John Cornelius Asbury (abt. 1862 - abt. 1941)

Born about 9 Apr 1862 in Washington, Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Catherine Elizabette (Allen) Asbury — married 1 Dec 1886 in Norfolk, Virginia, United States

Husband of Ida Elizabeth (Bowser) Asbury — married 17 Jun 1901 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Died about 8 Sep 1941 at about age 79 in Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

John Asbury is Notable.

John Asbury was a Pennsylvanian.

John Cornelius Asbury was a lawyer and state legislator in Pennsylvania. He served two terms in the Pennsylvania General Assembly in the 1920s and sponsored civil rights bills. ^[1]

John Cornelius Asbury was the son of John S. Asbury and Narcissa Adams, ^[2] and grandson of William Asbury and Letticia (maiden name unknown). He was born in 1862 in West Middleton, Washington County, Pennsylvania. After graduating from Zion Hill Normal and Collegiate Institute at West Middleton, he taught public school for several years before matriculating at Washington and Jefferson College in the fall of 1880. In 1882, he left to attend Howard University, where he earned his LL.B. degree in 1884 and then his LL.M. degree the following year.

He practiced law first in Norfolk, Virginia where he served as Commonwealth's Attorney from 1887 to 1891, then moved to Philadelphia, where he became one of the first African American alternate delegates to the 1912 Republican National Convention in Minneapolis. He continued to hold several offices in Philadephia and Pennsylvania, including: Assistant City Solicitor (1916-1920), a Republican member of the State Assembly (1921-1925), Assistant District Attorney of Philadelphia (1928-1932). Deputy Auditor General, office of the Pennsylvania Auditor General (1932-1937). ^{[3] [4]}

Asbury was also the Republican leader of the city's 30th ward, president of Keystone Bank, and Sunday School Superintendent at Union Baptist Church. One of the first public acts by members of Philadelphia's African Community was a petition to the Pennsylvania Government requesting permission to fence the portion of the city's Potters Field where African Society petitioned for the control of the space. There were steps in the African community's journey to obtain autonomy.

Eden's creation, the collaborative effort of five African American Philadelphians to provide a place where African Americans would be buried with dignity and respect, was an outgrowth of the journey. A fifty-three acre tract of land, formerly Bartram Farm, Delaware County, was selected because of its proximity to Philadelphia and beautiful landscape.

After litigation, magistrates agreed to grant a charter, issued on June 20, 1902. The first meeting of the charter was held on August 9, 1902 with: John C. Asbury, a lawyer, President Jerome Bacon, an instructor at I.C.Y., The Institute for Colored Youth (Cheyney University), Secretary; Charles W. Jones, a first-Vice President; Martin J. Lehmann, a cigar maker, Treasurer; and Daniel C. Parvis, an upholsterer, Vice President and Manager.

The unexpected death of Celestine Mosley Cromwell, wife of Willis Cromwell, a member of the Advisory board, in August 1902, hastened the opening of the cemetery. It was decided that Mrs. Cromwell would be the first burial.

On August 11, 1902, Collingdale residents blocked the entrance to the cemetery protesting "a colored burial ground" in their community and authorities of the borough delayed the funeral for hours. The headline in the August 13th, Chester County Times read: Collingdale Has More Race Troubles, Town Council Has No Use for a Colored Funeral, No African Need Apply.

A compromise was reached in court by lawyers for the Collindale Borough and Eden Cemetery. On the evening of August 14th, Mrs. Cromwell was finally laid to rest. The section of the cemetery was named Celestine to honor the first burial.

In October 1902, the injunction against the Eden Cemetery Company was discontinued.

John Cornelius Asbury married Catherine Elizabette Allen on 1 December 1886 in Norfolk, Virginia, United States.^[5][6] Catherine died in 1898. On 17 Jun 1901 John married Ida Elizabeth Bowser in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The couple had two children: an unnamed stillborn son^[7] and David Bowser Asbury.^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ Wikipedia:John Cornelius Asbury
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch Record: MZ2L-397, 29 May 2021, John Asberry in entry for John Asberry, 1870.
3. ↑ Political Capital, Goin' North, West Chester University
4. ↑ Archives, Pennsylvania House of Representatives
5. ↑ Marriage of son John C. Asbury: "Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940"
   citing FHL microfilm: 32982; Record number: 137;
   FamilySearch Record: XR6C-14V (accessed 29 September 2022)
   N Asbury's son John C. Asbury marriage to C. E. Allen on 1 Dec 1886 in Norfolk, Virginia, United States.
6. ↑ "Virginia, County Marriage Records, 1771-1989," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6DQ4-RJ4T : 28 June 2022), Catherine Elizabette Allen in entry for John Cornelius Asbury, 1 Dec 1886; citing Marriage, Norfolk, Virginia, United States, Circuit court clerk offices, Virginia.
7. ↑ "Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, 1803-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JX9C-GMN : 18 February 2021), John Asbury in entry for Asbury, 29 Mar 1902; citing cn 21945, Philadelphia City Archives and Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; FHL microfilm 1,853,468.
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MG7H-M6D : accessed 4 February 2023), John C Asbury, Philadelphia Ward 26, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 700, sheet 8B, family 157, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1400; FHL microfilm 1,375,413.

• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWVL-FFD : 14 January 2022), John Asberry in household of John S. Asberry, Hopewell Township, Washington, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .
• "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6Y5-ZFH : 3 February 2021), John C Asbury, 1920.
• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHW4-S6C : accessed 4 February 2023), John C Asbury, Philadelphia (Districts 0001-0250), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 113, sheet 10B, line 60, family 199, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2115; FHL microfilm 2,341,849.
• "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KQJK-HY9 : 28 July 2019), John C Asbury, Ward 30, Philadelphia, Philadelphia City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 51-930, sheet 2A, line 22, family , Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 3716.
• "Find a Grave," database with images, (Find A Grave: Memorial #124218356 : accessed 5 November 2022), Memorial page for John Corneilius Asbury (9 Apr 1862-8 Sep 1941), citing Eden Cemetery, Collingdale, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, USA (plot: Celestine 1021); Maintained by dennis bostick (contributor 48326996).