Frances Ash - #8 2024

OUT OF OUR PAST

 by Barbara Dix

Who Was Miss Ash?

I have a Post Standard article dated December 6, 1965.  It noted the obituary of Miss Ash:  Miss Francis W, Ash, 80, of 501 Bass Street, Liverpool, died yesterday after a long illness.  A native of Phoenix, she had lived in Liverpool for the past 25 years.  She retired in 1949 as a teacher at Vocational High School. She was a member of Liverpool First Methodist Church.  Surviving are several cousins.  The funeral details follow and indicate she was buried in Phoenix Rural Cemetery.

The1880 census lists this family: William Ash, head of household, 38, born NY Captain of canal boat  Father and Mother born in England. Delia Ash, wife, 35, born NY, Father and mother born in Ireland.  Cora , 9, born NY. Clinton , 6, born NY.  John  4, born NY,  Mary Ash, 74, born England.

What’s My Connection?

My grandmother, Myrtle Senior Phelps,was first cousin to Cora Murgjttroyd.  Cora married Clinton D. Ash, brother of Francis.  They would become a team, working on finances for M.C. . Murgittroyd, who was part owner of Oswego River Paper Mills and uncle to both Myrtle and Cora.

Also in the 1880 census I found my great grandfather, Oscar Murgittroyd, with his family, including Myrtle on a canal boat in the harbor at Oswego.  He is listed as captain and owner of a canal boat. He most certainly would have known William Ash, another boat captain, both living in Phoenix.

Surprise Box

In April, 2003, a young woman brought me a box of papers.  She had found them in the garage of the house she owned.  She felt that they clearly were a connection to Phoenix.  They surely were.

I found Frances’ autograph book and her sister, Mayme’s autograph book.  It was in Mayme’s book that I found, “From your loving brother, Clinton D. Ash.”  That was when I knew that I was indirectly connected.

She kept many of her school  papers from early grade school to teacher training class.  There are numerous report cards with very good marks.  There are class registers for classes that she taught.  

Two very old books are a small prayer book and a larger book that appears to also be a prayer book, The smaller one has an inscription:  “Prayer book to Caroline, Dad & Mother, June 1849.”  There is no title page or indication of when it was printed.  The larger book has written on the inside of the first page, ”Ann Dine, a gift of theTrustees, April 27, 1827.”  At the bottom of that cover is printed:  May 1826.   These are about as old as most books could ever hope to become.

There is a paper that Frances wrote in October, 1907.  The title is , The Last Blazes on the Oregon Trail.  She may have written this paper because , in pencil on the back of a page of the paper, she has written, “It was while this venerable man was continuing his journey in the Mohawk Valley during the past summer, that it was my good fortune to meet him and converse about his delightful trip across the continent in his quant vehicle”.  

          There is an envelope addressed to Mr. & Mrs. Wm, Ash.  it says:

E. Nicholson, Bessie A. Collisen, Married, Monday, November nineteenth, nineteen hA puzzler is an invitation toMr. & Mrs. Wm. Ash.  The invitation reads:  “Charles hundred, Juneau, Alaska.At Home, after December fifth, Marshfield, Oregon.  Could this have piqued her interest in the Oregon Trail and prompted her to write about it?  I will tell you more about this interesting paper next time.