James Ashald
James Ashald, furniture dealer and undertaker, Garrettsville, is a son of Abel and Elizabeth (Wright) Ashald, natives of England, who came to America in 1830, and settled at Stockbridge, Mass. They were parents of seven children, of whom James is the eldest. Our subject was born in Buckinghamshire, England, October 21, 1827. He received a limited education, and in early life commenced to learn his trade. He was married, March 19, 1851, to Miss Maria Doty, born in Green River, Columbia Co., N. Y., January 11,1832, by whom he has two sons: Albert H, station agent of the Union Pacific Railroad at Brainard, Neb., and William W., train dispatcher for the New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Railway at Gallon, Ohio. In 1852 Mr. Ashald went to Troy, N. Y., where he remained about four years, and then removed to Garrettsville, Ohio, and engaged with Manly & Beach, whom he bought out two years later. In 1860 the firm became Ashald & Demorest, and remained thus four years (they also had a large branch establishment in Youngstown, Ohio). In 1864 Mr. Ashald retired and formed a partnership with his brother, with whom he remained in business about two years, at the end of which time he engaged with E. A. Upham, as salesman. At the death of the latter; the business eventually came into the hands of Mr. Ashald, who has since continued in the same building. He is one of the oldest undertakers in the county, having followed it since 1860. He has held nearly every office in Garrettsville and the township: Mayor, Justice of the Peace, member of the School Board, School Director, etc., etc. He has been a member of the Congregational Church since 1856, and one of the Trustees nearly all that time. During the same year he became a member of Garrettsville Lodge, No. 246, F. & A. M. In politics he was formerly a Whig, but now a Republican.
From History of Portage County, Ohio, Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, 1885