Subj:  Possible origins of Wm. Ashley d. Madison Co. GA Bef 1840

[Excerpts from emails from , Dennis Smith, Hodges SC, July 1996]
...
It is interesting to me that you have a William Ashley and don't where
he came from and I have a William Ashley and don't know where he went.
Perhaps there is a connection.
...
A William Ashley b. c1747 MD, a soldier in the American Rev, saw
service in SC and probably in GA.  After his discharge in SC, he
remained in SC and over the next several years, his five brothers moved
to join him in Abbeville District, SC.  His brothers were: John,
Joshua, Aaron, Moses and Abraham.

In his will, William Ashley gave his wife a life estate in his small
farm so his will wasn't probated until after her death.  In 1849 his
daughter Sophia Smith filed a petition in partition, asking that the
farm be sold and the proceeds be distributed.

A summons in partition was issued, dated 1 Jan 1850, which named the
other heirs.  Of the other heirs, the following "resided without the
state (of SC): Sarah Gantt, Elizabeth Ashley, Anna Harris, Patsy Shaw,
Polly Pruitt, and the "widow & children of Wm Ashley, Jr. decd".  (It
is possible that William Jr. died before the rest of his family moved
but I have found no evidence of that.)

I haven't found a record that any of these persons appeared to answer
the summons.  I don't know the names of William Jr's wife or children
or where any of these people were living at the time (1850).

Since Sophia, William Sr's 3rd child, was born in 1785, it looks like
this family would fit your time frame.  One of William Sr's brothers
was named Moses Ashley.  There were many Ashley/Smith marriages within
these families.

My connection (unproven) is through the above Sophia Ashley who m
Daniel Smith in 1808.
...
Some of Sophia (Ashley) Smith's children (Richard Smith b 1810 and
Joshua Smith b 1812) seem to have left SC in the same time frame and I
haven't found them yet either.  It is likely/possible that they moved
with the Ashleys.

Do the above Harris, Pruitt, Shaw, etc. families happen to appear
before 1850 in any of the places where you have looked?
...
I have checked further and think that there is a pretty good chance
that we are talking about the same William Ashley.  Not proof, but good
clues.
...
The general summons (in the partition matter mentioned [previously])
lists all of the heirs of William Ashley, Sr.:
"To Sophia Smith, Sarah Gantt, Elizabeth Ashley, Anna Harris & husband
Jno. Harris, Patsy Shaw, Jonathan Pruitt, Polly his wife, Lila Ashley &
Nancy Ashley, heirs and legatees of William Ashley, Sr. dec'd or
diveses - greeting..."

Sophy Smith and Nancy Ashley signed an acceptance of service.

The summons to the out-of-state heirs reads:

"It appearing to my satisfaction that Sarah Gantt, Eliz Ashley, Anna
Harris, Patsy Shaw & Polly Pruitt and the widow & children of Wm.
Ashley, Jr. dec'd defendants reside without the state.  It is therefore
ordered that they do appear and object to the division or sale of the
Real Estate of Wm Ashley Jr. dec'd on or before the 1st of Jany 1850 or
their consent to the same will be entered of record.

Two of the heirs signed acceptance of service.  All of the others are
named in the out of state summons except ** Lila Ashley **.  Her name
is replaced with "widow and children of Wm Ashley, Jr. dec'd"

I believe that between the times of the two summons, it was determined
or believed that Lila Ashley had remarried but her new husband's
surname was unknown to either Sophy or Elizabeth.  It was also
determined that Wm Jr. had children (or grandchildren) both older and
younger than 21 yrs.  If they were all over 21 then a remarried widow
would have had no part in the estate.  She must have been mentioned due
to her position as guardian of one or more minor
children/grandchildren.

In the 1820 Abbeville District, SC census there was a William Ashley,
Sr family [1 male 45+ and 1 female 45+] and a William Ashley Jr. family
[5 males 0-10, 1 male 18-28, 1 female 0-10 and 1 female 16-26].  This
William Jr. would have been born between 1792  and 1802 which fits your
scenario.

In the 1830 Abbeville District, SC census we find only William Ashley
aged 70-80 with female (wife) aged 60-70 and two boys aged 15-20
(possibly two grandsons and since only one adult son died in his
lifetime, these could have been William Jr's sons).

In the Abbeville Dist, SC census of 1840 there is only one William
Ashley as HOH.  In this household there are 1 male under 5 (this could
be the James b.11835, 3 males 20-30, and one female 20-30.  This could
be your William R. Ashley and wife/sister with his two brothers living
with them.  The birthdates you give for William R., ?, and Moses would
fit here.  (With 3 adult males in the household, I don't know how they
decided who was HOH.  Perhaps they picked the oldest.)  This family is
not living near the other Ashley families but is living next to a Jane
Donald whose household consists of herself and 20 slaves.  The Ashleys
may have been acting as overseers or otherwise helping on her farm.

The minimum distance between Abbeville Co. and Madison Co. GA is only 
about 35 miles.  Travel between the two areas would not have been 
difficult even in 1830.

In the 1850 census of Abbeville District, there is only one William
Ashley as HOH.  Born 1803 in Maryland.  I have him as a son of a Moses
Ashley who was a brother of William Ashley, Sr.  (Note:  William Sr.
came from MD to SC during the Amer Rev and stayed.  Over the next 20
years, all five of his brothers and their families joined him in
Abbeville Co. SC.

In 1850, there are several William & Moses Ashley's who are sons of
Moses Ashleys.  In one area, there were 4 Moses Ashleys within 4
adjacent homes.

I will try to get census indexes for Madison Co. GA and see if any of
my other misplaced persons turn up.  Families were inclined to move
around together in those days.  So If William Jr. went to GA, the
Harris' and Pruitts probably did as well.
...
I think the "Lila" Ashley mentioned in the summons could be a real
clue.
...