John William Ashby (1833 - 1865)

Born 15 Dec 1833 in Frederick, Virginia, United States

Ancestors

Died 9 Apr 1865 at age 31 in Appomattox, Appomattox, Virginia, United States

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Biography

John Ashby served in the United States Civil War.
Mustered out: Apr 9, 1865 (KIA)
Side: CSA
Regiment(s): 2nd Virginia Cavalry

John William Ashby was born December 15, 1833 in Frederick, Virginia to Buckner Ashby and Sophia Baker.^[1]

Mother Sophia passed away in 1838, and in 1850 John was living with his father and brothers James 1832, and Buckner 1835.^[2]

John was not present in his father's house in 1860.

John William Ashby and brothers James Lewis and Buckner Ashby were with the Confederate forces in the Civil War. James in the 122nd Regiment, Buckner in the First Cavalry, and John in the 12th Regiment and/or 2nd Cavalry.^[3]

Brother Buckner survived the war as shown by birth record of a daughter Alice in 1869, and a census record for 1880, both in Warren Virginia.

Brother James died in the war per his Family Search Profile. ^[4]

John William Ashby fought in the siege of Petersburg, and in the battle of Appomattox thereafter.

One of the last fatalities of the war, John William Ashby is buried within a mile of the McLean House at Appomattox, where General Lee surrendered to General Grant. With John are 18 other soldiers, most unknown, and one Union soldier.

His Find A Grave Memorial show him buried at the Confederate Cemetery - Appomattox, Appomattox County, Virginia. ^[5]

Research Notes

1. There is an 1860 census for a John Ashby in Stafford Virginia, married to Martha, with 2 year old girl Georgianna, not this John Ashby, for he appears again in 1870.

2. There is a marriage record for Culpeper, VA for a John W Ashby to Agnes M Taylor on 18 April, 1859, but no evidence to link to the John Ashby of this profile.

3. Civil War service records note a John William Ashby in the 12th Regiment, and the Findagrave page states that. John's gravestone, however, notes 2nd Virginia Cavalry, and in a book written by Robert Driver on the 2nd Virginia Cavalry, JW Ashby is listed. To be determined if this John Ashby served in both units. As noted prior, there was another John Ashby, near identical age, living in Stafford at the same time.

Sources

1. ↑ "Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XRZX-25S : 6 August 2020), Buch... Ashby, 1830.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M88B-QSZ : 23 December 2020), John W Ashby in household of Buckner Ashby, Clarke, Virginia, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
3. ↑ "United States Civil War Soldiers Index, 1861-1865", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F92X-MTB : 25 August 2021), John W. Ashby, 1861-1865.
4. ↑ FamilySearch profile of James Lewis Ashby
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6444142/john-william-ashby : accessed 24 February 2022), memorial page for Pvt John William Ashby (15 Dec 1833–8 Apr 1865), Find A Grave: Memorial #6444142 citing Confederate Cemetery - Appomattox, Appomattox County, Virginia, USA ; Maintained by grave hunter (contributor 46506229) .

See Also:

• 1850 census Clarke County, Virginia, house 340, JOHN ASHBY
• 1861-65 military records
• 2nd Virginia Cavalry, Robert Driver
• Personal photo of gravesite: https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/30007040?cid=mem_copy