John Anderson Asher, Sr.

John Asher was born ca. 1661, making him of legal age in 1682 to receive land. He was from England.

His wife was Mary(?) --.

There may have been more than one John Asher in the following records. It is also difficult to distinguish John Asher from his son John Asher, Junior, in some of the following documents. His son was not born until around 1720, so it may be assumed that all documents before 1740 applied to the senior John Asher(s).

On Apr 20, 1682, John Asher received a crown grant of 226 acres of land in New Kent County, Virginia on from "Sir Henery Chickeley, Knight, His Majesty's Deputy Governor & c." (Patent Book 7, p 132) (Land Office Patent Book 7, 1679-1689, Patent 132, Archives Division, Virginia State Library)

The grant was given "to the said John Asher by and for the transportation of five persons & c." These five were "Wm. Alsop, Richd. Darale, Edwd. Broxam, Jon Shepard, George Binks." (Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. II, p 231)

The surveyor's metes and bounds description of the acreage was:

"Beginning at a Corner Hickory in a line of marked trees of David Crafford, upon the North branches of Chickahominy Swamp, running thence South West twenty po. to a Corner Red Oak, being a Corner tree of John Dickeson's land, abutting upon the said Dickeson's land West by South half a point South two hundred and sixteen po. to a Corner Poplar of the said Dickeson's, thence North West by North West by North ten po. to a burning White Oak, thence North West fifty-four po. to a burning Pine of Capt. Underhill's line, thence North by West one hundred fifty-two po. to a Corner Gum by the run of a brancy of Pewhitt Swamp East by South fifty-eight po. and east one hundred forty-two po. to a Corner tree in a line of the aforesaid Crafford, thence upon the said line to the place ye first began, being bounded on all sides by marked trees, Crafford's land and the said branch."

On Apr 20, 1685, John Asher obtained 1250 acres on the south side of the York River in New Kent County, Virginia. (Patent 456, Vol II, p 289)

On Jul 4, 1702, John Asher was listed on the New Kent County Militia List, along with Jonathan Asher. (Lloyd D. Bockstruck, Virginia's Colonial Soldiers, GPC, 1988, p 218)

On Sep 28, 1728, John Asher of St. George's Parish, Spotsylvania County, Virginia, received two crown grants from William Gooch, Esq., Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief at Williamsburg. One tract contained 600 acres; the other tract 538 acres, both in the Great Fork of the Rappahannock River. The descriptions indicate that each tract adjoined property of John Asher's neighbor, Alexander Spotswood, "beg at Col. Alex. Spotswood on upper side of Brookes' run; to Summerduck Run; on Samuel Wright's line." (Land Office Patent Book 13, 1725-1730, Patents 294 and 475; Land Office Patent Book 14, 1728-1732, p 103, Archives Division, Virginia State Library; and Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol III, p 345)

On Feb 4, 1728/9, John Asher, along with John Kilgore, witnessed a document of "Mary Neale, Admx of William Neele, deceased." (Spotsylvania County Records, 1721-1800, Administration Bonds, Will Book A, p 55)

On Dec 1, 1729, John Asher, planter, of St. George's Parish, Spotslvania County, leased 400 acres of his 538 acre tract to George Hume for 50 pounds currency. (Spotsylvania County Deed Book A, 1722-1729, pp 431-432)

In return, Georg Hume leased to John Asher 380 acres on the "Head Branches of Mine Run" on the corner of Edward Haily line to old line of Person Jones." for 30 pounds currency. Witnesses to both transactions were Samuel Ham and Andrew Landale. The transactions were recorded on Feb 3, 1729/30. (Virginia County Records, Vol I, Spotsylvania County 1721-1800, p 110, Spotsylvania County Deed Book A 1722-1729, p 433)

On Apr 7, 1730, John Asher sold 400 acres to John Finalson, gentleman of the same parish and county, in St. George Parish, Spotsylvania County, for 30 pounds currency. (Deed Book B)

In May, 1731, John Asher and his wife Mary signed in Spotsylvania County Court, "deeds of lease and release for plantation he now lives on and 200 acres thereunto belonging to St. Mark Parish for a Gleab and that he be paid for the same 14,000 pounds tobacco according as law directs 1/2 this Insuing year and the other the year following." (Davis, St. Mark's Parish Vestry Book)

(In 1731, St. Mark's Parish was formed from a part of St. George's Parish.) (A History of St. Mark's Parish, Rev. Philip Slaughter, 1877)

On Mar 2, 1731, John Asher sold to Robert Boatman of Christ Church Parish, Lancaster County, 2000 pounds of tobacco and 200 acres in Saint Mark Parish, Spotsylvania County. (Deed Book B, page 138)

On Jun 25, 1731, John Asher of St. George's Parish, Spotsylvania County, Virginia, received two more crown grants from Lieutenant Governor Gooch. Both tracts contained 400 acres, each on "Bleu Cowslip Run." (Land Office Patent Book 14, 1728-1732, Patent 178, Archives Division, Virginia State Library)

On Aug 25, 1731, he received one more crown grant of 400 acres described as upon "John Lightfoot's line and "in Col. Spotswood's line" for 40 shillings. (Land Office Patent Book 14, 1728-1732, Patents 245 and 251; and Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol III, p 401)

Between Jul and Oct, 1731, "Order that John Ashley be paid 525 pounds tobacco this Insuing year for 15 acres of land over and above the land he sould for a Gleab." (Davis, St. Mark's Parish Vestry Book)

In 1731, "Parish Levies in Tobacco. To John Ashley in part pymt for the Gleab Land, 7525." (Davis, St. Mark's Parish Vestry Book)

In 1732, "Parish Levies in Tobacco. To John Ashley in full pymt for Gleab Land, 7000." (Davis, St. Mark's Parish Vestry Book)

On Jul 3, 1733, John Asher of Spotsylvania County purchased 400 acres.

On Jul 4, 1733, John Asher leased one 400 acre tract to William Rossen. (Spotsylvania County Deed Book B, p 418)

On Apr 1, 1734, John Asher leased or sold another parcel of the same acreage to John and Benjamin Martin. (Spotsylvania County Deed Book B, p 525)

On Apr 2, 1734, John Asher purchased 1500 pounds of tobacco and 400 acres.

(In 1735, Orange County Virginia formed from part of Spotsylvania County.)

On Jun 19, 1735, "Francis Browning & John Ashley of St. Mark's Parish, Orange Co., 400 acres in sd Par & Co., on head Brs of N. Fork of Battle Run." (Patent Bk. 15, p 528, and Hudgins. Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol IV, p 75)

In Jun, 1735, John Asher served on jury duty. (Order Book I)

In 1736, Jno Asher appeared as 1 titheable on Orange County Titheables.

On May 25, 1738, "John Asher, by his petition setting forth that he was past sixty years and humbly praying to be exempted from bearing Arms and working on the road. (so ordered)" Order Book 1, p. 313, and Little, Orange County Titheables)

On Apr 7, 1740, John Asher, planter, leased 150 acres from Colonel Alexander Spotswood: "Conveyed to the said John Asher and his assigns for and during the natural lives of him the said John Asher and Charles Asher his son, and for and during the natural life or lives of the longest liver of them." The 150 acres was described as being in St. Mark's Parish on north side of River Rappidanne, part of 40,000 acres granted to Alexander Spotswood and called the Spotsylvania tract. (Culpeper County, Virginia Deed Book A, pp 491-496)

The annual rent was prescribed as "Eight Hundred Pounds Weight of good sound merchantable Top Tobacco clear of ground-leaves and trash according to law, together with one cask to contain the same (to be paid out of the Crop which shall be made upon the Demised Premises provided so much Tobacco be made thereon that Year) and to be tendered and delivered in one Hogshead weighty and proper for Exportation, at some convenient landing on Rappahannock River within the County of Spotsylvania, the first of which Tobacco Paiments to commence and become due on the Twenty Fifth Day of December which shall be in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty One."

In consideration of the foregoing lease, John Asher on his part promised, "within four years after the Date of these Presents to plant upon the Demised Premises or upon some Part thereof Three Hundred good fruit trees whereof one third at least to be good Apple Trees and the same will inclose with a good sufficient and lawful Fence and that he . . .will . . . sufficiently maintain and keep . . . the messuage, buildings, and fences now upon or which at any times during the sd Term. . . in . . good and sufficient repair . . . And that the said John Asher and his assigns shall not . . . without the leave or License of the said Alexander Spotswood, his heirs or assigns or his or their lawful Attorney or Attornies first obtained in writing, work or cause or suffer to be worked the demised Premises with more than six labouring Hands, that is to say such Hands as are generally allowed in the Colony of Virginia to be full shares in a Crop; and reckoning so many weaker Hands for a Sharer or labouring Hand as a reasonable overseer would or aught at such Time to adjudge or esteem them to be."

The lease expressly provided that if either John Asher or his son Charles Asher should die before December 25, 1775, then Alexander Spotswood, his heirs and assigns, agreed that, "for the life and lives of such other Person and Persons as the said John Asher or his Assigns shall nominate in the place and stead of the said John Asher or Charles Asher so dying, he the said John Asher or his Assigns paying to the said Alexander Spotswood, his Heirs or Assings, One Year's Rent for every Life so nominated; and in like manner when and so often as the Person so anew nominated, shall happen to die before the Twenty Fifty Day of December in the Year One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Five aforesaid. A. Spotswood." (Dorman. Orange County Virginia Deed Books, 1738-1741 and Judgments, 1736)

George Home, assistant surveyor of Orange County, stated the land was "by the limestone landing a little below the mouth of Spade's Run on the north side of the Rappidanne River, corner to a German old lot on the river."

Alexander Spotswood had been commissioned as a major general in the British Army. On Jun 7, 1740, he died suddenly. On Oct 14, 1740, the arrangement between John Asher and Alexander Spotswood was reaffirmed by Elliott Benger, "one of the Acting Executors, according to the Will of the Decd. acknowledged to the said John Asher," and recorded by Jonath. Gibson, Clerk of the Court. Benger's signature was witnessed by "John Asher, Junr." (Culpeper County, Virginia Deed Book A, pp 495-496)

From Jan-Apr, 1742, John Asher purchased one bed and furniture. (Orange County Will Book)

On Jul 28, 1743, "John Asher, Sr., on his petition of being very ancient and infirmed be levy free." (Order Book 1, p 501, and Little, Orange County Titheables)

In 1744, "Parish Levies in Tobacco. To Hanah Scultharp for tending Ashars family, 200." (Davis, St. Mark's Parish Vestry Book)

In 1744/5, "Order that Hanah Scultharp be paid 200 pounds tobacco for tending Ashers famalley" (no date, between Oct 1744 and Mar 1745) (Davis, St. Mark's Parish Vestry Book)

On Sep 27, 1750, John Asher and his son Charles Asher executed an assignment of "our Right, Title and Interest of this of their Lease to Michael Whatley," which assignment was witnessed by "Moley Asher." (Dorman. Orange County Virginia Deed Books, 1738-1741 and Judgments, 1736)

(In 1753, Culpeper County Virginia formed from part of Orange County.)

On Apr 1, 1758, "John Asher, 170 acres in Culpepper Co, adj said Asher, Col. John Spotswood, William Russell, William Nashe, James Pollard" (Grant Book V, p 134)

In 1764, John Asher appeared on the Culpeper County, Virginia rent rolls.

On Nov 27, 1766, Zebulon Lewis of Orange County is indebted to John Asher of same county for 790 pounds of tobacco and interest . . . a suit pending in Orange County - Zebulon Lewis made over to John Asher and heris, 3 cows, 3 slaves, bed and furniture and one other bed and furniture "next in goodness." (Deed Book 14, p 91)

In 1773, "Allowances to Poor. To John Asher for keeping Hannah Sculthorpe, 500." (Davis, St. Mark's Parish Vestry Book)

In 1774, "Allowances to Poor. To John Asher for keeping Hannah Sculthorpe one yr." (Davis, St. Mark's Parish Vestry Book)

On Nov 8, 1776, "John Asher, 257 acres in Culpeper Co. adj said Asher, Spotswood Dsq. William Russell, now John Willis, Charles Benson, Finalsons R. John Garret, James Pollard, William Nash." (Grant Book V, p 434)

In 1783, John Asher appeared on the Culpeper County, Virginia taxpayer rolls, "Poll 2, Slaves 3." (Augusta B. Fothergill and John Mark Maugle. Virginia Tax Payers 1782-87 Other Than Those Published by the United States Census Bureau. 1940)

John Asher's first two children were christened at Christ Church in Middlesex County, Virginia. (Parish Register, Christ Church, Middlesex County, Virginia, 1653-1812, Library of College of William and Mary)

John Asher's children were:

i Diana, bap. Mar 2, 1706/7 ii William, bap. Sep 18, 1709

• iii John, b. ca. 1720, m. 1st, Nellie -- ca. 1738; 2nd, Elizabeth Coosenbury, d. before Jun 18, 1798 iv Charles