Ashworth Family History & Genealogy

An old letter written by James Ashworth to Sarah Isabelle Ashworth Neff a very long time ago says,"I remember Uncle "Neely" ( Cornelius Ashworth) leaving for the west in a covered wagon in April. He says, "Uncle Neely was detained a day or two by a heavy snow bending the timber over the road. My father got a letter or more from him but I never knew any more about him. Father was a Baptist minister.(Armistead Ashworth) Uncle William lived near us and ahd four children. My father had four sons who became Baptist ministers also. (This letters was written July 28, 1937, writer was 83 years old a that time.) Another letter written in 1901 by William Wood Ashworth, youngest son of Samuel, Junior says, "George Ashworth, family historian, gave much valuable information." I have a copy of this letter, also. He says Samuel Ashworth, Sr., settled in Lunenburg Co. VA just before or soon after the Revolutionary War. Uncle John and Uncle Joel's families moved for Pittsylvania Co. to Franklin about the same time wehre I think all father's children were born. My mother's sister, Mary Rebecca and Thomas all died in Franklin County, VA.
"In 1828, father, Uncle Joel and all his family and three of Uncle John's family all moved to Carroll Co. VA. His oldest daughter Milly married a man by the name of Vinson - both dead - some of their children and grandchildren are still living in Carroll Co. VA. Polly's first husband - aMathis, they had two sons William and John. John is living in Carroll Co as far as I know. Their brother Lewis is a Baptist minister, married and went west to Missouri." "I have often been to Uncle Joel's house and heard him preach. He was also a Baptist minister and was in the Revolutionary War. He died in Carroll County about 1847. I think he was the oldest of the family. There is several of his grandchildren in Tazewell and Scott Counties that I am well acquainted with. I think- almost sure that father had a brother, Isaac. I think he went back to NOrth Carolina. Sister Rebecca married Allen Hurst of Wythe Co. had two sons, Carles A. and William Hust. Chares is still living in Wythe Co., VA. William is somewhere in Tennessee. My oldest sister Lucinda married Joshua Mooney(brother of Hannah Mooney Ashworth). Lucinda was the mother of three girls, Albatine, Timanary and Malisse. She died a short time after we moved here. Mooney then married a Mrs. Bailey and moved to Fayette Co. VA. They all married there, but I cannot tell you who they married. Brother John was married twice, but I cannot give you the dates he married. His first wife livedin Monroe County W. VA- A miss Phillips. They had no children. HIs second wife was a Bonham? She raised five childrren, 4 boys and one girl. I can't remember his sons given names. He lives in Wythe or Smyth. I can't give you his address. Thomas lives Mercer Co. VA is selling goods at ? During on the N.A.W.R. John is Commonwealth ? at Shinton, Washington Co. VA Emma is single with some of her folks lives with her mother. Armistead Ashworth was born in Franklin Co. Va. He now lives in this county. HIs post office is Point Pleasant, Bland Co. VA. His first wife was Nancy Breeding of Pulaski Co. She had five sons - Robert and Charley, twins. Robert lives in Athens, West Virginia. He had been preaching and teaching for 24 or 30 years. Charley lives in Raleigh Co. W. VA."

"William, Joseph, Lee and Thomas are all Baptist ministers. Samuel was killed at the Cloyd Moutain fight near Dublin. James died in the hospital at Richmond. I think I have given about all I can for you. Granville Henderson of Boonville has made a big mistake in his age. I can remember many things in Franklin and his father (Corneilius C. Ashworth) was married sometime after we moved to Carroll County. He married Hannah Mooney and his sister Lucinda married Joshua Mooney, at or near the same time and I am 78 years old. Loving to hear from you soon, I close with much love, I am yours truly, W.W. Ashworth " (Postmarked at Bluefield VA)
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Following written by my grandmother, Kathryn Neff Brown -

My mother, Sarah Isabelle Ashworth Neff - was nicknamed by her older brothers Sadiebelle, and had a wonderful memory and a great knack for sewing. Where did she learn to sew so well? Her grandmother - Hannah Mooney-Cornelius' wife taught her. My mother was the daughter of Lewis Ashworth who married Eliza Rice, lived in Coles Co - Mattoon, Illinois. Mother came from a family of twelve children had five older brothers who loved to tease her. Whenever possible she went to visit Grandma Hannah. Mother said Hannah was a very wonderful seamstress and great spinner of yarns about when she lived in "Ginny". Hannah had a sick spell and had to be bedfast for almost three years. She never gave up but sewed from her bedside. Mama said she sang as she sewed and made the most beautiful shirts to help make a living. Cornelius was a builder and carpenter as well as a farmer. His son is listed as a Master Carpenter in the 1860 census of Mercer Co. Matthew Judston, antoher son, was also a building. He built several buildings in St. Louis, just one four blocks from his home. This is form Harry Allen of Skyline Drive, Nashville TN, Matthew Judson's ggrandson. Harry said one relative remembers the fine garden and grapes Cornelius always raised and said that Hannah was always cheerful and wouls say to the children, "Now, truck along - younguns - truck along".

Hannah left Sadie her fine thimble in a beautiful case marked with an S, because hit has belonged to Hannah's mother, Sarah Stoneman Mooney. Mother said Hannaah was always telling about a fine big home wehre she took care of an old gentleman before coming west to Coles Co. Ill. (We can assume the old gentleman was Samuel Ashworth, for we find him living in the home with Cornelius and Hannah in the 1850 census) Samuel had deeded his place form father to son as a love giift to Cornelius. I have a copy of the deed. Cornelius and Hannah's son, Samuel Anderson Ashworth, was bitten by a mountain rattler while gathering eggs before they came west and died. It was almost always some tragedy and unhappiness that the pioneers experienced that caused them to pull up stakes and leave their home to try to forget the tragedy in another place where they hoped things would be better.

The census of 1790 lists Samuel Ashworth, Sr., in Carlotte Co. Virginia. He was both a farmer and a teacher. He is known to have taught music in Franklyn and Pitsylvania Counties, Virginia. He is known to have writen a song book. (his own composition) which was used at that time. It is said some of the family in Virginia possess this songbook and had planned to put it in a museum. At the turn of the last centruy he had over one thousand known descendants in this U.S. He had three sons and probably three daughters, though almost nothing is known of the girls. Of the three sons, John, Samuel, Jr., and Joel, my family is principally concerned with Samuel Ashworth, Jr., who was born in Pitsylvania Co. VA. He was a farmer and a teacher. He lived most of his life in Franklin County VA. and died at the age of 87. He had many sons and daughters including my gr-grandfather, Cornelius C. Ashworth, b. 1805 Grayson Co. VA and married Hannah Mooney in 1829.