Ashcraft Cemetery
Ashcraft Family Cemetery
Peaceful Hollow Road
Dry Ridge, Grant County, Kemtucky
by Verner Ashcraft - July 1984
Submitted by Bonnie Snow
Photos courtesy of Boston Cole Howe, Timothy Twehues and Lincoln Grant Howe
The first known record of the ASHCRAFT FAMILY CEMETERY is mentioned in the division of the land of JAMES ASHCRAFT estate. Grant County Kentucky Will Book F page 197, dated 12th September 1869: "First we laid off one half acre of land including the family burying ground" etc.
James Ashcraft was born 8 February 1790 in Virginia and died 4 August 1867. He married Elizabeth Wortman in Pendleton County 28 January 1808; she too was born in Virginia in 1782 and died 23 November 1878, age 96 years. They had ten children, five boys and five girls.
James Ashcraft was a private in the War of 1812 in Captain Thomas Childers' Company, Kentucky Mounted Volunteer Militia, Commanded by Colonel William Mountjoy.
Deed Book O pages 298 and 299 concerning the Grant County Circuit May Term Court 1868, naming the heirs of the deceased JAMES ASHCRAFT and at the end of page 299 "Forever
warrant and defend so far as they have secured assets from their said ancestor JED ASHCRAFT and no further JEDIAH ASHCRAFT". JEDIAH ASHCRAFT was a commissioned Officer in the Campbell County Regiment, Lieutenant, 21st Regiment, July 12 1797 and promoted to Captain in the 21st Regiment October 8 1798.
JEDIAH (JED) ASHCRAFT was one of the first appointed Magistrates when Grant County was formed in April 1820 out of Pendleton County. He was also a Justice of the Peace prior to 1820 in Pendleton County. Jediah Ashcraft resigned his Grant County appointment in June of 1820, no reason given. The September Grant County Court of 1820 indicates, Sarah Ashcraft, Jed's wife, and James Ashcraft, his son, were appointed
administraters of Jediah's estate account deceased. To date, no written record or marker of his burial has been located in either Pendleton or Grant Counties.
In the Cemetery there are eleven idendtifiable graves with markers and seventy one field stones head markers. Apparently there are other graves, not yet located, but time, weather and growth of vegetation has changed the cite. This cemetery has now been cleaned and fenced and shall be maintained.
The oldest member buried in the ASHCRAFT FAMILY CEMETERY is JAMES ASHCRAFT'S sister-in-law, Mary Wortman, age 99 years, died 1 August 1856 and buried next to her sister Elizabeth. A homemade marker of sand stone has two falling ash leaves etched thereon. The last buried was 17th March 1915, that of Napoleon Bonapart Ashcraft.
Those that assisted in the cleaning and fencing of the cemetery were Archie Ashcraft, Dale Ashcraft, Edward Hillman, Mr. & Mrs. Earl Pence and Verner Ashcraft, the latter's great grand father being Robert William, the youngest son of James and Elizabeth Ashcraft. Photos are by Charles Beiser, also related.
NOTE: The above sketch and the following list of the Ashcraft Family Cemetery was written by Verner Ashcraft, now deceased. Verner and the other Ashcraft descendants did a wonderful job cleaning and fencing the Ashcraft Cemetery; unfortunately it has not been maintained. Verner had obtained a Military Tombstone for James Richard Ashcraft's grave; this is now broken. The Cemetery is over grown and brush is taking over the monuments and stones. I hope that other descendants living in the Grant County area will take over and maintain this cemetery as the above mentioned people had intended it to be.
It is my belief that the Mary Wortman mentioned as being the sister of Elizabeth Wortman Ashcraft is in fact Elizabeth Wortman Ashcraft's mother, Mary Rancy Wortman. Mary Rancy Wortman was born 1756. I have found no record of Richard Wortman and Mary Rancy Wortman having a daughter named Mary. Richard Wortman's will written November 18 1835, mentions his wife, Mary Wortman and several children, none were named
"Mary". Bonnie Snow
ASHCRAFT CEMETERY
JAMES ASHCRAFT
Died August 14 1867
Age 77 years, 6 months, 6 days
A SOLDIER OF 1812
ELIZABETH ASHCRAFT
Wife of JAMES R. ASHCRAFT
Died November 23 1878
Age 96 years
M. W. (MARY WORTMAN, MOTHER OF ELIZABETH)
Died August 1 1856
Age 99 years
(Buried next to ELIZABETH WORTMAN ASHCRAFT, Handmade marker with two falling ash leaves)
WOODFORD, FLORENCE
Died March 8 1902
Age, 80 years, 8 months
RACHEL
WIFE OF WOODFORD FLORENCE
Died February 7 1875
Age 58 years, 11 months, 25 days
In Memory of
WILLIAM M. ASHCRAFT
Son of JEDIAH & JANE
Who died December 29 1832
Age 2 years
In Memory of
GEORGE W. ASHCRAFT
Son of JEDIAH & JANE
Died May 26 1848
Age 7 months 2 days
In Memory of MARY
Consort of R. CHILDERS
She died July 1832
Age 24 years, 2 monts, 18 days
N. B. ASHCRAFT (NAPOLEON BONAPARTE)
Born December 15 1833
Died March 17 1915
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
NANCY W. (NANCY McCANDLESS ASHCRAFT)
Wife of N. B. ASHCRAFT
Born December 6 1837
Died April 2 1899
WE MISS YOU
MARY JANE
Wife of R. A. ASHCRAFT
Died December 12 1885
Age 61 years 6 months 17 days
LUCINDA
Daughter of JEDIA & JANE ASHCRAFT
Died September 18 1853
Age 7 years 4 months 29 days
OH SING TO ME OF HEAVEN
WHEN I AM CALLED TO DIE
SING SONGS OF HOLY ECSTACY
TO WAFT MY SOUL ON HIGH
WHEN OLD AND SLUGGUSH DROPS
ROLL OFF MY MARBLE BROW
BREAK FORTH IN STRUMS OF JOYFULNESS
DELIVERANCE BEGINS BELOW
THEN TO MY ENRAPTURED EARS
ONE SWEET SONG BEGINS
LET MUSIC CHARM ME LAST ON EARTH
AND GREET ME FIRST IN HEAVEN
LYDIA NORTON (wife of HIRAM NORTON, daughter of JAMES & ELIZABETH WORTMAN ASHCRAFT)
ROW
1 FS FS FS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS
2 FS FS FS (1) (2) NS NS (3) FS FS NS FS* FS (4) (5) NS
3 NS NS NS NS FS FS FS FS (6) NS (7) (8) NS*FS FS*NS NS
4 FS* NS NS FS FS FS NS NS FS FS FS FS NS NS NS NS
FS FS
5 NS NS NS FS (9) (10) NS (11) FS FS FS FS* FS FS FS FS
6 FS* NS NS FS FS (12) FS FS FS FS FS NS NS FS* NS NS
FS FS
7 NS NS NS FS NS NS FS NS NS FS NS FS NS FS NS NS
8 FS* FS FS FS NS NS FS NS NS FS NS FS NS FS NS NS
9 FS NS NS NS NS FS FS FS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS
10 FS FS FS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS
NOTE: FS - FIELD STONE NS - NO STONE OR VACANT *STONE IN TREE
(1) FLORENCE (2) RACHEL (3) MARY (4) NAPOLEON BONAPARTE
(5) NANNCY W. (6) MARY WORTMAN (7) ELIZABETH (8) JAMES
(9) WILLIAM (10) GEORGE (11) LUCINDA (12) MARY
Original cemetery on half acre - the above d fenced approximately 100' X 100'.
Cemetery cleaned and fenced by *****. Edward Hillman, Archie Ashcraft, Dale Ashcraft
Verner Ashcraft, Mr. & Mrs. Floyd Pence.
Apparently other stones buried and not located to date, (67 head-field stones to date)
COMPILED BY: VERNER ASHCRAFT
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