Joseph Ash and Sarah [Unk]

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Husband Joseph Ash ^{1 2 3}

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           Born: 1771 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 1811 or 1813 - ? Butler Co, PA 1 2
         Buried: 

       Marriage: 

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Wife Sarah [Unk] ¹

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 1826 1
         Buried: 

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Children

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1 F Rachel Ash ^{1 4 5}

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Bef 1883
         Buried: 

         Spouse: [Unk] Williams (      -      ) 1

         Spouse: Robert McKinney (      -      ) 4

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2 M Sylvester Ash ^{1 3 6}

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           Born: 1805 or 1808 - Forward Twp, Butler Co, PA 1 4
     Christened: 
           Died: Abt 1880-1883 1 5
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Martha Boggs (      -1886) 3 6

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3 F Elizabeth Ash ^{1 4 5}

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Aft 1883
         Buried: 

         Spouse: [Unk] Norman (      -      ) 1

         Spouse: Joseph Dodds (      -      ) 4

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4 M Isaac B. Ash ^{1 5}

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Bef 1895 - Evans City, Butler Co, PA
         Buried: 

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General Notes: Husband - Joseph Ash

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He is supposed to have been a native of Wales, or of Welsh parentage.

He was born in Kentucky, and, when a boy, was taken captive by the Indians, with whom he remained two years, being then ransomed by his brother. His mother and a child were killed by the natives. Joseph and two of his brothers were taken prisoners. The Indians split Joseph's ears so as to know him. When a young man, he found his way into western Pennsylvania, and, during the Indian troubles, was engaged to carry mail from Fort Pitt to Detroit. He made one or more trips, going the whole distance on foot. Afterward, other carriers took charge of the mail over certain portions of the route. The letters were few, and a handkerchief easily contained them all. The changing places or distributing offices were hollow trees, known to the carriers, where the mail was deposited by one carrier and removed by another. Later, the route was traversed by horsemen, and the mail-carriers also rode horseback. In 1803, Joseph Ash and his wife, Sarah, found their way to the west side of the circular valley below described, and settled on the bottom land. This farm had been previously occupied for a time by a man named Murray.

At least one portion of the creek is worthy of delineation, inasmuch as it is peculiarly picturesque. We refer to the "Horseshoe Bend," which, together with its surroundings, forms a most pleasing landscape of quiet and subdued beauty. The Connoquenessing enters Forward Township not far from the northeast corner, and, after going through "all manner of twisting and turning," and coming down nearly to the geographical center of the township, where it is joined by the Glade Run from the southeast, winds abruptly to the north and westward, and finally zigzags over into Jackson Township about a mile from the northwest corner. The Horseshoe Bend occurs just below the mouth of Glade Run, and nearly surrounds the farm of Eli Goehring, which consists of 200 acres. The curve is swift, but not angular or abrupt. The distance across from one point of the Horseshoe to the other is not more than forty or fifty rods. This bend is included within a beautiful basin, nearly circular and about two miles in diameter, which is inclosed on all sides by hills, save where the creeks have forced their way through these opposing barriers. No traveler through this township can fail to note and remark upon the peculiar charms of this singular natural basin. Within it is fertile bottom land, formerly somewhat wet in portions, but now brought, by the labors of the skillful agriculturist, into a high state of cultivation.

He was one of the early settlers of Forward township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, coming there from Kentucky. He is supposed to have been a native of Wales, or of Welsh parentage. About 1804 he settled on a tract of 212 acres. He cleared a farm there and lived upon it until his death. He died and was buried on the homestead farm. In 1893 the remains of himself and wife were removed to the Evans City cemetery. [HBC 1895, 1124]

He was born in Wales and early in life came to the United States, settling in the woods of Forward Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, where he acquired 200 acres of uncleared land. He cleared a small part of his farm, but died when comparatively young, leaving his widow and their children in poor circumstances. [TCHBBC, 983]

1 —, History of Butler County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Waterman, Watkins & Co., 1883), Pg 235.

2 —, History of Butler County, Pennsylvania (R. C. Brown & Co. Publishers, 1895), Pg 1124.

3 James A. McKee, 20th Century History of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and Representative Citizens (Chicago, IL: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., 1909), Pg 982.

4 —, History of Butler County, Pennsylvania (R. C. Brown & Co. Publishers, 1895), Pg 1125.

5 James A. McKee, 20th Century History of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and Representative Citizens (Chicago, IL: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., 1909), Pg 983.

6 —, History of Butler County, Pennsylvania (R. C. Brown & Co. Publishers, 1895), Pg 1097, 1125.