At 4:15 this morning occurred the death of William P. Ashley, a man of wide acquaintance in the city and county and a good citizen always. The immediate cause of death was cancer of the stomach, although the end was hastened by a complication of ailments contracted during his service in the army. He had been in poor health for six or seven years and took to his bed on the sixth of last July, when his fatal illness began.
The funeral was held from family residence, 452 Fifth street, Friday morning at 10 o'clock, under the auspices of the Masonic fraternity.
William P. Ashley was born in Drake county, Ohio, Sept. 3, 1827, lacking but a few days of being seventy-five years old. He secured what schooling the early times afforded in his Ohio home and when about fifteen years old broke the home ties and threw himself upon his own resources. From Ohio he went to Howard county, being elected to the office of sheriff when the county was organized. He held the office but a short time, however, resigning rather than serve a writ of attachment on a widow woman's house hold effects. He was one of the founders of the Kokomo Tribune and worked as a typo in the pioneer office.
Oct. 21, 1847, he was married to Miss Jemima Thatcher, and in 1870 they moved to this city where their residence has since been permanently made. After leaving Kokomo and coming here, Mr. and Mrs. Ashley resided in Iowa. He is survived by Mrs. Ashley and the following children, Ransom B., Harlus F., Mrs. Lucinda Jones, Mindus L., C. M. and Hattie, all of this city, and Mrs. Sarah Yesley, of St. Louis.
For many years Mr. Ashley followed the bricklayer's trade and did contract work. At one time he also engaged in the manufacture of brick in this city. He was a member of Clinton Lodge No. 54, F. & A. M., and also belonged to the chapter, council and commandery and the Eastern Star. He served as a corporal in Co, I, 118th Ind. Vol. Inft. in the civil war, and was a member of Stone River Post, G. A. R. In religious faith he was a Newlight and held closely to the tenets of that denomination. Originally a whig, he became a Republican when the part was formed, but for many years preceding his death had affiliated with the prohibitionists, always having have been an uncompromising advocate of temperance. He issued the call for the prohibition convention held in this county, and presided over the same. He was a man of very positive character and made it the rule of his life to be on the right side of every great moral and political question, as his judgment led him, and having once espoused a cause nothing could turn him aside. He had the respect of all who knew him, and as a citizen was above reproach .
(THE FRANKFORT BANNER, SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 1902, PAGE 1, COLUMN 1, FRANKFORT, INDIANA)


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CIVIL WAR VETERAN

Co. D 118TH INDIANA INFANTRY

AGE: 35

ENROLLED: 26 JUNE 1863, KOKOMO, HOWARD COUNTY, INDIANA

MUSTERED IN: 9 AUGUST 1863

MUSTERED OUT: 1 MARCH 1864, INDIANAPOLIS, MARION COUNTY, INDIANA

RANK: CORPORAL CLERK

AGE: 74y 11m 10d