Francis Ashton
Francis Ashton, son of Francis and Elizabeth Ashton, was born in Lincolnshire, England, March 9, 1831. He married Mary, daughter of Abraham and Magdalena Lantz. She was born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, Jan. 9, 1833. They have five children: Libbie M., May R. A., John R., Fannie B. and Hattie B. Ashton.
From 1875 Historical Atlas of Allen County, Ohio by H H Hardesty & Co. Publishers, Chicago.
Francis Ashton, a retired business man of Lima, was for many years largely interested in the grocery and lumber industries of this city. He is a son ofFrancis and Elizabeth (Mackinder) Ashton, and was born March 9, 1831, in Lincolnshire, England.
Mr. Ashton came to America in early boyhood and received his education in the State of Ohio. His first business venture was at Kenton, Ohio, where he and his brother William Ashton, engaged in the hardware line. This was continued until 1854, when he came to Lima and opened a hardware store, which he conducted alone for about 15 years. Soon after retiring from this work, Mr. Ashton became interested in the grocery business, his partner being John Wheeler. The firm of Wheeler & Ashton was continued five years, when Mr. Wheeler retired and his place was taken by Henry Ashton, another brother of our subject. F. & H. Ashton conducted the business very successfully until 1880, when Francis Ashton became associated with Thomas R. Dobbins and opened a lumber-yard on South Main street. Here they soon worked up a prosperous trade, which was continued until Mr. Ashton's retirement from business in the latter part of the '80's.
Mr. Ashton was married in 1856 to Mary Lantz and the following children have blessed their union: Elizabeth, wife of Charles Dunan, of San Francisco, California; Annie, wife of R. M. Hughes, with the MacDonald Jewelry Company of Lima; John R., of Lima; Hattie B., wife of Frederick J. DeGrief, of Lima; and F. L., a prosperous hardware merchant of Celina, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Ashton attend the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Ashton has been prominent in Odd Fellow and Masonic circles for many years. He was treasurer of Allen Lodge, No. 223, I. O. O. F., for 25 years and for several years held the same office in the Shawnee Commandery, No. 14, K. T. He was also for many years treasurer of Lima Council, No. 20, R. & S. M. He is one of the city's representative men, and has contributed largely to the prosperity and advancement which have attended the community in which he still takes a lively and substantial interest.
From History of Allen County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 2, Edited & Compiled by Charles C. Miller, Ph. D.; Richmond & Arnold, Publishers, Chicago, 1906