Col. Peter Ashton - Looks like the Colonel was childless

This Old school Elkins researcher places Miss Ashton (who married Ralph Elkins) as daughter of James Ashton (I think brother of Col Peter).

https://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=sljuhl1234&am...

See also

https://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=sljuhl1234&am...

“["JAMES ASHTON was J.P. for Stafford county, Va., in 1680 and in 1690 - as appears from the Northern Neck Land Grant Books -- owned a tract of land which he inherited as the heir of his brother, JOHN ASHTON, to whom it was bequeathed by Col. PETER ASHTON, who hat patented it in 1658." "Col. PETER ASHTON was a member of the House of Burgesses for Charles City county in 1656, and for Northumberland 1659 and 1660; sheriff of the last-named county, 1658, and member of the "Committee of the Association of Northumberland, Westmoreland and Stafford" in November, 1667, then having the title "Colonel." "The will of JOHN ASHTON, of Stafford county, was dated September 6, 1682, and proved in old Rappahannock county January 26, 1682. Gave wife ELIZABETH his whole estate "if she will come over and live heare"; if not L 20 sterling per annum or L 150 down, as she might choose. To THOMAS BUNBERY and wife L 20. To Capt. JOHN ASHTON, 20 shillings. Appointed his brother, JAMES ASHTON, sole exec., and bequeathed to him his whole estate (subject to provisions made) and if he die without heirs, then to his cousin, JOHN ASHTON, of Russell St. "at the Adam and Eve," London." "The Capt. JNO ASHTON, named in JAS ASHTON'S will, was son of CHARLES ASTON, who was J.P. of Northumberland at the time Col. PETER ASHTON was sheriff, and was ancestor of Va., family of the name....]
"Note: I offer this not only because it pertains to RICHARD ELKINS but as yet another example of how things become confused. 1. If this is the JAMES ASHTON of a will that was proved in 1686 in Stafford Co. VA and in 1887 in Canterbury, Eng. how pray tell me was he J.P. in 1690-four years after he died? 2. Probably - is a word we use too often. The generous folks who put out the Virginia Historical Magazine are and have been wonderful. But - remember they are not/were not working on each family. We must remember that it's easy to make deductions, but harder to prove." [Transcribed 12 July 2009, SLElkins/Juhl RNBSC, Compiler & Family Genealogist]

This is probably the best bet, yes? With the Elkins “god children” named, I’m convinced we’re in the right ASHTON family.

This is the James Ashton Page at Mike Marshall’s site

https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I0239...

I agree that it looks like the right Ashton family, but the tricky part is figuring out the right parents. My personal suspicion is that Mary Elkins was the niece or cousin of Colonel Peter.

The James Ashton who was the brother of Colonel Peter is the same James Ashton who was the godfather of Richard Elkins. I'm inclined to think that he was not the father of the Miss Ashton who married Ralph Elkins, since his bequest to Richard Elkins was made as the boy's godfather not his grandfather, and he doesn't mention his daughter (who was apparently still alive) or any of the other grandchildren.

Apparently there was a second James Ashton who was a J.P. in Virginia in 1690, four years after Colonel Peter's brother James had died. It's not clear who he is. Apparently not the son of brothers Peter, John, and James since none of them mentioned a son in their will, and probably not their brother either since it would be weird to have two brothers named James. I'm wondering if there was a fourth brother who had children but died before any of the other brothers.

There are a couple of mentions of a Charles Ashton at https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I0239... including "The Capt. Jno. Ashton. named in Jas. Ashton's will, was son of Charles Ashton, who was J. P. of Northumberland at the time Col. Peter Ashton was sheriff', and was ancestor of the Virginia family of the name."

This Charles seems like a good candidate to be the father of Mary as well as "Capt Jno". The part about being the ancestor of the Virginia family is unclear - does it mean that Charles was the father of Colonel Peter, John, and James, or does it mean that he was the father of the Ashtons who moved to Virginia and had descendants here? I haven't seen any other names that look like they might be a brother.

Dumb question maybe, but is "Jno" an abbreviation for John? It doesn't make any sense, but there is a Capt. John Ashton mentioned in the will of Brother John (not James) who gets a rather paltry inheritance of 20 shillings. The will of Brother James mentions a Cosen John Ashton, Haberdasher. I've read that "cosen" means nephew or niece, not cousin, so it sounds like the haberdasher is the son of an unidentified brother. I don't know if the Haberdasher and the Captain are the same John Ashton since those seem like very different occupations.

It will be speculation if we put Charles as the father or "unknown brother of the Ashton trio" but it seems as reasonable as any other option. I do think that this is the right family, and that the previous male line will be correct except for maybe one or two generations. The mother will be unknown and there's no cure for that, but at least it won't be flat-out wrong like it is right now.

Jno = John (sometimes Jonathan)

Godfather = grandfather , but understanding kinship terms is tricky. Cousins were often what we call nephews now. Son in law literally meant “son at law,” i.e., step son.

Add a N.N. wife to James as prep.

I’d go with the Elkins researcher configuration, then we can always “blame” her. :). And it gives a reference.

Charles Ashton was involved in a scandal

https://books.google.com/books?id=0WmgfvygR78C&pg=PA555&lpg...

1662-1666 Deed & Will Book Northumberland Co Va; Antient Press: Pg 162
The Deposition of ROBT: SECH aged 34 yeares or thereabouts sworne & examined sayeth yt: beinge at Mr. CHAS: ASHTONs House last summer, ( ) was JOANE HENLY there at yt: time & yor: Depont. did hear ye sd: JOANE HENLY say yt: she did at a time come to Mrs. LYNDSAYs House & ye Doores & Windowes were shut & she did peepe in & she saw Mrs. LYNDSAYs Bed was shakinge, she stayed wth:out a little while & could forebear noe longer & she went in & saw Mr. ASHTON cominge ( ) of Mrs. LYNDSAYs Bed wth: his Breeches either in his hand or about his heeles; yor: Depont. knaves not wch: further yor: Depont. did hear ye sd: JOANE then say yt: she had heard Mrs. LYNDSAY say that she had tryed all ye wages she could to get such a Child as Mr. ASHTONs Daughter, BETTY, and farther sayeth not
Juratur Curia ROBT; SECH
16 7br: 1665. Recordatur

===
1662-1666 Deed & Will Book Northumberland Co Va; Antient Press: Pg 162
The Deposition of JOANE HITCHOCK aged 40 yeares or thereabouts sworne & exd; sayeth yt: Mr. LYNDSAY beinge in a passion bid yor: Depont, ( ) Mr. CHARLES ASHTON (yt: if all be true yt: he hath heard) is w( ) murtherous & an Adulterous Rogue & he would prove it, & yt: he went about to murther him & his family; & further sayeth not
Juratur Curia Sign JOANE HITCHOCK
16 7br: 1665. Recordatur

https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I0239...

Capt. Charles Ashton

I’ll show you a solution I’m liking better from Tom Hamm, who does excellent work in this area; Miss Ashton as “sister.”

https://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=REG&a...

Mr. ASHTON was born ABT 1600.

Children of Mr. ASHTON are:
2 i. Peter ASHTON was born ABT 1620 in Chatterton, Lancashire, England, and died BEF 1671 in Chatterton, Hanover Parish, King George Co., VA.
3 ii. James ASHTON was born ABT 1622 in Kirby-Underwood, Lincolnshire, England, and died aft 18 Aug 1686/87 in Stafford Co., VA.
+ 4 iii. John ASHTON was born ABT 1623 in Lowell, Lincolnshire, England, and died bef 26 Jan 1682/83 in Stafford Co., VA.
+ 5 iv. Charles ASHTON was born 1625 in Chatterton, Lancashire, England, and died 1672 in Northumberland Co., VA.
+ 6 v. Frances Mary ASHTON was born ABT 1640 in Chatterton, Lancashire, England, and died BEF 1690 in King George Co., VA

——

Similar to Mike Marshall

https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I0512...

Although Marshall places her as a daughter of Peter

https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I0239...

(But I agree that seems unlikely)

—-

Charles as father is looking dicey. He was too well known & so were his children.

—-

Do we agree?

Col. Peter Ashton emigrated to Virginia about the middle of the Seventeenth Century and was a Burgess for Charles City in 1656, and for Northumberland 1659 and 1660. In addition to other lands he owned an estate on the Potomac in the present King George County, which he named "Chatterton." By will dated 1669 and proved 1671 he left his estate to his brothers James Ashton of Kirby-Underwood, and John. Ashton of Louth, both in Lincolnshire, England. Both of these came to Virginia, where they died in Stafford County without issue, John in 1682, and James in 1686. A pedigree of the Lincolnshire Ashtons who descended from the Ashtons of Chaderton or Chatterton Lancashire (hence the name of Peter Ashton's Va. estate) shows that the testator above was of Long Sutton and Grantham, that he married Elizabeth daughter of Sir Thos. Ellis of Grantham and had four sons Thomas, James, John and Samuel. No Peter Ashton appears among his children, though the name was common in the family. The testator had a brother Walter Ashton, Vicar of Sutterton, Lincolnshire, who had a son Peter, living in 1629. This last named may have been the Virginian.]

Take a look at this doc I just attached to Grace Kay

https://media.geni.com/p13/d4/61/ab/67/5344484cfa9e4c0d/c50a3f76-a6...

https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I0170...

I’m wondering how valid Judge Philander B Muse & Belle Muse Are.

I also think 2 Peter Ashton’s have been Smerged.

1) Walter’s brother, died in England, with children
2) James & John’s brother, Col Peter, the Virginia emigrant

If the speculating in https://www.geni.com/discussions/198725?msg=1310794 is correct, the father of the 3 brothers to Virginia (and possible sister) was Rev. Walter Ashton, Vicar of Sutterton

Who conveniently already shows children James Ashton, J.P. & John Ashton, of Stafford County

Now we’re cooking.

James would work if godfather = grandfather. But he doesn't smell right. His will mentions three godchildren, all with different last names. So if we go with that definition, he must have had at least two other daughters, but didn't mention any of his daughters in his will and was very selective about which grandchildren he left property to. He left his plantation to his "cosen" who still lived in England, not to his direct descendants.

The sister connection looks like our best option. Mary Elkins is quite a lot younger than the others (born 1640, versus the 1620s for the others on that link), but maybe "Mr Ashton" had a second, younger wife. Geni currently shows the Colonel's birthdate as 1605 which doesn't work well at all, but I haven't seen anything that would preclude the brothers from being born in the 1620s.

Tom Hamm made Mary Elkins a sister of Colonel Peter based on the letter at https://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&a... It looks like this is the correct James Ashton who was the brother of Colonel Peter; James's will at https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I0239... shows that William Fitzhugh was one of his executors, and the date of the letter fits if it was 1/18/1687 not 1688. Mary Elkins was living in Virginia so would be a reasonable person to provide a receipt, and there are no other known sisters living in Virginia.

The letter talks about a Mrs. Meese who is probably related to Grace Meese/Muse. It looks like Grace Meese (or Muse) was married to John Ashton the son of Charles, not to Colonel Peter as currently shown on Geni. https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/ashton/1742/
https://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&a...

It looks like Geni might currently be showing the Colonel's brother James as his son: James Ashton I'm not sure where the other children attributed to him came from, they don't look like generationally-displaced duplicates of himself and his siblings.. I haven't seen Brother John on Geni.

https://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=REG&a... puts Charles as a brother of the others. He died before James and John which would be a good reason for them to not mention him in their wills.

It looks like Colonel Peter died before Charles did. He doesn't mention Charles in his will, but may have disowned him for being a scandalous character.

James, John & Peter were brothers, in each other’s wills. Only John had children: son John, m Grace Meese / Meece / Muse, his widow in 1677.

Elkins children (and others) in the wills as “godchildren” (ambiguous kinship term). To me the only candidate is Miss Ashton “must” be related, and since she’s not a known / named daughter of any of them, that leaves sister. Is her birth date firmly known? Anyway if Col Peter was b c 1628, a b 1645 woman only works in the same generation.

I’m getting happy with this. If no objections I’ll start to conform the tree, it’s going to take some tech work, as we have a smerged Peter.

Looking at the letter more closely, I'm not really sure whose sister they were talking about. The complete letter is available here, starting on page 261: https://www.jstor.org/stable/4241816?seq=4#metadata_info_tab_contents I'm having a hard time making head or tail out of it. But it looks like Ashton owed money to Mrs. Meese, which Mr. Storke was supposed to pay on Aston's behalf in 1682/83. Presumably Ashton would now owe the money to Storke instead of Meese. Then it gets confusing.

"L20 part thereof was formerly paid by Meese for which Mr. Ashton was to have a receipt from his sister which receipt could not be found."

I don't understand how Mary Elkins would come into the transaction, unless the money had been paid to her. The letter doesn't say how the debt arose in the first place. There's no honorific on Meese; could this be a Mr. Meese who was owed some money, and Mr. Meese's sister was supposed to deliver the receipt to Ashton after Mr Storke paid the debt on Ashton's behalf? Maybe it was Mr Storke's sister who was supposed to deliver the receipt to Ashton?

In any case, the failure to find the receipt led Fitzhugh to conclude that the money was still due to Mrs. Meese.

I don't but Capt. John Ashton (the husband of Grace Muse/Meese) as the son of John Ashton the brother of Colonel Peter. From https://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=sljuhl1234&am...

https://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=sljuhl1234&am...
" "The will of JOHN ASHTON, of Stafford county, was dated September 6, 1682, and proved in old Rappahannock county January 26, 1682. Gave wife ELIZABETH his whole estate "if she will come over and live heare"; if not L 20 sterling per annum or L 150 down, as she might choose. To THOMAS BUNBERY and wife L 20. To Capt. JOHN ASHTON, 20 shillings. Appointed his brother, JAMES ASHTON, sole exec., and bequeathed to him his whole estate (subject to provisions made) and if he die without heirs, then to his cousin, JOHN ASHTON, of Russell St. "at the Adam and Eve," London."

They think Capt. John Ashton was the son Charles, not the son of Brother John. Brother John's will gives his wife the choice of his whole estate (I assume this means land) or money, and his brother James gets the whole estate if the wife doesn't take it. Thomas Bunbery gets 20 Pounds, and Capt. John Ashton only gets 20 shillings. That's a very paltry inheritance to leave a son.

I don't BUY Capt John as the son of Brother John.

I follow. You’re way ahead of me:). Can you add the known missing people & a note in profile on who didn’t have children?

BTW I'm still willing to accept Mary Elkins as the sister of the others. The letter is clear as mud, but we don't have a better alternative. Charles had only one known daughter, named Margaret, and there's solid documentation that she was married to Thomas Hall in 1672: https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I0717...

I'll try writing a draft for the profile notes and post it here for your approval.

Here's a link saying that the connection between Charles Ashton and the others isn't known: https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/ashton/301/

Here's where the idea came from that Peter's father was named Walter: https://books.google.com/books?id=2ss6AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA327&lpg... It's on page 330, printed sideways to make it more fun. Probably not the same Peter Ashton.

This link adds a brother Walter to the family: https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I0512... But when you look at the records for him, there's nothing connecting him to the others but the last name and his presence in Virginia. I think we should leave him out of it.

In reply to: Peter, James, & John Ashton of VA
William Deyo 7/03/99
It has been the opinion of several researchers that Peter, James & John Ashton of VA, none of whom left any descendants, were from the branch of the family located at Lowth, Lincolnshire, in the 16th-17th Century. The names were typical of this branch of the Ashton (Assheton) Family, which descended from Edmund Assheton, who married Joanna Radclyffe of Chadderton, Lancs. No records have yet been found to confirm this. Some researchers have confused Captain John Ashton of Westmoreland County, VA, with the third brother, above; but Virginia records show clearly that this was not the same individual (see the article by Norman Fitzhugh in The William and Mary Quarterly, Second Series, Volume XIV, No. 2, pp. 151-164).

Another contemporary of Peter and Captain John Ashton in Virginia was Charles Ashton of Northumberland County. Since Captain John named his elder son Charles, some relationship was suggested between the latter two Ashtons (perhaps they were brothers and perhaps they were related to Peter, James and John; since they all lived in close proximity in Westmoreland and Stafford counties, in Virginia); but no connection has yet been found.

“Sorry that I can't answer your question specifically. My mother was an Ashton, a descendant of Captain John; and so I have done some research. If you find any thing, I would appreciate your passing it along.”

——

So who is the Capt John Ashton who had a family? Is that the d 1677 husband of Grace Meese ?

More places to look

Ashton Family,” William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine VII (July 1898), No. 1:115, FHL Film 1256.

ohn Bailey Calvert Nicklin, St. Paul’s Parish Register (Stafford – King George Counties), 1715-1798 (Baltimore, Maryland:Genealogical Book Company, 1962), i, FHL Book 975.52 K28n.

(nb: I’ve been reading Nicklin articles. He was writing in the 1920s, so check Dorman “Adventurers of Purse & Person” if possible for updated info.)

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8553235 bio for son Col Henry Ashton d 1731

(Answer - yes, Capt John was son of scandalous Charles)

https://books.google.com/books?id=-omPLYeCtsQC&lpg=PA936&ot...

This is a bit more complete & detailed on the Charles Ashton family without mentioning his bad behavior:

https://books.google.com/books?id=K-8xAQAAMAAJ&lpg=PA115&ot...

No Elkins connections I Can See. I think
It’s safe to say Miss Ashton is not over here.

More CHARLES Ashton confusion

https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/ashton/604/

If you have not already done so, you should review the article about the Ashton Family written by Norman Fitzhugh and published in the William and Mary College Quarterly, Second Series, Volume XIV, No.2, April 1934, pp.151-164. This is still the best account of the family that I have found.

In his article, Mr. Fitzhugh attempted to clear up some of the misconceptions concerning the Ashton Family of Westmoreland/King George/Stafford. One of these was that Capt. John Ashton of Westmoreland was a son of Charles Ashton of Northumberland County. Mr. Fitzhugh quoted records that showed that this could not have been the case since they were contemporaries, born about the same time. Your statement that Charles Ashton was a brother of Col. Peter Ashton is not supported by the records. The records showed that Peter Ashton had brothers named James and John (another John).

Recent discovery of an indenture in one of the retrieved deed books of Stafford County (stolen during the Civil War) showed that Charles Ashton was the father of Jane Ashton Lamkin Partridge and Sarah Ashton English. This identified the Jane and Sarah Ashton, who were mentioned in the will of their grandfather, William Smith of Westmoreland County, in 1707. I believe that the Charles Ashton who married a daughter of William Smith was the eldest son of Capt.John Ashton of Westmoreland County and that she was his second wife. This Charles Ashton was married four times: Frances Burdett, ______ Smith, Ann Wickliffe Washington and Margaret Field Cossum Hart.

It is known that Charles Asthon of Northumberland County had a son John and, perhaps, another son Charles. It must have been this, Charles, who left a wife named Ann. This would explain the record which you quoted concerning Ann Ashton testifying that her husband died intestate. As far as known, these Ashtons had no interest in land in Westmoreland, King George or Stafford County; and, therefore, it is unlikely that this Charles was the father of Jane and Sarah. He may have been the Charles Ashton who married the widow of Henry Harding of Northumberland County.

Fitzhugh, Norman S. “Captain John Ashton of Westmoreland County, Virginia, and Some of His Descendants.” The William and Mary Quarterly, vol. 14, no. 2, 1934, pp. 151–155. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1915677.

Here's the draft note I wrote. The general idea is to post the top part on each of the Ashton siblings followed by the part that's specific to each one of them; but it's also possible to post the whole thing on all of them. I'll let you look it over while I go read your most recent posts to find out how much of it just became obsolete.
*******************
The immigrant generation of the Ashtons of Chatterton plantation in Virginia was a group of siblings who did not all come at the same time. Peter, John and James Ashton were definitely brothers. But none of them had any known children, so they aren’t anyone’s ancestor. It is likely that Charles Ashton and Mary Ashton Elkins were also their siblings, or were closely related in some other way. Charles and Mary do have descendants. Some sources list Walter Ashton as a sibling, but this is unlikely; there are no documents connecting him to the others, and the last name and presence in Virginia seems to be the only thing they have in common.

Peter died in or before 1671; Charles before April 17, 1672, John in 1682, James in 1686, and Mary before May 26, 1690

The text of Peter Ashton’s will does not appear to be available online, but all sources indicate that his only heirs were his brothers John and James, who apparently were both still in England at the time. It is not clear whether Peter or Charles was the first to die; but Charles was involved in some scandalous situations, and Peter may have chosen not to leave him any property.

https://books.google.com/books?id=6tQRAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA436&lpg...

“A Peter Ashton came to Virginia and named his estate on the Potomac, Chatterton. By his will, dated 1669, he bequeathed his property to his brother, James Ashton, of Kirby-Underwood, and John Ashton, of Louth, both in Lincolnshire. Each of those brothers came to Virginia and died here.” The will was probated in 1671.

Some sources quote a will that was proved in 1654 as evidence that Colonel Peter Ashton had several children. But it was well documented that he lived in Virginia for about 15 years after that date, so this can’t be his will.

Charles Ashton

https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I0239... has numerous documents on Charles Ashton, including testimony from a 1665 court case that a woman trying to visit a Mrs. Lyndsay saw the woman’s bed shaking through the window, and shortly afterward saw Charles leaving the bed without his pants. Mrs. Lyndsay is quoted as saying that she wanted a child like Mr. Ashton’s daughter Betty. There is some rather confusing testimony that seems to say that Mr. Lyndsay said Charles Ashton was “murtherous & an Adulterous Rogue & he would prove it”. Someone “went about to murther him & his family” but it’s not clear if Lyndsay wanted to murder Ashton or if it was the other way around. That must have been quite a public scandal, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the rest of the family didn’t want to acknowledge Charles.

Charles apparently died without a will, because on April 17, 1672 his son asked the court to divide the property. https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I0239...

“Whereas JOHN ASHTON, ye Heyre of CHARLES ASHTON, peticoned this cort: yt: ye Estate of his deced. Father might be divided, yt: he might have his porcon ascertayned; It is ordered yt: ye Jury empannell twelve honest men of ye Neighbourhood & yt: they, wth: Mr. JNO: HANIE, divide ye Land of ye sd. ASHTON into thre equall partes, & possesse DOMINICK RICE, who maryed ye Relicte of ye sd. ASHTON, (in right of his said Wife) with which third parte he shall make choyce of & ye sd. JOHN wth; ye other two partes; And alsoe ordered yt: ROBT: SECH, Mr. MATH: RHODON, WM: KEYNE & THO: ADAMS (being first sworne by ye next Justice of ye Peace) apprayse ye Estate of ye sd. CHARLES ASHTON & deliv: unto ye sd, JOHN ASHTON his porcinable parte of ye sd, Estate in kind, he giveing caucon to be accomptable for ye paymt: of his parte of what debts shall appears due from ye sd. Estate”

His daughter Margaret has been documented. https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I0717...
“Northumberland County Court 21st of August 1672
Whereas THO: HALL, who maryed MARGARET, ye Daughter of CHARLES ASHTON. deced petitioned this Cort: for an Order for his sd. Wife's porcon; It is ordered yt: DOMINICK RICE, who mayred ISABELL, ye Relict of ye sd. CHARLES, forthwth pay unto ye sd. THO: HALL, in right of his Wife, her proporconable parte of ye sd. ASHTONs Estate”

John and Margaret were apparently adults in 1672. A son Thomas was a still a minor in 1675. https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I0744...
“Northumberland County Court 29th of May 1675
- WM, KEYNE Guardian to THO: ASHTON
THOMAS ASHTON, Orphant of Mr. CHARLES ASHTON, deced., doth in Court make choyce of Mr. WILLIAM KEYNE to be his Guardian”

As mentioned earlier, the testimony in the 1665 sex scandal indicated that Charles had a daughter named Betty. There is no clear evidence for other children, but others may exist.

John Ashton had a wife named Elizabeth but no known children. Some sources believe that the Capt. John Aston mentioned in his will is a son, but this seems unlikely. He does not state that the Captain is his son, and the bequest of 20 shillings is very small. If he was a son, they must have been estranged. Some sources believe that Captain John is the son of Charles Ashton, and there are documents proving that Charles did have a son named John.

John’s will gives his wife the option of inheriting his land if she comes to Virginia and lives there, with the estate to go to his brother James if she declines. She must have refused because James did inherit the property. If James dies without issue then John’s estate passes to a “Couzen” John Ashton living in London.

https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I0239...
“Wills of Rappahannock County, Virginia, 1658-1692
Wills in the Record Book entitled
Deeds, &c., No. 6, 1682.1686.
ASHTON, JOHN, of Stafford County,
Dated 1675, Sworn to 6th die Aug 1682, Probated 26 January, 1682/3
To loving wife Elizabeth if she will come and live here all my whole estate both personall and real during her life but if she will not then I doe bind over my Estate to pay her twenty pounds Ster. p. year or one hundred and fifty Ster. which she would rather have. To Thomas Bunbery and his wife five pounds Ster. To Capt. John Aston twenty shillings. I doe make my Brother James Ashton my whole Executor and the heires of his body forever but in Case he have none then after his decease to my Couzen John Ashton of Russell Street at the Adam and Eve in London and to his heires forever.
Wit. DOMINICK RICE, ROBERT MASSESE. Page 1.”

James Ashton’s will was proved in both Virginia and in England.

https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I0239...
“JAMES ASHTON, of Stafford county, Virginia, gentleman.
Will dated 18 August, 1686; proved 8 September, 1686, in County Court; proved 14 July, 1687, in Prerogative Court of Canterbury. Cosen John Ashton, Haberdasher in Rustall Street, Covent Garden, London, that seat or tract of land, undisposed, which formerly belonged to my brother, John Ashton.
Cosen John Foster, of Wozbridge, Cambridgeshire, gentleman,
that Plantation called Chattertun on the River side, and that tract of land belonging to my 550 acres. Godchildren Sarah Mattershed, Rich: Elkin, Eliz: Sabastian and John Rosier's daughter, each a heifer with a calf by her side. Rose Fitzhugh, daughter of Col. William Fitzhugh, two heifers and two calves. William King and his wife two heifers and two calves. William King to be employed on the plantation where I live. John Harvey two heifers and two calves. Samuel Haywood, ditto.
Ric: Elkin 100 acres of land adjoining upon John Grigsby of the 1/4
Divdt. William Fitzhugh, Samuel Hayward, and John Harvey, executors in trust. Freight taken for me by Mr. Thomas Storke of London, merchant. Sarah Fenner, now servant, a heifer when free. John Ashton and John Foster, executors. To Dr. William Bankes 20S. to buy him a ring. Others. Foot, 90.”

His godson Richard Elkin(s) is the eldest son of Mary Ashton Elkins. “Godfather” was sometimes used to mean “grandfather”, but that doesn’t appear to be the case here. There were three godchildren, all with different last names. Mary Elkins is not known to have had any other husbands, so James would need to have at least one other daughter to have that many grandchildren. But he doesn’t mention any daughters in his will. He leaves the land that he inherited from his brother John to his Cosen John Ashton in London, as specified in John’s will; and most of his remaining estate goes to his Cosen John Foster in Cambridgeshire.

Mary Ashton Elkins is rather difficult to pin down. She obviously has a close connection to the brothers, since James Ashton was her son’s godfather and left him some real estate. https://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=REG&a... makes her a sister, based on a letter written by the executor of James Ashton’s estate, which mentions a sister and is quoted in part at https://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&a...

“18 Jan 1687/88: Letter from William Fitzhugh to Nicholas Spenser dated January 18, 1687/8 which mentions the sister of Major James Ashton of Stafford Co., VA. "Honoured Sir, Yesterday I receiv'd your letter about Mr. Storke & Mrs. Meese's Claims from Majr. Ashton's Estate, which Claims We that are Executors have long expected, especially Mr. Storkes, for Mr. Ashton in his life time, acquainted me that he was largely indebted to Mr. Storke, but did not mention Mrs. Meese Since the receipt of your letter. I also have overlook'd all the letters & Accots. between him & Mr. Storke, & the last letter & Accot. betwixt him & Mrs. Meese, by which said last mention'd letters & Accots. I find him indebted to Mrs. Meese for Ballance £22.17 . . 7 which said debt Mr. Storke by his letter promises payment of, if Mr. Ashton desire, by letter dated 15 Decr. 1682 in answer to which Mr. Ashton does desire payment by him to be made, by letter dated May 17th. following £20 part thereof was formerly paid by Meese, for which Mr. Ashton was to have a receipt from his Sister, which receipt could not be found, as Mr. Storke's 19 January 1685, these are all the papers or letters relating to this whole matter as I can find, which said letters & papers I have also sent for your view, therefore can object nothing upon the whole matter against Mr. Storke's debt”

It’s not really clear whose sister the letter is talking about. If it’s James Ashton’s sister, then Mary Elkins is the only known person in the area who could reasonably fit that description. She was born around 1640 while the others were apparently born circa 1620, which might mean that she is the daughter of their father’s second wife. If she is not a sister, then it’s possible that she might be the daughter of Charles Ashton, who apparently had some children in the 1640s.

Mary is not mentioned in her husband’s will dated 5/26/1690, so she apparently died before that date. The will states that Richard Elkins is the eldest son and Nathaniel is the youngest. It indicates that there is also a son John, and John and Nathaniel are minors. Daughter Mary is to have her mother’s rings, another indication that the mother isn’t currently wearing them. Apparently there is at least one more daughter, since the will calls for Richard to manage the estate for the “good of himself & his Brothers & Sisters [plural] till they come to age or are married.”

https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I0239...
“STAFFORD COUNTY VA DEED & WILL BOOK 1689 - 1693; THE ANTIENT PRESS
p. 165a IN THE NAME OF GOD Amen. May ye 26th 1690. RALPH ELKINS of Stafford County & Potomack in Virga beinge in pfect memory & knowinge ye frailty & uncertainty of mans life, doe make all my Wills formerly made voide & this to bee my last Will & Testament
Imprs. I resigne my Soul into ye hands of Allmighty God my Creator hopeing & beinge confident through ye merritt & mercy of Jesus Christ my Redeemer that I shall obtaine pardon & remission for my manifold transgressions & to be made partaker of those joyes Tech are laid up for ye Saints in Light & then I bequeath my body to ye Earth to be buried in a Christian manner in expectance of a joyful! Resurreccon Amen.
As to my worldly Estate I constitute appoint RICHARD ELKINS my Eldest Sone to bee my Executor in my Decease to manage my Estate for ye good of himself & his Brothers & Sisters till they come to age or are married. My Seat of land to be equally divided between my Eldest Sonne RICHARD and my youngest Son NATH. to them their heires & provided they dye without issue to fall to ye next beire & so from heirs to heirs, & the buoyes JOHN & NATHANIELL to bee at age at Sixteen & to have ye benefitt of their Labour but other waies not to enjoy any thinge pertaining to ye Estate untill they be twenty & then my Estate to be equally divided amongst my Children yor debts being onley my Daughter MARY to have her Mothers Rings In Wittness whereof I have sett my hand & Seale
Testis STEPHEN GARDNER, RALPH IN GEORGE LODGE
This Will was sufficiently proved in ye County Court of Stafford by ye oaths and testimonies of STEPHEN GARNER and GEORGE LODGE wittnesses thereunto subscribed on the 9th day of September 1690 & was then recorded”

There was supposed to be a line of asterisks separating each person but it didn't copy for some reason. Sorry about that.

It's documented that Charles had a son named John, although I can't swear that he's the same person as Captain John who got a small bequest from Brother John. There are some documents for John the son of Peter at https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I0170...