Subj: William Riley Ashley(s)? ... The William Riley Ashley that I have was a 1st cousin to my ancestor (James Ashley). William R. was a son of Roberson & Nelly (Ashley) Ashley (first cousins). He was born 14 Dec 1862 in Cherokee Co AL and d 19 Feb 1962 Etowah Co AL. Roberson Ashley, son of Moses L. and Sarah (Browder) Ashley, was born 27 Jul 1820 in Abbeville Co SC and d 1900-1910 Cherokee Co AL; Nelly Ashley, d/o Aaron and Catherine (Unknown) Ashley, b: Jan 1820 d: 1900-1910 Cherokee Co AL. Aaron and Moses L. were brothers. Both moved to Abbeville Co SC from Kent Co MD around 1805 (bet. 1800-1810). Their older brothers - William, Joshua, and John had been living in Abbeville for awhile (maybe 25 years). > JR: I was surprised that I did not find a single > Moses Ashley in the 1820 census for Abbeville. I couldn't find my Aaron in 1820 either -- he was on the 1810 & 1830 Abbeville Co SC Census, but not 1820 There were a lot of Ashley-Shaw marriages in Abbeville Co SC (I mention this because of your William's son Samuel's middle name). My 3rd great grandparents: Aaron Ashley s/o Aaron & Catherine (Unknown) Ashley, married Amy Shaw d/o Robert Washington & Martha "Patsy" (Ashley) Shaw. Robert W. was a son of Samuel and Martha (Unknown) Shaw; Martha Ashley was a d/o John & Amy (Unknown) Ashley. Could your Della have been a Shaw?? Samuel Shaw b: c1784 d: 1840-1850 prob. in Elbert Co GA, s/o Samuel & Mary (Morrison) Shaw. Samuel Shaw b: c1750 York Co PA(? not proven) d: 16 Aug 1805 Abbeville Co SC, was a son of Daniel & Catherine (Unknown) Shaw. Daniel b: c1725 d: 1783 Abbeville Co SC Have you gotten 1850 census info. for William Riley? SC William Ashleys: There were 4 Williams in SC in 1820 -- 2 of those were in Abbeville, and I know that one was William b: 1757 Kent Co MD, and the other one could have been: William b: c1795 s/o William & Ann (Unknown) Ashley or William b: 1803 s/o Moses & Sarah (Browder) Ashley or your William [JR note: at this point, I think that the Wm. Ashley on p.33a of the Abbeville Co. SC 1820 census is "ours".] Then there is the William in Barnwell Co but I don't think he is yours since he just had one male (under 10); so that leaves the one in Greenville Co which could be yours since he had 3 males und 10 and 3 males 10-15 Probably daughters of William & Della??: Ashley, Sarah married Higgenbotham, Mathew on 04 May 1836 in Madison County,Georgia Ashley, Ann married Criswell, John on 06 Apr 1841 in Madison County, Georgia There is a Mal(?) HEZZENBOTHAM on the 1840 Madison Co GA Census Index (Ancestry.com) on the same page (39) as Deliala Ashley There is a John J. Criswell on the 1850 AL Census Index in Greene Co AL p.257 ...