William Ashley, of Accomack County

• No evidence to support as son of William Ashley, of Shropshire & Elizabeth Mary Ashley
• apparently a brother of John Ashley, of Lancaster County

Traditional

From Ashley Familes: USA and Around the World

http://rebelcherokee.labdiva.com/ashley1.html

Two early Ashleys were John born 1625 and brother William, born in England. They share a story of love and rejection. They both loved the same woman, Lady Jane Cooper, daughter of Baronet John Cooper and wife Ann, daughter of Sir Anthony Ashley. It was decided between them, whichever she rejected, would migrate to the Colonies. William lost, and came to the Colonies. Scant early records seem to point to William settling in Accomack Co. VA.

>the Coopers daughter was Philippa (who married Sir Adam Brown and died in 1701). They did not have a child Jane.

About 1650, John and Jane Cooper Ashley also migrated to the Colonies. They had two known sons, Thomas born about 1650, and Isaac born about 1660. Thomas stayed in VA and Isaac moved to Maryland, as those are the states their records are found in. There are many Ashley descendents in the USA that trace their lines back to John Ashley and Lady Jane Cooper and brother William through their children.