Charles Ashley

ASHLEY

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 4/12/2010 at 20:32:28

Woodbury County History 1984

John Ashley
By John Ashley

Charles Ashley was the youngest child of Elisha B and Martha Shirley Ashley. The Ashleys came to Wolfcreek Township, Woodbury County, by the way of Battle Creek, from southern Iowa. Their first post office in this area was Wolfdale, located on the present Steve Waugh farm. Ashleys, or descendants, have occupied this area for about one hundred years. Other nearby stores and post offices were Rock Branch, Peiro, Lucky Valley and Quorn.

The country school known as Center or No. 5 is still standing. It was attended by Charles, all of his children, and fourteen of his grandchildren. It has been kept in good repair and is presently used for voting. Mary Johnson came from Sioux City to teach this school when Elisha was director. It was at this time that Elisha installed new slate black boards over the painted black walls that passed for chalk boards. In 1960, when Mary’s son, John, was director, he remeoved one of these slate boards and found a lesson calked in his mother’s handwriting, written some sixty years before. Mary and Charles were married January 1, 1906. Mary had also taught the school two miles to the west. That school was known as the Crawford school or Diamond School.

Charles and Mary had four children, all born on the same farm in Wolfcreek Township. The youngest, John Warren, was born in the year 1916, June 4th. This is the history of his family and him.

In 1929, Charles bit on a California land promotion scheme by the Field Seed Company. Charles sold all but his land, which he rented, and moved to California. This took place in early March. The caravan included a small Ford truck, a Model T Ford, a Buick, two dog’s anda Canary bird, and took a total of fourteen days.

John had completed the eighth grade in Iowa and had to enroll in the California school at Tehama. In June he got a job on a turkey ranch. In about a week, he was fired and spent the summer helping his father haul grain from combines that used as many as thirty-two horses in one hitch. In the fall, he was rehired for a week on the turkey ranch (the pay was $1.00 per day). In september, Ashley moved back to Iowa and the following spring moved back to the farm.

John completed high school in Anthon and was employed by his father until he married Catherine Rathsach of rural Moville and started farming near his parents.

Six children were born to John and Catherine. Margaret, born November 20, 1937, graduated form Wayne and taught school for a number of years. He is married, has two sons, and lives in Washington state. Eleanor, who also attended Wayne State and taught school, took flying lessons, became a commercial pilot and instructor, and was killed in a crash at Bloomington, Indiana. Michael served in Viet Nam and farms south of Moville. Laura graduated from Vermillion and is a Pulmonary Therapist in Seattle. Marion H married Nancy Parker, has two sons, and farms between Anthon and Moville. Barry works in a Café-bar in Denver. John married Freda Sokoloski in 1978.

Memories are: hauling corn to marker with hores and hogs to the train at the rate of five per wagon load; driving the haytstacker team; running the blower on the thresher; twenty-five years on the school board; twenty-five sents for two hot dogs, pie, and coffee; paving Highway 20; and the Fourth of July at George Ashley’s-everything free including the food, lemonade, ball game, races for all ages and closing with fireworks at night.