Benjamin Ashton Sr. (abt. 1684 - 1742)

Descendants

Died 1742 at about age 58 in Philadelphia Conty, Pennsylvania

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Biography

LIttle is known of Benjamin. He was probably born in Philadelphia since a 1681 map shows his father's land ownership at that time, but it's unknown when father Joseph and his wife actually immigrated to the US.

His will shows him as a blacksmith, but he also owned a plantation of 300 acres, which he inherited from his father. He also owned land in Falls township, Bucks county which his son Abraham inherited.

He appears to have had two wives, with children from each. Documentation for wife Elizabeth includes a 1708 will for Careon Rheon in which Benjamin is an executor, and the 3 witnesses are Joseph Ashton, Jane Ashton, Elizabeth Ashton. Joseph and Jane would be his parents; Elizabeth is presumed to be his wife since neither family has a daughter named Elizabeth. Additionally, birth records for son Robert, b 1714, show his parents as Benjamin and Elizabeth. Son John named in his grandfather Ashton's 1708 is also be presumed to be her son.

Nothing more is known of Elizabeth -- when was she born? Died? Who were her children?

Benjamin later married Anne, who ran away from him while pregnant in 1731 because he was having an affair. Evidently they reconciled since she's named as his wife in his 1737 will.

Many of the birth, marriage, death dates for his direct line of descent come from inherited family records of his great-great-granddaughter Elizabeth McDaniel Calver's family. She was sister of Hannah McDaniel Redifer, whose granddaughter Anna Redifer organized family history, including by obtaining the earlier family Bible record from her Calver cousins. The "Calver records" were copied about 1900 from earlier family records.

Benjamin is the son of Joseph Ashton who was credited with building the three-arch bridge at Frankford, North Philadelphia, just north of Kensington, where the Calvers were.

Those "Calver records" report that Benjamin's son Robert was the son of Benjamin and Eliza.

Sources

• *J. Granville Leach Collection Notes (LDS #481830)

Gen Le 131 v. 4 Adams-Duncan; G-34072 Benjamin Ashton, son of Joseph Ashton, the elder, resides in Lower Dublin township, where he died in 1742. His will, dated 17 Oct 1737, proved at Philadelphia 10 Oct 1742 names wife Ann, and the children named below. He owned a plantation of 300 acres, which he received under the will of his father. He also owned land in Falls township, Bucks county, which he devised to his son Abraham: Children: Abraham, Eunice, Tabitha, Benjamin, Martin, Mercy, John, Joseph, Robert

• Pennsylvania Wills, 1682-1834

Name: Ashton, Sr. Benjamin Description: Decedent Residence: Philadelphia Co., PA Date: 10/17/1737 Prove Date: 10/16/1742 Book Page: F:318 Remarks: Benjamin Ashton, Sr. Philadelphia County. Blacksmith. October 17, 1737. October 16, 1742. F.318. Wife and Exec: Ann. Children: Eunice, Tabitha, Benjamin, Martin, Mercy, Abraham, John, Joseph and Robert. Witnesses: James Alton Sr., John Simmons and Thomas Walters.

• LDS #963394 Partition Deeds

Deed Book Plaintiff Defendant page 1 Benjamin Ashton Robert Ellis et al 337 Martin Ashton

Summary of Benjamin Ashton vs Robert Ellis - 1781 - regarding partition of Benjamin Ashton’s [“late of Philadelphia”], deceased, property On behalf of Eunice and her 4 living siblings Robert Ellis (either husband/son of Eunice) petitioned on 9 Jun 1781 Benjamin Ashton “late of Philadelphia” to divide the land the 5 siblings have held jointly and “undivided”, into roughly 5 equal parts (taking into account the value of the land because of what’s on it). The siblings are Eunice Ellis, Tabitha Cripps, Martin Ashton, Benjamin Ashton, and Mercy Swaggard (Peter). The children not mentioned are dead. The lands were partitioned on 14 Aug 1781. Benjamin Jr received only a half acre of land (the others received 2 - 3 acres), but he also received the house. Probably, since he was no longer living in the area, he didn’t want to hold farm land. [Why did this take 40 years?]

• Inherited Ashton/Calver/Redifer family BMD records report that the parents of the Robert Ashton (18 May 1714 - 1770) married to Hannah Ashton (1720 - 18 Jan. 1783) were a Benjamin Ashton (no dates) and Eliza (no surname or dates).