John Ashby
John Ashby was born in the territory of Indiana, in 1810, June 2nd. Fourteen years after that date he went to Cincinnati, Ohio. When he came to Ohio he learned the tanher's and currier's trade, but abandoned it afterward, and, coming to Harrison, entered into partnership with his brother, Hamilton, for the purpose of trading in dry goods. In 1843 he was appointed postmaster of Harrison, which position he kept for seven years. In 1851 he was engaged by William & Samuel Ferris to superintend their store, where he remained four years. One term he served as mayor of Harrison, and at several different times he has been elected to the office of justice of the peace, which office he is holding at the present time. He has always been a Democrat in politics. His first wife, Elizabeth Tooker was born in 1818, married in 1836, and died in 1854. She had five children: Martin V. B., Olin H. P., George M. D. (married to Clara Zeumer), Alice, and Ida. His second wife was Phoebe C. Zeumer, who died in August of 1879, at the age of fifty-eight.
From: History of Hamilton Co., Ohio, 1881; Compiled by: Henry A. Ford, A.M. and Mrs. Kate B. Ford; Publisher: L. A. Williams