Note from Stacy: While visiting my great uncle, Harry Fannin Wing, and his family in Gainesville, Georgia in the summer of 2001, he gave me a great deal of family information, including this biographical essay. It was preserved by Harry Lee Merck Dent, passed down through family members, and the note at the end of it says:

This sketch was dictated by Mrs. Evelyn J. Ashford on December 3rd, 1908, while on a visit to her daughter, Mary Augusta, at #108 Second Street, Macon, Georgia.

Evelyn Jane Appleby Ashford

Mrs. Evelyn Jane Applebly Ashford, the daughter of John and Virginia (Key) Appleby, was born in Jefferson, Jackson Country, Georgia, on August 13, 1835.

In 1838, the family of John Appleby moved to the town of Lafayette in Chambers County Alabama. About the year 1841 Evelyn Jane Appleby was sent to Huntsville, Alabama, where she began going to school, remaining there one year, during which time she lived with the family of Rev. Thomas Fielding Scott, then a Presbyterian minister located in that city. The wife of Rev. Mr. Scott was formerly Miss Evelyn Jane Appleby, sister of Mr. John Appleby, and therefore an aunt of the subject of this sketch, after whom she was named. Shortly afterwards the Reverend Mr. Scott became a regular minister of the Protestant Episcopal church and was stationed at Marietta, Georgia.

Between the years of 1845 and 1851 Evelyn Appleby attended school at Marietta, Ga., returning to her home at Lafayette, Alabama at intervals, principally between school semesters. During this time Mr. John Appleby became Judge of Probate of the county in which he resided, which office he held for about 20 years.

About the year 1852 Rev. Thos. F. Scott moved to Columbus Georgia and assured the pastorate of an Episcopal Church in that city, continuing in charge until the spring of 1855 when he was elected a Bishop. During these three years Evelyn Appleby spent a large portion of her time in Columbus visiting her aunt. The Ordination services by which Rev. Mr. Scott was made a Bishop took place at Savannah, Georgia in the Spring of the year 1855, and he was assigned to the then missionary diocese covering the states of Washington and Oregon. Shortly afterward he in company with his wife left for their field of labor, the trip requiring a journey to New York City and a sea voyage via the Isthmus of Panama to Oregon.

In the latter part of the year 1854 Judge Appleby moved with his family to Salem, Alabama, lived there for about one year, and in the fall of the year 1855 moved back to Lafayette, Alabama, where he continued his residence for the remainder of his life.

In the early part of the year 1855 Evelyn Jane Appleby while attending preaching services at a county meeting house not far from Salem Alabama first saw and became acquainted with James Young Ashford. After a few months courtship the two were married on October 18, 1855 and at once established themselves in their house on the farm owned by Mr. Ashford located about eight miles from the town of Salem. The Civil War came in 1861, Mr. Ashford entered the army, and at different times was stationed at Chattahoochee, Quincy and other Florida points, later at Charleston, S.C., and finally at Bentonville, N.C., at which place the rest of the army he was in was disbanded. During these years of army service Mrs. Ashford made visits to her husband while stationed Chattahoochee Florida, Quincy Florida, and Charleston, S.C. After the war ended the family continued to live at the same place near Salem until December 1872, when a move was made to West Point, Georgia. During the time of residence in the home near Salem the following children were born into the family: William Kennedy, Evelyn Julia, Charlotte DeBelle, Ella May, John Edwin, and James Henry. On July 31st 1873 during the first year's residence at West Point, Mary Augusta, the last child of the union was born.

The family continued to live at West Point until January 1881, during which month a move was made to Gainesville, Georgia. On July 4, 1881 the residence now known as #97 North Green Street was moved into, and continues to this time to be the family home.

In August 1883 William Kennedy Ashford married Florence Virginia Candler. On November 13, 1885 Charlotte DeBelle Ashford married Charles Stephens Merck. On August 17th, 1888 Ella May Ashford married Harry Augustus Daniels. On February 27thy, 1899 Mary Augusta Ashford married John Wesley Markham. On June 5, 1901 James Henry Ashford married Cora Dobbs.

The death of Mr. James Young Ashford occurred on April 1, 1981. John Edwin Ashford died on June 26th, 1905.