Charles Edwin Ashton was born into a large farming family of six sisters and four brothers, the son of Thomas Edwin Ashton (1829-1901), a native of New York, and Lucy Amelia Williams (1831-1920), from England. His parents had married in New York on Oct 15, 1851, then had settled in Dekalb, Marshall Co., Illinois by the time Charles was born, on Feb 11, 1857. He was the 3rd child born to them. Charles ended up moving quite a bit while he was growing up, from the death certs. of his younger siblings. In 1863 they were in Woodford County, Illinois and in 1866 the family had moved to Rock County, Wisconsin. The War could have been a factor, along with land opening up towards the West. By 1870, his family was in Washington Township, Pettis Co., Missouri, still farming. In 1880, the family was in Kapians, Atchison Co., Kansas. By this time, Charles was 23 years of age. It was here that he met the woman who would become his wife, Emma Rosella Rice, a native of Lena, Illinois, born on Mar 17, 1863 into a large farming family herself. They married in Muskotah, Atchison, Kansas on March 31st, 1881, and their first child, a daughter, Effie Adella, was born 11 months later, Feb 6, 1882 on their farm in Kansas. Effie was the first of seven children who would be born thru out the western half of the country before 1900. Nora Clyde was b. July, 1884 in Kansas; Hazel Kirk was b.Feb 1888 in Colorado, where the rest of the children would be born. John Paul was b.July 1890 in Sterling, Logan Co., Colorado. Lucy Pauline was b.Nov 1893 in Kokomo, Summit Co., Colorado. Charley Rice was b.Aug 1896 in Iliff, Logan Co., Colorado, and, finally, Daniel Lester was b.Oct 1898 in Atwood, Logan Co., Colorado. When the 1900 Census was taken on June 20, 1900, Charles, Emma and the children were living on a farm that they were buying; it had a mortgage and 84 employees working for Charles at Merino Precinct, Logan Co., Colorado. A 22 yr. old laborer was also living with them. The family had moved again by 1903, as their daughter Effie had married Guy Arthur Silvis in Willapa, Pacific Co., Washington that year. Her parents and siblings were living on a farm in St. John, Whitman Co., Washington, by the time the census was taken on May 3rd, 1910. Effie and Guy had moved to Nebraska by then. Sadly, Guy would die in 1927, leaving Effie with three children to raise on the farm that she now owned in Rosedale, Lincoln Co., Nebraska. She also had a border, an older man, who was a widower. The rest of her family left Washington, moving once more, to Tangent, Linn County, Oregon, where Charles bought a farm without a mortgage. When the 1920 census was taken on Jan 13th, only Charles and Emma remained with two daughters, Hazel and Nora, and two younger sons, Charles and Daniel, both of whom worked on the farm. When the 1930 census was taken on Apr 22nd, they were still in Tangent, but the boys had moved out, leaving their father to work the farm himself. Nora was a saleswoman in a store and Hazel was working as a servant for a private family. Charles worked his farm in 1940 at the age of 83 with daughter Hazel doing housework. He finally retired and moved into Albany with his wife, living with their daughter, Nora, at 1160 W. 12th, in Albany, Oregon, where he passed from this life just three years later on May 4th, 1943, as a patient at Albany General Hospital due to cystitis, arthritis and rheumatism from a life filled with honest, hard work. He was buried at Willamette Memorial Park in Albany, Oregon. His dear wife, Emma, joined him in death about 8 years later on Feb 28th, 1951 and was buried next to him at Willamette Memorial Park. In addition, daughters Hazel and Nora, and sons Charles Rice, John Paul and Daniel are also buried there. May they all Rest Peacefully in God's Paradise forever.

How we are related: Charles Ashton's granddaughter, Daisy Mae Ashton (1917-2000), married Delivan Lillard Burkhart (1913-1998), a great grandson of Raymond Sanderson Burkhart (1817-1888) and Eliza Jane Wassom (1822-1862). Raymond Sanderson Burkhart was the older brother of Leander Columbus Burkhart (1823-1875). Leander Columbus Burkhart and Melissa Ann Davidson (1835-1898) are my maternal great, great grandparents.