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Below is a family biography included in the book,  Biographical Souvenir of the Counties of Buffalo, Kearney, Phelps, Harlan and Franklin, Nebraska published in 1890 by F. A. Battey & Company.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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BENJAMIN ASHTON, of Platte township, Buffalo county, is a comparatively old settler of his locality, a successful farmer and an old soldier of honorable distinction. He is a native of Bucks county, Pa., born in 1843, and comes of old Pennsylvania stock. His father, Samuel Ashton, lived most of his life in the Keystone State, being a farmer and leading the active, industrious and useful life common to his calling up to his death, which occurred in the fall of 1862, when he had attained the sixty-sixth year of his age. Mr. Ashton’s mother bore the maiden name of Matilda Bryan. Ten children were born to these, only three of whom are now living — John, residing in St. Louis; Benjamin, our subject, and William H., in Lycoming county, Pa. Benjamin Ashton grew up on his father’s farm and received the training common to his years and calling. He entered the Union army in May, 1862, enlisting in Company E, Fourteenth United States infantry, his regiment being assigned to the Fifth corps, Army of the Potomac. He was in the campaigns and engagements participated in by that army from the second Bull Run to Gettysburg, at which latter place he was disabled by a gun-shot wound in the left shoulder and compelled to retire from active field service. He continued on duty, however, being placed in the recruiting service and serving out his term of enlistment, being mustered out May 8, 1865. Settling down in Lycoming county after the close of the war he married and devoted himself to agricultural pursuits till 1878, when, seeing a family growing up around him and being desirous of getting into a new country where the opportunities were better for giving them a start in the world, he decided to move West, and accordingly, in October of that year, he came to Nebraska and settled on Elm Island in Platte township, Buffalo county, where he now lives, taking a soldier’s homestead of one hundred and fifty-four acres. He has been steadily engaged in farming and stock-raising since that time, and, having added other land by purchase, he now owns two hundred and thirty-four acres well stocked and well improved.

Mr. Ashton married, May 13, 1867, Miss Susan Siglin, a daughter of Frederick and Susan Siglin, natives of Monroe county, Pa., where also Mr. Ashton was born and reared. Her father died there, but her mother continues to reside there Mr. and Mrs. Ashton have had born to them a family of eleven children, only four of whom, however, are now living, the full list being— Walter, Matilda (deceased), Mabel (deceased), William (deceased), twins who died young, Samuel, Edgar P. and Flossie.

Mr. Ashton has filled the usual number of local offices, having been treasurer of his school district, justice of the peace of his township, township clerk, and moderator of his school board. Mr. Ashton is a pleasant gentleman, kind and accommodating, and to his home and family devotedly attached.

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This family biography is one of the numerous biographies included in the book, Biographical Souvenir of the Counties of Buffalo, Kearney, Phelps, Harlan and Franklin, Nebraska published in 1890 by F. A. Battey & Company. 

View additional Buffalo County, Nebraska family biographies here: Buffalo County, Nebraska Biographies

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