ASHBY, Eugene C. - Putnam

Holding distinctive prestige among the enterprising citizens of Montgomery county is Eugene C. Ashby, formerly a well known merchant, now the popular secretary of the Building and Loan Association at Ladoga, whose record here briefly outlined is that of a self-made man, distinctively the architect of his own fortunes, who, by the judicious exercise of the talents with which nature endowed him, successfully surmounted an unfavorable environment and rose to the position he now occupies as one of the substantial and influential men of the locality honored by his residence, having been true and loyal in all the relations of life, standing as a type of that sterling manhood which ever commands respect and honor. He is a man who would win his way in any locality in which fate might place him, for he has sound judgment, coupled with energy and business tact, together with upright principles, all of which make for success wherever and whenever they are rightly and persistently applied. Mr. Ashby is a creditable representative of one of the old and highly esteemed families of this section of the Wabash Valley country, the name Ashby having been a familiar sound in this county since the pioneer days, and our subject seems to have inherited many of the sturdy traits of his forebears. Mr. Ashby was born in Clark township, this county, May 8, 1863. He is a son of Silas F., Jr. and Ellen (McNary) Ashby. The father was born in Shelby county, Kentucky, December 25, 1826, and was a son of Silas F., Sr., and Nancy (Radford) Ashby, also natives of Shelby county, Kentucky. Silas F., Sr., was born in 1797, married in 1819 and died June 24, 1854; his wife was born in 1797 and died in 1855. Silas F., Sr., was a son of Thompson and Lottie Ashby. The paternal grandparents of our subject removed from the Blue Grass state to Montgomery county, Indiana, about 1829, however they remained here only a short time when they removed to Putnam county where they spent the rest of their lives, and on a farm in that county was reared Silas F. Ashby, Jr. he devoted his life successfully to farming and became the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of well improved land about two miles from Ladoga. He was quite an extensive dealer in grain and stock, and for a number of years ran the elevator at Ladoga. He handled between sixty thousand and seventy thousand bushels of grain annually. He was one of the most active business men in this part of the county and he took part in all improvements. He was at one time township trustee, also county commissioner. He was a member of the Masonic Order. Ellen McNary, mother of our subject, was born at Sharpsburg, Bath county, Kentucky, and was a daughter of Samuel McNary and wife. In 1860 her father was seized with the cholera and her brother was called home from Oberlin College and both he and Samuel McNary died within six hours after he arrived home. About a year later the mother died of grief, leaving the three daughters practically destitute. Ellen came to Montgomery county and taught school at Ashby's Mills on the southern line of the county and while there she and Silas F. Ashby, Jr., were married. Three children were born to them, namely: Cora E., now the wife of Henry T. Davis, of Chicago; Eugene C., subject of this review; and Edgar, of Ladoga. The death of Silas F. Ashby, Jr., occurred on June 15, 1911, his wife having preceded him to the grave on May 18, 1891. Eugene C. Ashby grew to manhood on the home farm in Clark township and there he assisted with the general work when he became of proper age. He received his education in the public schools of that locality and later attended the normal school at Ladoga. He began his business life by spending three years in a grocery store, then kept books in a bank at Ladoga for about four years, giving his employers eminent satisfaction, then, in 1887 he and William R. Hostetter and W. Morton Mills formed a partnership in the dry goods business at Ladoga, buying out George E. Grimes, and for a period of about twenty-two years Mr. Ashby was one of the leading merchants of Ladoga, enjoying an extensive and ever growing trade and carrying a large and carefully selected stock of goods at all seasons. They sold out the store in 1907, since which time Mr. Ashby has been secretary of the Ladoga Building and Loan Association and has also engaged in farming, owning a valuable and well improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres about a mile west of Ladoga. He is also a director in the Farmers and Merchants Bank. He has been very successful in a business way and is one of the financially strong me nof the town of Ladoga, whose interests he has always sought to promote. Fraternally, he belongs to the Masonic Order, having attained the Knights Templar degree in that time-honored fraternity. He also belongs to the Knights of Pythias. Mr. Ashby was married to Alice Graybill, December 30, 1885. She is a daughter of Josephus and Mary F. (Frame) Graybill, a highly respected family. To Mr. and Mrs. Ashby four children have been born, namely: Elsie, who is the wife of Carl Crawford, lives in Morgantown, West Virginia; Mary, who is teaching music and art in the schools of Windom, Minnesota; Frank and Russell, who are at home and attending high school.