The Willis Ashley Family

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Willis Ashley → Stepfather to Mattie Elizabeth McHale-Ashley 1880 → she married Thomas Berry Lanham 1882 (see The Thomas Berry (T.B.) Lanham Family)

Willis ASHLEY was born after 1867 and he died from November 1885 to June 1900.[1]

Caution
 SPECTULATION: I do not have any proof yet, but I found a promising lead on Willis Ashley. The 1880 Census shows a 54-year old widower named Willis Ashley living with his 27 year old blacksmith son in Franklin county, TN. He was a blacksmith. Could this have been Cassandra’s Willis?.[2] That census showed head of household Ben. Ashley 27, with wife, Moley R. Ashley 19, and children Manny Ashley 10, Joanah Ashley 4, and father Wilis Ashley 54, with others Faney Ashley 12, Delilah Ashley 4/12, and Jessey J. Ashley 14. This Willis' wife, Preshia Prince, died in 1867. A researcher named Ethel Taylor said in 1997 that this Willis went to Texas with a family named SISK. This Willis died 25 February 1892 in Rockwall, Texas. Cassandra’s mother Julie Edith Sisk lived in Franklin County, TN in 1880 and moved to Rockwall, Texas. Julia Edith Sisk died in Rockwall in 1899. More research is needed to confirm.

Willis married Cassandra Minerva Jane SISK , a daughter of J. E. and Julia Edith Sisk on 17 November 1885 in Winchester, Franklin, Tennessee, United States when she was 44 years old.[3] [4]

WillisAshleyMarriagetoCassandra
Figure 1. Their Marriage License dated 14 Nov 1885
WillisAshleyMarriageToCMJSisk
Figure 2. Tennessee Marriage Records Show Their Marriage Solemnized 17 Nov 1885

Cassandra was born in Franklin County, Tennessee. The 1900 Rockwall Co., Texas census indicated she was born March 1843, the 1880 Franklin Co., Tenn. census indicates she was born 1842, and her tombstone indicates 1841. The tombstone appears to be in error. The 1900 census shows her birthdate as March 1843. The 1910 census where she lived with her son William Harvey in Martha Oklahoma at age 67 shows she was born (1910-67=1843) in North Carolina. There is a disconnect somewhere on her birthdate.

JESisk1870CensusAlabamaMadisonHeader
Figure 3. United States Census, 1870, Alabama, Madison Township 3 Range 15 Header Row
JESisk1870CensusAlabamaMadison
Figure 4. United States Census, 1870, Alabama, Madison Township 3 Range 15

The 1880 Franklin Co., Tenn. census indicated she was living with her mother Julia E. Sisk, and her name appeared to be Cassandra Mchall, and checked as being divorced or widow, a daughter, Walter, age 13 and Wilburn age two living together. Some members of the Sisk family did recall hearing talk about a girl by the name of Walter and that she stayed in Tennessee when the other Sisk group came to the Rockwall, Texas area. Cassandra M. J. died 1922 and is buried at Martha, Okla.

JuliaSisk1880CensusTN
Figure 5. US Census 1880, Franklin, Tennessee showing Cassandra living with her Mother [5]

Five years after Willis and Cassandra married, the 1900 census shows the Cassandra using the married name Ashley, but she shows as widowed at 57 years old and living with her 22 year old son Gideon. Willis is not in that census.

Records show an application for U.S. Social Security benefits that listed Willis Ashley, male, with spouse: 'Casander' Sisk, and child: William Harvey Ashley.[6]

GidAshleyandSiblingsCensus1900Header
GidAshleyandSiblingsCensus1900
Figure 6. US Census 1900 Royce City, Rockwall, Texas showing Cassandra, Gid, Mattie, and William Ashley [7]

After living with Gid in Rockwall, Texas in 1900, the census shows her living with William Harvey and Ophelia in Martha Oklahoma in the 1910 census.

CassandraCensus1910Header
CassandraCensus1910
Figure 7. Cassandra in US Census 1910 Martha, Jackson, Oklahoma.[8]
Ashley CMJ2
Figure 8. Cassandra M. J. Ashley’s Grave Stone in Oklahoma

Cassandra brought the following children to this Ashley marriage from her first marriage to McHale: Waltie McHale, Gideon Wilburn McHale. It appears that McHale may have been the father to Mattie Elizabeth too.

Willis and Cassandra had the following children together: William Harve Ashley.

(ii.) Stepdaughter, Waltie McHale.

(ii.) Stepson, Gideon Wilburn (GID) McHale, used the last name ASHLEY , was born 30 August 1877 in Franklin County, Tennessee and married Dovie LEONARD, 21 October 1900 at Garland, Rockwall County, Texas. See [The_Gideon_W._Ashley_Family] for details.

(iii.) Stepdaughter or Daughter [9], Mattie Elizabeth ASHLEY , was born 14 November 1880 at Beans Creek, Franklin Co., Tennessee, and married THOMAS BERRY (T. B.) LANHAM of Rockwall, Texas 15 November 1903. (see [The_Thomas_Berry_T.B._Lanham_Family] for details).

CMJ Sisk Worthy 1907 BabyMattie E. Lanham Mother
Figure 9. Cassandra Minerva Jane Sisk with little Mattie Elizabeth ASHLEY

(iii.) Son, William Harvey ASHLEY , was born 7 June 1885 [10] in Franklin County, Tennessee. He married Ophelia Mae BOYD [10] on 06 Dec 1903 [11] in Rockwall, Texas. [11]

WilliamHarveyAshleyAndOphelia
Figure 10. William Harvey Ashley and Ophelia

Ophelia was born about 1884 in Texas. [12] Her father was born in Mississippi and her mother in Tennessee. [12] William Harve died 13 August 1937 and Mae died 1969, and both are buried at Altus, Oklahoma.

WilliamHarveyAshleyDraftCard
Figure 11. William Harvey Ashley’s World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Card [10]
WHAshleyCensus1910MarthaOklahoma
Figure 12. US Census 1910, Martha Township, Jackson, Oklahoma [12]

The US Census 1910 shows the household includes: W H Ashley, M, 25y, born Tennessee; wife O M Ashley, F, 26y, born Texas; dau L M Ashley, F, 4y, born Texas; son G B Ashley, M, 2y, Oklahoma; mother C M Ashley, F, 67y, born North Carolina.

(2) G. B. Ashley, was born 13 March 1908 in Jackson Co., Oklahoma. He married No. 2 Euva Bell Kastner 28 March 1928 at Altus, Okla. G.B. died in 1983. Euva died in 2007.

20100730 11scaled
Figure 13. GB Ashley’s Grave Stone'
Ashley Euva
Figure 14. Euva' Ashley’s Grave Stone

They had one son:

(2a) Glen Burl Ashley, died 12 January 1983, and is buried at the Altus Cemetery.

(3) Katrina Ashley, was born 7 December 1911 at Altus, Okla. and married Bill Fox. Katrina died 23 December 1960 and is buried at Altus.

(4) Barney Ashley, was born 1 December 1914 at Altus, Okla. and married Laura Bell Howard. Barney and Laura lived in Altus, Okla., and they have one daughter. Barney died 5 Feb 1997, and Laura Bell died 7 Jan 2009. They are both buried in Altus, OK.

Ashley BarneyAndLauraBelle
Figure 15. Barney and Laura’s Grave Stone

(5) William Harvey Ashley, was born 1 December 1918 at Altus, Okla., and he married Mamie Bell Raley, they lived in Altus. William Harvey Ashley died 14 Oct 2000. Mamie Bell died 13 May 2005.

Ashley MammieAndHarvey
Figure 16. William and Mamie Ashley’s Grave Stone

Cassandra M. J. died 1922 and is buried at Martha, Okla.

Ashley CMJ2
Figure 17. Cassandra M. J. Ashley’s Grave Stone in Oklahoma

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1. He marries Cassandra in November 1885 and is not present on the 1900 census with the family.
2. Year: 1880; Census Place: District 16, Franklin, Tennessee; Roll: 1254; Page: 153B; Enumeration District: 096
3. Tennessee Marriages, 1796-1950, Name: Willis Ashley, Spouse’s Name: Cass. Anda Mchale, Event Date: 17 Nov 1885, Event Place: Franklin,Tennessee
4. "Tennessee State Marriage Index, 1780-2002," database, FamilySearch (familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNH2-6TX : 4 December 2014), Willis Ashley and Cass Audd (Unknown) Mchale, 17 Nov 1885; from "Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002," database and images, Ancestry . com : 2008); citing p. 48, Franklin, Tennessee, United States, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee.
5. "United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MD77-SKS : accessed 01 Apr 2013), Julia E. Sisk, 1880.
6. Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007.
7. "United States Census, 1900," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M357-VJ8 : accessed 07 Apr 2013), William H Ashley in entry for Gideon W Ashley, 1900.
8. Year: 1910; Census Place: Martha, Jackson, Oklahoma; Roll: T624_1255; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 0144; FHL microfilm: 1375268, by Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
9. It is not clear based on the dates, but based on the marriage of CMJ to Willis Ashley in 1885, I assume James McHale is Mattie Elizabeth’s father, but he died the year of her birth.
10. "United States, World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KZDJ-5W3 : accessed 07 Apr 2013), William Harvey Ashley, 1917-1918.
11. "Texas, Marriages, 1837-1973," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FXMV-2ZK : accessed 07 Apr 2013), Harvey Ashley and Ophelia Boyd, 06 Dec 1903.
12. "United States Census, 1900," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M35Q-14G : accessed 07 Apr 2013), Ophelia Boyd in entry for John B Boyd, 1900.

Updated on 01 Jan 0001

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