William Smelker ASHCOM^[1]

1843 - 1916

• Born	10 Jun 1843	Johnstown, Cambria Co., Pennsylvania   [2]
  Gender	Male
  Died	26 Jun 1916	Johnstown, Cambria Co., Pennsylvania
  Buried	28 Jun 1916	Grandview Cemetery, Cambria County, Johnstown, Pennsylvania   [2]
  Person ID	I1404	Johnson Hindin Tree
  Last Modified	24 Jul 2016

  
  

  Father	John ASHCOM,   b. Abt 1819,   d. Abt 1899, New Florence, Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania
  Mother	Sarah SMELKER,   b. 11 Aug 1821, Bellefonte, Center Co., Pennsylvania ,   d. 8 Jul 1904, Johnstown, Cambria Co., Pennsylvania
  Married	Abt 1841	Johnstown, Cambria Co., Pennsylvania
  Divorced	25 May 1874	Johnstown, Cambria Co., Pennsylvania
  Family ID	F484	Group Sheet

  
  

  Family	Annie E. CRAMER,   b. 24 Jun 1854, Indiana Co., Pennsylvania ,   d. 13 Dec 1940, Johnstown, Cambria Co., Pennsylvania
  Married	3 Jul 1879
  Children	1. Lawrence Bruce ASHCOM,   b. 24 Apr 1880, Johnstown, Cambria Co., Pennsylvania ,   d. 30 Jun 1940, Johnstown, Cambria Co., Pennsylvania   2. Maude E. ASHCOM,   b. Feb 1888, Pennsylvania ,   d. Oct 1975, Cambria Co., Pennsylvania   3. Joseph Edwin ASHCOM,   b. 29 Sep 1882, Johnstown, Cambria Co., Pennsylvania ,   d. 21 Mar 1949, Johnstown, Cambria Co., Pennsylvania   4. Clyde Cramer ASHCOM,   b. 14 Oct 1890, Johnstown, Cambria Co., Pennsylvania ,   d. 8 Jul 1936, Johnstown, Cambria Co., Pennsylvania
  Family ID	F856	Group Sheet

  
  

• Notes

  According to the obituary of William's younger brother, Charles, William was a Corporal of Company F of the 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry and was held a prisoner by the Confederate forces at the time of the surrender of Lee in April, 1865. According to an email from John Ashcom (jashcom@yahoo.com) on September 13, 2008, the following news obituary appeared in Johnstown Tribune, Monday Evening, June 26, 1916: W. S. ASHCOM DIES SUDDENLY ---------- Native and Life-Long Resi- Dent of City Was Ill Only Half Hour ---------- Civil War Veteran ---------- Ill for the brief period of one-half hour, prior to which time he had enjoyed comparatively good health, William S. Ashcom, a native and life-long resident of Johnstown, a veteran of the Civil War and retired employee of Cambria Steel Company, died about 12:30 o’clock this afternoon in the presence of members of his family at his residence, 173 D Street, Morrellville, at the age of 73 years, just a little more than two weeks after the anniversary of his birth. William S. Ashcom was born on Bedford street, being a son of John and Sarah Ashcom. Only one member of this family survives, being Charles Ashcom, of Cooper avenue, Twenty-first Ward. In 1849 Mr. Ashcom moved to “The Island�, now the Ninth and Tenth Wards. Later he moved to Morrellville where he resided for many years. With the exception of the time he spent in the Civil War, Mr. Ashcom lived in Johnstown. When war broke out he enlisted in Company F, 21st Pennsylvania Calvary, serving more than two years and participating in some of the most important engagements of the Rebellion. He was never wounded by bullets during that conflict, but received injuries when his horse fell on him. Following his return from the Civil War, or on July 20, 1868, Mr. Ashcom entered the employ of the Cambria Steel Company, being an expert tool dresser in the Cambria and Gautier smithshops. Under the pension rules of the company, he retired June 1, 1914. Mr. Ashcom was also a worker in church circles. His first membership was with the Franklin-street Methodist Episcopal congregation, where he was admitted February 16, 1868. Later he united with the F-street church of the same denomination, which later became known as Calvary M. E. Church. He held various offices in the church and for a long time was teacher in the Sunday school. Mr. Ashcom was married July 3, 1879, to Miss Annie E. Cramer, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Cramer, residents of Indiana County, for whom the town of Cramer was named. In addition to his widow and the brother mentioned, Mr. Ashcom is survived by the following children: Laurence Bruce Ashcom, Maude, widow of W. E. Cain, and Clyde Cramer Ashcom, all at home, and J. Edwin Ashcom, of 234 School place. The death of Mr. Ashcom is the third in that family within a months. W. E. Cain, son-in-law, and William Milo Cain, grandson, died only recently. Funeral arrangements for the well-known Morrellville resident will be announced later.

  
  

• Sources

  [S114] Most of the information regarding the descendants. [S1087] Pennsylvania Death Certificate (available on Ancestry.com).