of Stafford, Frederick and Fauquier Cos, VA
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| Capt. John and Jane Combs ASHBY of Stafford, Frederick and Fauquier Cos, VA |
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Important! This family has not yet been actively researched by Combs Research, and the following consists of "bits and pieces" of records, etc., plus some undocumented data for which we are still seeking sources. This is an incomplete first rough draft only!
Jane Combs (Joseph I), born bef 1728, Stafford Co, VA; died bef Oct 1783, (possibly) Fauquier Co, VA; married 11 May 1741, Overwharton Parish, Stafford Co, VA, John ASHBY, b 1707, possibly Stafford Co, Virginia; died 1797; m (2) 27 Oct 1783, Fauquier Co, VA, Catherine HUFFMAN (no more information).
Jane is documented as a daughter of Joseph I by 1756 Stafford Co, VA deeds of gifts from her father. Her birth year is est. on her having been 13+ years of age at the time of her marriage. Her birth location is based on her father's residence at the time. She died bef Oct 1783, probably in Fauquier Co, VA (when and where her husband remarried). Her marriage and the birth of her first child, Elizabeth (9 Jul 1742), is recorded in the Overwharton Parish Register of Stafford C, VA. John's birth and death years are both undocumented. According to Burke's "Prominent Families of the United States of America," ISBN 0-8063-1208-0, p226, "John ASHBY, Colonel (1707-1797), b 1707: Captain, 2nd Company Virginia Rangers, 1755, and took part in the Braddock Campaign under WASHINGTON; m (l) 11 May 1741, Jean Combs and had issue:-Nathanial; Lewis, m Leannah BUCKNER; Edward; John; Elizabeth, m Colonel John PETERS; Charlotte."*
*According to several DAR Applications by descendants of Charlotte ASHBY, she was the wife of John's daughter by his second wife, Catherine HUFFMAN.
Sometime after the birth of Elizabeth in 1742 and before 1756, John and Jane removed to Frederick Co, VA where John ASHBY operated a ferry and tavern at Ashby Gap (described by The Combes Genealogy…, p. 100, as having been located: "...about eighteen miles southeast of Winchester, or in the vicinity of what is now Berry's Ferry. It was near where Federal Highway No. 50 crosses the river...")
It was during this period, the French and Indian Wars, that the infamous Dec 1755 letter from George WASHINGTON was sent to Capt. John ASHBY (2nd Company of Rangers), dressing him down for the "great irregularities" in his camp, including both the "... misbehaviour of your Wife; who I am told sows sedition among the men, and is chief of every mutiny..." and the selling of rum by John's brother-in-law, Joseph Combs (George Washington Papers, 1755 John Ashby Letter).
By 1770, Capt. John ASHBY had removed to Fauquier Co, VA (Rent Roll) and in May of 1773, John ASHBY was cited for illegal liquor sales. According to Ashby Researcher Andrea Kent this was the same John ASHBY who m Jane Combs. Andrea adds, from unsourced notes: "A British officer captured at Yorktown wrote of his 1781 visit to the Ashby inn and spoke to a woman who matches Jane's description. In their conversation, she said that she would treat him kindly, as her mother was born in England."
Important! Seeking full citation and transcription of this letter. If this was Jane Combs Ashby, this source could provide not only documentation that she was still alive, but a clue as to her mother's identity and ancestry.
It is not known when Jane died, other than prior to her husband's remarriage in Oct 1783, but in 1787, the Fauquier Co, VA Tax List included several ASHBYS, including on Tax List A, 2 Apr 1787, John ASHBY, Sr. who tithed himself and Edward ASHBY (21+), no white males 16-21, 6 blacks over 16 and 10 blacks under 16, eight horses and 11 head of cattle. On Tax List B, 20 Mar 1787, were an Enoch ASHBY who was listed on same date as a Samuel KENDALL, and on 28 Mar 1787 a John and Robert ASHBY (each tithing themselves only). Robert ASHBY may have been the same who married a Catherine Combs (See Fauquier and Stafford Co, VA records).
With the exception of their eldest child, Elizabeth, the children of John and Jane Combs Ashby remain undocumented (pending collection of applicable records).
According to the James Logan Kendall Manuscript, Elizabeth died in Woodford Co, KY (undocumented), apparently following the death of her husband, Col. John PETERS, who d testate in Fauquier Co, VA, his will dated 04 Oct 1781 (Fauquier Co VA WB1:428), in which he named wife Elizabeth, bequeathing her land described as "...at the beginning of the line of John Combs deceased, along the ridge road that leads to Mr John NELSONS, and the land belonging to LUTTRELS estate thense to the road to James PETERS line thence to with this line to Joseph Combs thence with his line to the said ridge road..." Reference is also made to lands in Kentucky as well as Fauquier County land adjoining that of Mr. William ROUSSEAU; and land in Stafford described as "on the Branch of Aquia 413 acres, and "lying on the east side of the Old fall road bonded by road and Joseph Combs Line. Executors were his "beloved wife," John ASHBY, James PETERS, Joseph Combs and Cuthbert Combs.
John, deceased (h/o Sarah LUTTRELL), Joseph and Cuthbert Combs would have been Elizabeth's first cousins, sons of John and Seth BULLITT Combs, Sr. William ROUSSEAU, Sr. and wife, Priscilla MAUZEY were the parents of Margaret ROUSSEAU who had married 1779 Fauquier, Ennis Combs, also a son of John and Seth BULLITT Combs, Sr. The Fauquier Co, VA land of John Combs, deceased was gifted to him by his parents in 1766, and is described as on the lines of (adjacent to) Michael LUTTRELL and James PETERS.
The latter may have been the father of Col. John PETERS based on a 24 Nov 1775 (dated) Fauquier Co, VA deed (Fauquier Co DB?:219-222) from John PETERS and Betty, his wife to James PETERS, for L100, "part of larger tract belonging to James PETERS, Sr., dec'd and beq. to sd. John, his son .. Carters Road where a path crosses where James PETERS, dec'd. formerly lived to a place where Edward WOOD formerly lived .. Joseph Combs' line .. cor. to sd. Combs by Edward WOODS old field .. lick branch .. edge of John PETERS' old field .. 120 a. .. s/John PETERS, Betty PETERS, Rec. 27 Nov 1775, ack. by grantors."
Both Burke and Kendall list Lewis and wife, Leannah (marriage date added from Fauquier Co, VA records). According to Ashby Researcher Andrea Kent, both Lewis and his brother, Nathaniel (see next), served in the Revolutionary War (Andrea is currently researching this family, but does not yet have documentation for above).
Nathaniel is listed by both Burke and Kendall, with Kendall adding the marriage and her ancestry (marriage date added from Fauquier Co, VA records). A John ASHBY was listed in the 1768 estate accounts of a John MAUZEY in Fauquier as "John ASHBY for whiskey," but not known which. Nor is the relationship of John MAUZEY to Priscilla MAUZEY Rousseau known as yet (if any).
Kendall and Burke both list a John ASHBY as the s/o John and Jane, but Kendall adds the above birthdate, which is the same as that of a John ASHBY listed in the Overwharton Parish Register of Stafford Co, VA as "John, son of John ASHBY." If John ASHBY born 1756 was the same as John ASHBY, s/o John and Jane, it might be an indication that Jane returned home to her father from Frederick County for his birth (or perhaps under duress, given Washington's threats to her expel her from camp?) Or perhaps that she and John ASHBY continued to maintain a residence in Stafford (See also 12 Jul 1756 Stafford record re John ASHBY who traveled 12 miles to Prince William Co, VA in MURDOCH vs. RALLS)? John One John ASHBY witnessed the 1810 Stafford Co, VA will of Joseph Combs III (s/o John & Seth BULLITT Combs, Sr.), but has not been identified. He was probably the same born 1775-1794 per the 1810 Stafford census where he is listed adj. to George and Seth Combs Tolson (d/o Joseph Combs III), thus probably far too young to have been Jane's son.
If the latter was the same who was in Fauquier Co, VA in 1787, he may have been the following (born 11 months after Elizabeth?), and possibly the same John ASHBY, Jr. who m 15 Feb 1760, Fauquier Co, VA, Mary TURNER (Fauquier Co, VA Marriage Bonds):
John ASHBY BIBLE of Fauquier Co. Owner: Martha Ann Ashby (decd) DAR Records, Ga. State Archives (Provided by Combs Researcher Pat Orton who adds that she has not identified the ancestry of this John ASHBY:
John Ashby 4/1/1743-4/5/1815, aged 75 yrs., 5 days
Mary Ashby 1750-4/26/1826, aged 76 yrs.
BIRTHS of Children of John and Molley Ashby
Martha Ann Ashby 1/5/1770
Dolly Ashby 1/25/1772
Samuel Ashby 8/17/1773
John Ashby 9/9/1775
Nimrod Ashby 10/7/1778
William Ashby 12/19/1780
Betsy Ashby 9/10/1782
Tomson Ashby 3/31/1785
Son b. & d. 3/28/1787
Turner Ashby 8/31/1789
Marshall Ashby 11/8/1798
MARRIAGES
John Tutt to Betsy Ashby 2/1803 by Rev. James Thompson
"Copied from an English Prayer Book containing a New Version of The Psalms of David presented at the Court at Kensington, December 3td 1696."
"Ashby Prayer Book owned by Patsy (Martha) Ann Ashby of Fauquier Co., Va. She married William Withers."
"The above mentioned Prayer Book is now the property of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Purse of Savannah, Georgia."
Thomas Purse, son of Laura Ashby Purse Laura Ashby, dau. of Marshall Ashby
Both Kendall and Burke include Edward, but with no additional info. He was probably the Edward ASHBY tithed by John, Sr. in 1787 in Fauquier, who may have been the Edward ASHBY who witnessed a 1785 deed in Fauquier Co, VA for Joseph Combs III, s/o John and Seth BULLITT Combs, Sr.
Jennie (a.k.a. Jane?) and her marriage are listed by Kendall, but not by Burke. Could this marriage have been confused with that of Joshua DARNELL to the daughter of Daniel Combs of Montgomery Co, KY?
There are apparently no early DAR applications on file for descendants of Jane Combs Ashby, but the following for descendants of John's daughter, Charlotte, by second wife, Catherine HUFFMAN, are a partial, but undocumented source for both service of his sons and his own service. Note, however, that these indicate he died in Winchester, Frederick Co, VA, not Fauquier.
The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution Volume 81: Mrs. Sallie PARKER Scudder. DAR ID Number: 80889. Born in Lexington, Ky. Wife of Capt. T. D. SCUDDER. Descendant of John ASHBY. Daughter of Warren Orlando PARKER (1821-98) and Rebecca E. Littlepage MCCONNELL (b. 1828), his wife, m. 1844. Granddaughter of Wilson Hobbs PARKER and Charlotte ASHBY, his 2nd wife. Gr-granddaughter of John ASHBY and Catherine HUFFMAN, his 2nd wife, m. 1781. John Ashby (1707-97) was a patriot during the Revolution and had several sons in the army. He was born in Winchester; died in Virginia.
The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution Volume 102: Mrs. Elizabeth C. PARKER Bradford. DAR ID Number: 101849. Born in Lexington, Ky. Wife of Dr. George A. BRADFORD. Descendant of John ASHBY and of Julius CLARKSON, as follows: 1. Warren P. PARKER (1821-98) m. 1844 Rebecca E. Littlepage MCCONNELL (1828-1917). 2. Wilson Hobbs PARKER m. 2nd Charlotte ASHBY; John McCONNELL (1774-1834) m. 1804 Elizabeth Butts CLARKSON (1781-1835). 3. John ASHBY m. 2nd, 1781 Cathrine HUFFMAN; Julius CLARKSON m. 1773 Elizabeth SANDIDGE (1754-98). John ASHBY (1707-97), a patriot during the Revolution, had three sons in the army. He was born and died in Winchester, Va. Also No. 80889. Julius CLARKSON (1749-1831) served as a private in the Virginia troops. He was born in Albemarle County, Va.; died in Bourbon County, Ky.
The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution Volume 156, page 64: Mrs. Sidney GRAVES Wright. DAR ID Number: 155194. Born in Fayette County, Ky. Wife of Edward G. WRIGHT. Descendant of Capt. Jonathan ROBINSON and of John ASHBY, as follows: 1. James Dougherty GRAVES (1840-1921) m. 1869 Teresa C. PARKER (1851-1923). 2. George W. GRAVES (b. 1808) m. 1831 Sidney Jane DOUGHERTY (1817-83); Montgomery H. PARKER (d. 1877) m. 1847 Nannie HUNT (d. 1859). 3. James DOUGHERTY (b. 1783) m. 1816 Jean Black ROBINSON (1789-1819); Wilson Hobbs PARKER m. Charlotte ASHBY (Satterwhite). 4. Jonathan ROBINSON m. Jean BLACK; John ASHBY m. 2d 1781 Catherine HUFFMAN. Jonathan ROBINSON (1752-1834) commanded a company in the 4th regiment, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Infantry. He was born in Dauphin County, Pa.; died in Lexington, Ky. Also No. 134628. John ASHBY (1707-97), a patriot of Virginia, gave material aid. He was born in Stafford County; died in Frederick County, Va. Also No. 151606.