OBIT: Richard ASHMAN, 1894, Three Springs, Huntingdon County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Sue Palmer <aunt_woo@yahoo.com> Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/huntingdon/index.htm __________________________________________________________ DEATH OF RICHARD ASHMAN. Mr. Richard Ashman, of Three Springs, who was well known throughout the county, died at the residence of his sister, Mrs. Isaac Taylor [Ann], in Mount Union, where he had been on a visit, on Tuesday morning [5 June 1894] at 9.30. He was seized with a bilious attack, to which he was subject, and this attack proved fatal. Mr. Ashman was a descendant of Col. George Ashman, one of the pioneers of Clay township, who settled in that part of the country in the year 1779, purchasing land called the "Three Springs tract" containing over eighteen hundred acres, and brought with him his "human chattels" as at that early day slavery had not been abolished in this State. The original homestead was in the possession of Richard Ashman, as was also the pioneer grist mill in the township, build by George Ashman in 1785. Richard Ashman was in his 69th year of his age. He was the first merchant in the town of Three Springs, beginning business May 7, 1847, about four years after the town then known as Scottsdale was laid out. He, together with Thos. E. Orbison, continued the business at that place for thirty one years, Mr. Orbison for only a portion of the time. He was an active and successful business man and a good citizen, who was honored by his fellow-citizens with offices of honor and trust. He was chief burgess of the borough from 1876 to 1882, and served two terms as school director. He was a staunch Republican, and was firm and enthusiastic in what he believed to be the right side of any question he discussed. Friendly, generous and warm hearted, he has many friends who mourn his loss. His wife [Mary J. Lorraine] died several years ago [27 June 1879], and he is survived by five children - three sons and two daughters. Funeral will take place from his residence in Three Springs on Thursday afternoon. E. B. T. R. R. trains will carry friends from Mt. Union after Seashore Express 9.00 a.m., returning after the funeral in time to connect with Fast Line west, stopping at all stations. Huntingdon Gazette, June 6, 1894. _____ DEATH OF RICHARD ASHMAN. Richard Ashman died in Mt. Union at the home of his brother-in-law, Isaac Taylor, Esq [husband of Richard's sister Ann Ashman], on the 5th day of June, 1894 in the 67th year of his age. His father, John Ashman and his uncle Col. George Ashman [Col George Ashman was really Richard's grandfather], were among the leading and most prominent men in the early settlement of our county, as we find their names frequently connected with the history of our county. These brothers moved from Maryland to this county about 1778 or '79 and brought their slaves with them, and shortly after purchased and settled on this valuable property, that has been known ever since as the Ashman or Three Springs property. And the fact that this tract of some 1700 acres is nearly all good limestone land, proves that they were good judges of land. As I have already stated, they brought their slaves with them, and while they had a number of female slaves, the older citizens remember at least five men and their names. Old Ark was one who lived to be 103 years old. He said that he remembered well when the first house was built in Baltimore and that it was a tobacco house. There was Simon and Philip and Old Ned, the miller; another one they called Blue Bob, who lived to a great age; no one knew how old he was, but he had grown very feeble and would frequently sleep sitting on the ___ block in front of the house, and on one occasion when they called to him he made no answer, and going to him they found he was dead; he had slept his worn out life away. The Ashmans gave to their slaves their freedom when they came to this county, but their masters had always treated them so kindly that they had no desire to leave them, and we believe they all remained with the family till death. The writer has often been told by the old settlers of Clay township and Three Springs that the unlimited hospitality of the Ashman home was widely known. Its inmates were always glad to entertain their visitors in the best possible manner. They continued after the good old English style, without regard to expense. It has been said that many of their friends would come from Maryland and spend the entire summer season with them, and they always made them welcome. It was made a summer resort for their friends. No wonder, with such an ancestry, that we have found so much of the same benevolent spirit in the one of whom we now write. Mr. Ashman's death was very unexpected. He left his house on Thursday morning to come to Huntingdon on a business trip and to return Friday morning, but feeling unwell he started for home on Thursday evening, but felt so ill when he reached Mt. Union that he could go no further and continued to get worse until his death four days later. He died of bilious colic, a disease he had frequently suffered from before. Mr. Ashman was an active business man all his life. He was one of those who believed it better to wear out then rust out. For many years he was engaged to a general mercantile business at Three Springs, together with a flouring mill, saw mill and a large farm, all of which he kept actively moving. He was always a friend of the laboring man, so that he often employed more men than was really profitable to him. Mr. Ashman was a man highly respected for his honesty and integrity. He was a keen observer of events and was conversant with the affairs of the state and Nation, and while he was an active Whig or Republican, all his life and took great interest in seeing the principals of his party carried out, yet he was not ambitious for office. He behaved in the office seeking the man and not the man the office. In all that pertained to the improvement of the streets of his town, and the roads of the township, and the general welfare of the community, he took a deep interest. He discharged the different borough or township offices to which he was elected with fidelity and to the entire satisfaction of the people. Mr. Ashman was always liberal in giving money for the building of churches and for other benevolent purposes. His home, like that of his ancestors, was always open to all comers and no one went away from his hospitable home without sharing his hospitality. The high esteem in which he was held in the neighborhood, where he had lived so long, was fully attested by the very large concourse of people who knew him and who attended his funeral at Three Springs. Among others the writer noticed two old colored men who had traveled some eight miles to attend his funeral, and who are said to be the descendants of the Ashman slaves. It was the largest funeral the writer has ever known in that neighborhood. Feeling and appropriate addresses were made at the home by Revs. Ott and Shumaker, after which the body was laid to rest in the cemetery at Saltillo. Mr. Ashman, some thirty years ago, was united in marriage with Miss Mary J. Loraine, daughter of Dr. Loraine of Clearfield, PA. Mrs. Ashman lived to have a family of nine children, and she was an estimable Christian woman; was much loved and esteemed by all who knew her but she and three of her children had preceded her husband to the grave some fifteen or eighteen years ago, while six of the children and two of Mr. Ashman's sisters still live to mourn the loss of a father and a brother. Written by C. R. McCarthy. Huntingdon newspaper, June 14, 1894 Note: Richard was the son of John Ashman and Elinor Cromwell, born around 1825 Three Springs, PA. He was married to Mary J. Lorraine on 29 Oct 1850. Comments in brackets were added by the transcriber.