr. Horace Connett

Mr. J. M. Frazer

Mr. Louis S. Logan

Mr. Joshua Graham

Mr. Milton T. Logan

As the 1900s advanced, Ashton Place acquired great-grandchildren and Tom and Lucinda delighted in the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's family dinners which they often gave. The hospital and the guest list were extensive, with some dinner parties a out to cousins and growing to forty guests. After the hearty meal, of the ladies was apt to sit down at the piano and the entire p ከe would go into a 'Virginia reel. arty In the spring of 1906 Colonel Ashton underwent a surgical opera tion, and on June 27 a second one. After considerable suffering died on July 5, at the age of eighty, and was buried at Mt. Mora Cemetery. His widow, Lucinda, lived on at Ashton Place with son Charles T. Ashton and his wife; the household was still in charge of Sally. In September 1916 Charles died of an accident at the age of forty-one. Two months later Harry L. Ashton died at the age of fifty-three. Lucinda did not long survive these blows, and she died April 19, 1917, aged eighty-three.

Ashton Place was sold, and in 1940 was taken down in order that the walnut logs in it might be sold for gun stocks, which were used in World War II. Sally lived until 1930 with the Roundy family. She had known five generations of “her family”: her “Old Missus,” Sally McDonald Small; her “Missus”, Lucinda Small Ashton; her child. hood playmate Louisa Ashton. Sheridan; Louisa's children Caroline Lucinda, and Howard; Carrie Logan's, Louie Roundy's, and Howard Sheridan's children. She had outlived all the Ashtons and she was buried in their family lot at Mt. Mora.