Nancy C (Cuskaden) Ashcraft (1850 - 1938)

Born 26 Sep 1850 in Jay, Indiana, United States

Wife of Elijah Bell Ashcraft — married 6 Nov 1870 in Mercer, Ohio, United States

Died 11 Jul 1938 at age 87 in Liberal, Seward, Kansas, United States

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Biography

Nancy was born 26 Sep 1850 in Indiana, according to family history, the daughter of Robert and Mary (Scott) Cuskaden. By 1870, the family had relocated to Mercer County, Ohio.^[1] Nancy married Elijah Ashcraft on 6 Nov 1870^[2] and the young family including daughter Mary Margaret and Nancy's younger sister Belle, lived in Jay County, Indiana.^[3]

The following except as otherwise footnoted is adapted from Seward County Kansas.^[4]

Elijah passed away in 1886 and Nancy's life became closely intertwined that of her only daughter Mary. In 1888, two years after the death of Elijah, Nancy rented out their farm in Indiana and moved the family including her sister Jane to the Neutral Strip (No Man's Land) in what is today Beaver County, Oklahoma where they were joined in 1889 by Nancy's other sister Belle and her husband Joe Hanlin.

In 1892, Nancy and Mary moved to Liberal, Kansas where they kept boarders. In 1893, Mary was a delegate from Beaver County to the Chicago World's Fair. Upon her return, she entered Liberal High School. In 1894, Nancy and Mary moved to Raton, New Mexico seeking a better climate for Nancy's health.

After graduating school, Mary taught three more terms in the Beaver County schools and then went to Meade, Kansas to learn photography. In 1901, Nancy and Mary moved back to Liberal, Kansas purchasing a house on Second Street. In 1903, they moved to Dayton, Ohio where Mary met and married Perry Hanlin on 28 Jun 1905. They lived in Dayton briefly while Perry was employed by the Larkin Soap Company before moving west. In early 1906 the extended family started west by team and wagon but the roads proved impassable and so the move continued to Kansas City by train. On arriving in Kansas City they purchased a farm twenty miles south in Raymore, Missouri where they stayed three years and Nancy's grandson F B (Dick) Hanlin was born.

In early 1908 the Hanlin's were preparing to abandon farming for life in Kansas City when the death of Perry's Uncle Joseph Hanlin in Liberal, Kansas greatly altered their plans. Joseph was a partner in the Central Grocery of Liberal with E F Printz. Perry moved the extended family to Liberal, bought out Mr Printz's share of the Central Grocery located on the south side of Third Street a half block west of Kansas Avenue and operated the store with Nancy's sister Belle.

Nancy passed away 11 Jul 1938 at Liberal, Kansas and is interred at the Liberal Cemetery.^[5]

Only Known Child

• Mary Margaret - b 9 Apr 1875

Sources

1. ↑ Year: 1870; Census Place: Recovery, Mercer, Ohio; Roll: M593_1243; Page: 178; Image: 355.
2. ↑ Ohio, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1774-1993 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.
3. ↑ US Census, Year: 1880; Census Place: Noble, Jay, Indiana; Roll: T9_287; Family History Film: 1254287; Page: 412.2000; Enumeration District: 154; Image: 0126.
4. ↑ Seward County Historical Society, compiler, Seward County Kansas, K C Printers, Liberal, Kansas, 1979, pp 297-98, information submitted by granddaughter Mary J Brewington.
5. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #11382086