WILLIAM
ASH
WILLIAM
ASH, farmer, Banksville, Banks Co., GA., son of Alexander F.
and Elizabeth(McCracken)Ash, was born in Franklin county, GA., in 1825. His paternal grandparents were William and
Jane(Fleming)Ash. He was a native
of Pennsylvania, whence he migrated to South Carolina, and afterward, in the
latter part of the last century, moved to Georgia. He was a farmer, served as a soldier in the patriot army during
the revolutionary war, and died in Banks county. Mr. Ash's father was born in South Carolina, and was two years old
when his parents moved to Georgia. After
reaching maturity he moved to Franklin county. He was a farmer all his life;
was a soldier in th last war with Great Britain, represented the county eight
years in the general assembly, and for a long time was a major in the state
militia, when it was a coveted local distinction. He was an active and prominent member of the
Presbyterian church. His mother was
a daughter of William and Elizabeth(McCord)McCracken. He was a native of North Carolina, a soldier in the revolutionary
war, and participated in the battle of King's Mountain, where he was seriously
wounded. After independence was won
he came to Georgia, and settled in Franklin county, on land secured under
a soldier's bounty warrant.
Mr. Ash was
reared on a farm, and received only the limited education afforded by the
country schools of the time. In 1861
he enlisted in the "Banks Guards", Capt. Paul J. Simms. After serving thirteen months he was exempted
on account of age, but he soon entered the service in the "Home Guard"
organization. He has given attention
exclusively to agriculture as his business pursuit, in which he has been very
successful. The people, however, have
called him into their service, and he has served them a long time as justice
of the peace, then as tax collector, and was finally elected county treasurer.
whose responsible offices he discharged with the same conscientious fidelity
he has those of the other offices he has held. He ranks among the most esteemed citizens of
the county.
Mr. Ash was
married, in 1846, to Miss Cynthia J.-born in Franklin county in 1827-daughter
of William and Jane(Mays)Turk, an old North Carolina Family. Of the children born to them, one, William
C., is living. Mrs. Ash, an exemplary
member of the Presbyterian church, died in 1852.
He contracted a second marriage in 1855, with Miss Eliza A.-born in
Anderson district in 1833-daughter of William and Tabitha(Brewer)Owen. He was a farmer, born in South Carolina, and
in 1848 moved to Georgia and setttled in Franklin county, where for a number
of years he served as a justice of the peace.
By this union he has had seven children: Mary E., wife of Robert Holbrook;
T.J., Cynthia J., Sarah A., Nancy E., Robert E., and John Edgar, deceased.
Mr. Ashe is a Master Mason, and himself and wife are devout members
of the Presbyterian church.
Source:Memoirs of Georgia Vol I., by the Southern Historical
Association, 1895
Copy and Copyright 2003 by Jacqueline King
