Ashby - Thompson-Lettice - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

There are numerous families of Ashbys in and about Ladoga, Montgomery County, and they are nearly or quite all of them prominent and intermarried with other prominent families of this locality. They all came from a comman ancestry -- Thompson and Lettice Ashby. Of the descendants of this couple none have been other than honoable and upright, respected citizens and have played well their parts in the forward march of civilization as here inaugurated by the brave men and women a century ago, and are therefore eminently deserving of prominent mention in the present work. The Ashby family was first known in Great Britain, was at one time of some prominence in the House of Lords and is today identified with prominent business interests there. THe first we find of them in America was before the Revolutionary War in Virginia they having lived near Harper's Ferry. It seems that one of the Ashbys and his wife had 3 sons, Bladen, Silas and Thompson. The parents died when these 3 boys were young. It was about 1777 that these sons removed to Kentucky where Bladen became a noted scout and Indian fighter. He was with Gen. George Rogers Clark at the memorable capture of Vincennes from the British. Thompson Ashby was born about 1773 and was a child when he came to Kentucky. There he was seen by the girl who in later years became his wife and the mother of the Ashbys of this county, she having been known in her maidenhood as Lettice VanMeter. THompson Ashby, then but a child, owned a man's gun which he carried gracefully on his shoulder and also carried a shot pouch that nearly reached the ground. So ridiculous did it seem to her that she burst out laughing immediately. Lettice VanMeter was the second of a family of four children born to Abraham VanMeter and wife. Her father was at Boone Station, Kentucky during the Revolutionary War. In 1781 Indiana under Simon Girty attacked the setters, the latter including the VanMeters. The settlers fled to Louisville, closely pursued by the Indians and there was some fighting on the way. During the excitement Lettice fell into a creek and nearly drowned. Her mother heard the child gasp, but thought it was an Indian, however she wheeled about quickly and saw her child just in time to save her. Thompson Ashby and Lettice VanMeter were married about 1790, and to them 10 children were born: Polly; Nancy; Abrham; Silas; Milton; Bladen; Thompson; Betty; James and Lettice. The father of these children was killed by a horse. Abraham VanMeter, mentioned above was granted 1000 acres of land in 1780 in Henry Co Ky deeded by Governor Harrison of Virginia. At that time what is now the state of Ky was embraced by the boundary lines of Virginia. It is said that this deed was destroyed by Indians and that Mr. VanMeter thereby lost his title to the land. However, he gave his daughter Lettice Ashby 200 acres and this she kept and reared her children on. After her children had grown to maturity, some married and had children of their own. She then sold out and brought her children and grandchidren to Clark Township, Montgomery County, Indiana. She was 56 and when she came here in 1828, Clark Township and surrounding country was a wilderness, wild and unbroken. She gave to each child enough to buy 160 acres and soon the family owned about 1500 acres of valuable land. She settled int he SW part of Clark Twp, a mile and 3/4 north of Roachdale, where her death occured in 1845, in her 75th year. Among her children who are to be mentioned in this connection was Abraham Ashby born March 25, 1795, and whose death occurred in 1845. He married Elizabeth Hohimer, May 23, 1815 in Ky. SHe was born May 16, 1784 died Aug 31, 1878. She was a daughter of henry and Rhoda Paris Hohimer. Abraham and Elizabeth Hohimer Ashby became the parents of two sons, William and Thompson V. A sketch of the latter appears elsewhere. Another one of Lettice Ashby's sons whose descendants are prominent in business in Ladoga was Silas F. Ashby, Sr. who was born in Shelby County, Ky.  

Source: Green, Raleigh Travers. Genealogical and historical notes on Culpeper County, Virginia Baltimore :: Regional Pub. Co.,, 1900, 326 pgs.

On page 57 there are listings about Ashbys and many others from the area -- bad thing is some don't have what they're talking about -- Here's an example Thompson Ashby, Anne L. Menefee '08 -- these are in late 1700s and early 1800s so assume Thompson Ashby married an Anne Menefee in 1808. There are other Ashbys in it, as well Turner Ashby, Dorathea Green '20 Wm. Ashby, Wilhilmina Strother '05

On p. 130 -- Capt. Benjamin Cole's Co of Va Militia 5th Regt of Culpepper Co first at Camp Randolph and then camp Holly under the command of Major Wm. Armstead then Col. John H. Cocke, from the 29th of March to 19th of Aug 1818 Thompson Ashby is listed as 1st Lt. in for 3 months 22 days  -- typed by kbz