ASHBURN, James M.

ASHBURN, GLASS, MCCULLEY, MERCER, WARREN, PIERCY, ALLEN, TURNER, BROWN, BASON

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/20/2014 at 00:51:48

History of Decatur County Iowa and Its People
Illustrated, Volumne II.
Prof. J. M. Howell and Heman C. Smith, Supervising Editors
The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company. pp. 311-12. Chicago. 1915.

JAMES M. ASHBURN

James M. Ashburn, who has resided in Decatur county for almost sixty years, is now living retired at Lamoni. He was born in Tazewell county, Illinois, October 9, 1842, a son of Jesse and Elmira (Glass) Ashburn, natives respectively of Tennessee and of Ohio. They were married, however, at Vandalia, Favette county, Illinois, and resided in that state until October 9, 18.56, when they came with their family to Decatur county, Iowa, and located in Burrell township. Eleven years later they went to Omaha, Nebraska, where the mother died when almost eighty-seven years of age. The death of the father occurred at Plattsmouth, Nebraska, when he was sixty-eight years old. They were the parents of ten children, who grew to maturity, nine of whom are still living.

James M. Ashburn was just fourteen years of age when he arrived in this county and has since made it his home, although he was for two years in Missouri and spent four years at the front during the Civil war. He enlisted in Company D, Fourth Iowa Infantry, and later veteranized in the same company and regiment. On returning from the army he concentrated his attention upon farming and stock-raising and for twenty-five years followed those pursuits successfully. He shipped stock extensively, deriving a good income from his activity in that line. After residing upon his home place for a number of years he and his wife removed to another farm which he owned near Tuskeega, where they lived for twelve years. At the end of that time they sold that property and returned to the home place, where they resided until they removed to Lamoni. Their farm, which comprises four hundred and twenty acres in Bloomington township, is now rented.

Mr. Ashburn was married on the 9th of May, 1867, to Miss Ruth E. Mercer, who was born in Putnam county, Indiana, July 3, 1847, a daughter of John and Margaret (McCulley) Mercer, who settled on Elk Creek, this county, in February, 1854. After residing there for a year they removed to a farm now included in the property owned by Mr. Ashburn. The father died in St. Louis, Missouri, on the 9th of February, 1863, when almost forty-four years of age. At the time he was a soldier in the Thirty-fourth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. His widow died on the 9th of October, 1867, when forty-five years old. Mrs. Ashburn, who is one of three children, is the only one still living. By her marriage she has become the mother of twelve children, eleven of whom survive: Laura Lucretia, the wife of Benjamin Warren, and a resident of Lamoni; James, deceased; Luella J., the wife of Charles R. Piercy, further mention of whom is made in this work; Margaret A., who married George Allen, of Lamoni; Dithema, the wife of William Turner, of Kirksville, Missouri: Nina, who married R. H. Brown, and lives at Wray, Colorado; William T., who owns two hundred and twenty acres of land and resides upon the old homestead; Armetta, the wife of B. F. Brown, who lives near Lamoni; Nellie L., who married Luther L. Bason, a resident of the vicinity of Davis City; Jesse M., at home; and John T., who is married and resides on the homestead.

Mr. Ashburn is a republican and has served in a number of local offices, including that of township trustee. Fraternally he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Lamoni, of which lodge he is a charter member. He is also identified with John R. Andrews Post, G. A. R,, of Lamoni, and has filled several offices in that organization and also in the Odd Fellows. The leisure which he is now enjoying is well deserved and all who know him accord him unqualified respect and high esteem.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2014

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Biographical and Historical Record of Ringgold and Decatur Counties, Iowa, (Lewis Publishing Company (1887)), pp. 578-79:

"J. M. ASHBURN, one of the old pioneers of Decatur County, now living on section 26, Bloomington Township, was born in McLean County, Illinois, October 9, 1842, the eldest son of Jesse and Elmira (Glass) Ashburn, who were natives of Overton County, Tennessee, and Ohio, respectively. They had twelve children born to them -- James M., our subject; Mary F., Sophia J., Lydia A., Sarah A., Samantha, Hannah E., Robert A., George W., Charles and two who died in early childhood. Our subject was ten years of age when he left his native county, and started with his parents for Iowa. They located in Fayette County, Illinois. In 1856 the family settled in Burrell Township, Decatur County, making their home near Terre Haute. James M. grew to manhood on a farm in this county, receiving in his youth the benefit of the common schools. He enlisted in the late war July 6, 1861, a member of Company D, Fourth Iowa Infantry and participated in the engagements of Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, first and second battles of Jackson, Mississippi, Champion Hill, siege of Vicksburg, Brandon, Mississippi, Chattanooga, Mission Ridge, in the Atlanta campaign, and in the battles at Jonesboro and Savannah. He was wounded by a piece of shell at Chickasaw Bayou, and was shot through his clothing at Vicksburg. He was honorably discharged at Davenport, Iowa, August 18, 1865, when he returned to Decatur County. He was married May 9, 1867, to Miss Ruth E. Mercer, a daughter of John and Margaret Mercer, her father having been one of the pioneers of this county. He was a member of the Thirty-fourth Iowa Infantry in the war of the Rebellion, and died in the hospital at St. Louis in 1864. Mr. Ashburn has resided in his present farm since 1869, and is engaged in raising, feeding, buying and shipping stock. His farm, which contains 270 acres of choice land, is under thorough cultivation, and his residence and farm buildings are comfortable and commodious. In politics he affiliates with the Republican party. He is one of the representative citizens of Bloomington Township, and has held several of the township offices, with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. He is a member of the Anti-Horse-Thief Association."

(Submitted to the Decatur County GenWeb site by Christy Jay, email: Jaygenie@aol.com)