James Ashcroft (1847 - 1887)

Born 25 Jun 1847 in Wigan, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Died 7 Sep 1887 at age 40 in Clinton, Oneida, New York, United States

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Biography

James was born in 1847. He was the son of Richard Ashcroft and Ann Murphy. He passed away in 1887.

OCCUPATION: working in coal mines in Wigan, England in 1861 census and in Dravosburg, PA (south of Pittsburg) in 1880 census

IMMIGRATED: 1870

Moved to Clinton, NY in early 1880's to work in the hemitite mines.

DEATH: Hit and killed by Ontario & Western train late at night near Clinton, NY station on September 7, 1887. It was felt that he was coming up the embankment across from the station and became bewidered in the intense darkness and fell headlong under the train before it stopped. His left leg was severed by the wheels and the entire body covered with lacerations and contusions which indicated he must have been dragged some distance before the train stopped. He lived but a few moments after being removed from the roadbed.

Ashcroft was known as a drinking man although no evidence was produced at the inquest that he was intoxicated at the time of the accident. His wife, Ellen, sued the rairoad for $5,000 in December.

Sources

https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-10152-276502621/james-ashcroft-in-1861-england-wales-census