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History And Genealogy Of The
California Ashworth Family |
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David Crogan Ashworth came west to California along the Southern trail in 1848 with his wife Jessina 'Fanny' Ashworth. The pioneers started from Missouri. With them were David's eight year old daughter Louisa from his first marriage. Also with them were David and Jessina's first child David Marion Ashworth born on September 23, 1848 in Missouri shortly before they left on the trail. While on the trail David Marion learned how to walk. The Ashworth's entered California at the Gila Crossing located on the Colorado river. They traveled west until they reached present day San Diego county. At that point the travelers turned north and took the El Camino Real up the coast to San Jose. Upon reaching San Jose they turned east to reach the southern gold fields of California. They reached the town of Coulterville in December of 1849. There David tried his hand at running a store. The couple later moved to Agua Fria located west of Mariposa. Finally they settled in the town of Mariposa where David became a rancher. The family put down it roots there and descendants of the family live there still today. The second child born to David and Jessina on May 01, 1851 was Emma Jane Ashworth. Not much is known about her except that she was married to Joseph Dick before passing away a week after the marriage on September 30, 1869. We have been unable to find a death certificate to tell us what happened to poor Emma. What is known is that life in the gold mining camps of California was hard and disease was rampant. Martha Ann Ashworth was born next on June 23, 1853 in Mariposa. Not much is known about Martha except that she was married three times and passed away in Raymond, California in 1926. Next came Phenas Schedrick Ashworth born on Halloween in 1855. Phenas like his father was a rancher. He was also known to be good with a gun. Phenas married Mary Ellen Reynolds on June 22, 1882 in Mariposa, California. They had eight children together. Phenas lived until February 15, 1930. Born on March 20, 1858 was Joel Beauregard Ashworth. Also known as Bouie Ashworth. Joel was a master craftsman and blacksmith. He built stage coaches and wagons for the Washburn brothers owners of the Wawona Hotel. Joel built the famous Cannonball stagecoach that was used to take Yosemite valley visitors from Raymond to Wawona. Joel resided in the Oakvale area of Mariposa county. He married Alice Phoebe Hodgson on Christmas of 1891. Joel and Phoebe had 10 children. Joel was 85 when he died on October 25, 1943.
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