Ashton, William

Metadata

Title

Ashton, William

Description

William Ashton was a master builder elected to The Carpenters' Company on April 19, 1770. He was an encourager to the 1775, Philadelphia edition of Abraham Swan's The British Architect.

Written by Roger W. Moss, from the Philadelphia Architects and Builders website.

Member Number

80*

Last Name

Ashton

First Name

William

Deceased Date

1/1/1795

Date Elected

1/2/1770

Date Expelled

Business Address

146 Arch St. (1797) (Prime)

Project

North corner Front and Pegg Streets

Northern Liberties

Reference

*Tatman & Moss Biographical Dictionary of Phila. Architect. Page 16. Ashton was a master builder elected to the Carpenters' Company on April 19, 1770. He was an "encourager" to the 1775 Philadelphia edition of Abraham Swan's "The British Architect," the first architectural book published in America.

*Prime Directory: Listings for William Ashton and William Ashton, Jr., as follows: William Ashton, house carpenter, at 292 N. Front St. (1791) 294 N. Front St. (1794), Back St. near Callowhill, N. Liberties, (1795). For "Jr." at 168 N. 3rd St. (1794)

*Prime Directory: Lists a Samuel Ashton as a cabinet maker near 146 Arch St. (1797) and 233 Arch St. (1798, 1799, 1800).

*City Records D.S.B. book #335; filed December 7, 1812; no record of having been satisfied Susanah Ashton for William Ashton vs. George Ashton. Claim for $200 against a brick building, part two stories and part three stories high, situate the north corner of Front and Pegg streets in the Northern Liberties of the County of Philadelphia. (Lien possibly filed by Ashton's widow?)

*Managing Committee Minutes-1798-8-9 On motion resolved: that the name of William Ashton be erased out of our list of members agreeable to the 4th section of the by-laws. 5/3/2010 Mrs. Karsch, Thank you for your efforts researching WIlliam Ashton. It seems there were quite a few of them in late eighteenth century Philadelphia. My William Ashton ancestor married Eva Maria Klein, the daughter of a German immigrant, at St. Michael's and Zion Lutheran Church in 1793; he died in 1812. Their daughter, Hannah, married Peter Krall in 1819. It seems the Carpenter's Company Ashtons lived in the same area north of Market Street where my German ancestors lived. Since Peter Krall was listed as a house carpenter in the 1799 City Directory, it suggests a connection, but I haven't found one. Whichever Ashtons were mine, it's still fun to walk around the Old City area knowing that Peter Krall, Maria Klein, and WIlliam Ashton walked the same streets and saw the same buildings -- like Carpenter's Hall. I regret that the Lutherans dug them up. I enjoyed our conversation as well and hope to meet you again. Jack Krall jackkrall@aol.com

*In member file: 4/24/12: John Ulrich julrich@fosterchamberlain.com 215-882-3415 211 Fitzwater Street Philadelphia PA 19147 ancestor_info: William Ashton 7 May 1734- 24 Sep 1800. Descendant through his daughter Mary (Ashton) Keller. message: We're hoping to visit Carpenter's Hall tomorrow - Thursday April 25, 2012. William Ashton is listed as a member from 1770 to 1795 when he was expelled. If possible, I'd be interested in learning why he was expelled.
*In member file: 4/30/2012: Mr. Ulrich First I apologize for not answering your email request prior to your visiting Carpenters' Hall last Thursday. I do hope you found your visit interesting and helpful. The reason William Ashton was expelled is not listed in our records. The usual reason is non-payment of dues not some legal issue. Our member database has no information on his family and for this reason I suggest you contact the Pennsylvania genealogical Society through the website of the Pennsylvania Historical Society at 13th and Locust Streets here in Philadelphia. There are a number of Ashton families listed in Philadelphia and they will be able to give you details about each one. Your second question concerning Owen Biddle's book The Young Carpenters' Assistant has more than one answer. He published the book in the early 19th century with plans to open an architecture school in Philadelphia with The Carpenters' Company. Unfortunately he died at an early age. When The Company moved to develop and offer such a school John Haviland used this book with updates as the basis for instruction. On The Carpenters' Hall website you will find numerous articles that relate history to the Company. First click on History and then move down to More History to find the article First School of Architecture near the end of this listing. This will summarize the role that Biddle's book played in this first school. The Hall Library is not open for use but the Athenaeum of Philadelphia library on 6th Street just south of Walnut does have a copy available for you to see. I suggest a phone call to arrange for your visit. I wish you the best in exploring your ancestors — a most rewarding experience.

*In member file: 5/1/2012 Ms. Karsch, Thanks for getting back to me. No apologies are necessary – I know I contacted you with very short notice. And thank you for the information – I had been curious about the book because William Ashton's son-in-law or grandson (I'm not sure which because they shared a common name) had owned a copy printed in 1815. Ashton's son-in-law was an undertaker who had a home and business on 5th Street between Arch and Race Streets so it seems natural that he might have owned the book. However, he would have been in his late 50s by 1816, and there is something about the way that the book was signed and dated that makes me think it is more likely that it was a book/textbook that belonged to his son (William Ashton's grandson) who would have been a teenager at the time. I thought there might have been some connection between the book and Carpenter's Hall that could shed some light on it for me. Thanks again for the suggestions! Best regards, John Ulrich

*Grantor File Data from the City of Philadelphia Archives:
(Date; Book; No.; Page; Grantee)
1683/1777; H; 7; 60; Samuel Emlen
1799/1802; EF; 1; 373; J. Heimer
1809/1815; JC; 14; 180; George Ashton

*Defendents/Sheriff Sales File Data from City of Philadelphia Archives:
(Book; Page; Year; Purchaser)
A-1; 197; 1756; Hower, Samuel

File Number

Revolutionary War

Collection

Members

Citation

“Ashton, William,” Carpenters' Company Digital Archive & Museum, accessed April 24, 2024, https://archive.carpentershall.org/items/show/25885.