Gen John Ashley

• BIRTH 26 Sep 1736 n Sheffield, Berkshire, Massachusetts
• DEATH 5 Nov 1799 (aged 63) in Sheffield, Berkshire, Massachusetts
• BURIAL Ashley Falls Cemetery, Sheffield, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, USA, MEMORIAL ID 15467143 This is a Memorial Monument only, for John, his father and his son. He is buried in Barnard Cemetery, with a full headstone.

Major General John Ashley (Yale College, 1758 with honors [2]) was the only son of Judge John Ashley (Yale College, 1730). He was born in Sheffield, Massachusetts, on September 26, 1736. He read law but did not practice the profession, settling in his native town as a merchant. He was in the possession of ample means from his father, who outlived him.

He was representative to the General Court at Boston and commissioned as Justice of the Peace in June, 1771. In April, 1777, he was commissioned Colonel of the 1st Berkshire Militia (in succession to his classmate Hopkins), and he participated with his regiment in the battle of Bennington and the Burgoyne campaign. Ten years later he distinguished himself by his part in the suppression of Shays' Rebellion,-having the good fortune to command in the severest engagement (on February 27, 1787) which occurred in connection with the uprising. In 1788 he was made Brigadier General of the militia, and in 1789 Major General of the 9th Division.

At various times he represented Sheffield in the General Court. He died suddenly and greatly lamented at his home in Sheffield on November 5, 1799, in his 64th year. He married on May 20, 1762, Louisa, youngest daughter of Jabez and Phebe (Eager) Ward, of New Marlborough, Massachusetts, who died on April 2, 1769, in her 30th year; their children were a daughter and a son.

He next married, on October 17, 1769, Mary, elder daughter of the Reverend John Ballantine (Harvard College, 1735) and Mary (Gay) Ballantine, of Westfield, who died on March 8, 1827, aged 83 years. By this marriage he had four sons and four daughters; the second son was graduated at Harvard College in 1793. The sermon preached at General Ashley's funeral by the Reverend Ephraim Judson (Yale College, 1763), of Sheffield, was printed at Stockbridge in 1800 (32 pp. 16). [1]

Parents John Ashley b: 2 Dec 1709 in Westfield, Hampden, MA
Hannah Hogenboom b: 1712

Spouses
Lovisa Ward b: 15 Oct 1739 in New Marlborough, MA, d. 1769 m. 20 May 1762 in New Marlborough,
Mary Ballantine b: 10 Dec 1744 in Westfield, Hampden, MA, d. 1827 AE83 m. 17 Oct 1769 in Westfield, Hampden, MA dau. of Rev. John Ballantine of Westfield

Children 10x (2x w/Lovisa*, 6x w/ Mary**, w/ children^)

• Lovisa Ashley b: 10 Mar 1763
• Col. John Ashley b: 11 Jan 1767 in Sheffield, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA ^
  • Ballantine Ashley b: 2 Dec 1770
  • William Ashley b: 4 Jan 1773 in Sheffield, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA ^
  • Roger Ashley b: 27 Mar 1775
  • Samuel Ashley b: 21 Nov 1778
  • Mary Ashley b: 20 Mar 1781
  • Hannah Ashley b: 10 Sep 1782
  • Jane Ashley b: 19 Mar 1784
  • Lydia Ashley b: 19 Nov 1788

References

[1] http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db... [2] http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db...
[3] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15467143/john-ashley
[4] MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Jan 22 2016, 10:39:19 UTC