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AYSHFORDS OF AYSHFORD |
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After their emigration from Wales in 1849, William and Mary Ayshford with son Benjamin and grandaughter Ann Goff, together with son John Ayshford, wife Jane and their two children are both farmers on adjacent farms (or so it appears from the 1850 Census) on the Indian Lands, Marquette County in Wisconsin. They appear to have settled on an area of land later known as Ayshford's Isle. The 1860 Census finds William, Mary and son Benjamin still as farmers, but they have moved to Marion, Waushara County, Wisconsin. Adjacent is to be found a Mary Goff, possibly their daughter whom married James Goff and who's two daughters, Harriet and Ann, accompanied their grandparents to America. John and Jane are to be found in Seneca, Green Lake County, Wisconsin. They have added a further four children to the two, William and Mary Jane, who they emigated with from Wales; Elizabeth (1851), Harriet (1853), Benjamin (1856) and Florence Augusta (1859). Soon after this the son Benjamin Ayshford marries Augusta C Wolcott, and moves to Minnesota. 1870 finds William Ayshford, at the ripe old age of 84, with his son John's family in Seneca, Green Lake County, Wisconsin. His wife Mary had died 17 March 1863. No further record of William has been found, so far. John and Jane have added a further three children to the family; Alice Emaline (1862) and Frederick & Josephine (1866). Sometime after 1870 they all move to Missouri as their last child, Nellie Edna, is born there in 1875. John C. Gillespy's "The History of Green Lake County" in a section on Seneca Township, written in 1860, has the following to say; identifying Mr Ayshford as the first settler of Seneca: Bounded on the North by Waushara county; on the East by the town of Berlin; on the South by the town of St. Marie; on the west by Marquette county. In the division of Marquette county two miles of the east part of the town of Neshkoro were added thereto.* The first settlement in town was made by Mr. Ayshford, on what is now known as Ayshford's Isle. About one of the first houses in the town is the Four-mile House, occupied as a tavern, the only one in the town, kept by Mr. Clogg. [* C. W. Butterfield's History of Wisconsin indicates that "the territory was part of Marquette county until May 12, 1858, at which date is was by an act of the legislature separately organized under the name of Green Lake county." Berlin was made the first county seat, followed by Dartford in 1862.] This town is nearly surrounded by marsh, varying from a half to three or four miles wide. Face of the town generally level, with the exception of some sand hills near the Four-mile House, adjoining the town of Berlin; lands west to Ayshford's Isle level openings of rather a better quality; this isle has about eight or nine hundred acres; handsome oak openings interspersed with hickory, considered best land in town. A large stream of water known as Kelly's creek, passes through near the center from north to south; small creek on the west dividing this isle from Rodney's, which is the highest land in this part of the county, and entirely settled by Irish; is much broken; has about twelve hundred acres; some very handsome valleys or high flats, along and adjoining the marshes. Near the center forty acres of rocks of the same formations as as the city of Berlin, rising to forty or sixty feet in altitude. Pine Isle has about one thousand acres; is a low level piece of land under no cultivation; takes its name from a few Sturgeon pines growing thereon; some two or three large cranberry marshes; there is but one family living on it; cranberries the staple production. A branch of White River marsh divides this island from Seneca Isle, which contains some fifteen hundred acres, a portion of which is under cultivation; soil sandy loam, oak openings interspersed sparingly with hickory; considered fair quality of land; timber lands along its western borders. Lands generally good, rising gently and evenly from the marshes, which produce an excellent quality of hay. The town has about an equal portion of Yankees and of foreign birth; some ten English families near Four-mile House, whilst the Irish are mostly on Rodney's Island. From this it looks likely that the Mr Ayshford refered to is John & Jane Ayshford's family who stayed put and it was the town and county boundaries that moved around them!
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