In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1821
From History of Allen County, Ohio : containing a history of the county, its townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; hist (1885)
WILLIAM ASHTON, dealer in real estate, Lima, was born June 7, 1821, in Lincolnshire, England, a son of Francis Ashton, a contractor for bricklaying, plastering and masonry in England. Francis Ashton was born July 6, 1796, and was thrice married, his first wife (to whom he was married when but eighteen years of age) having died without issue. He was married on the second occasion to Elizabeth Mackinder, born September 17, 1796, and by this union had nine children, five born in England: William, Charles, Edwin, Christopher and Francis, all now residents of Lima, save Charles, who resides in Guthrie County, Iowa; four in Ohio: Eliza, now the wife of John Bowles; Henry, a lieutenant in the army during the late civil war (he was married to Sarah Lewis, and left three children); J. R. and Ruth (latter deceased in infancy). Francis Ashton, subject’s father, came to America in 1831, and after visiting New York, Pennsylvania. New Jersey, Ohio and Michigan, returned to England. The following year (1832) he returned with his family, buying land in Richland County, Ohio, where he first settled, but subsequently purchased 200 acres of land in Allen County, moving to the latter county in 1854, and there died March 25, 1882. Our subject was married, August 10, 1844, to Sally O., daughter of Samuel Holmes, and by this union has one son, Francis, now engaged in the machinery and holding business at Rochester, Ind. Mr. Ashton at one time carried on a hardware store at Kenton, and was also engaged in the same business in Lima, with his brother Francis. He sold his interest to W. K. Boone, and embarked in banking business at Rochester, Ind., but after a time returned to Lima, where he has since been interested in real estate.
As printed in History of Allen County, Ohio : containing a history of the county, its townships, towns, villages, schools, churches, industries, etc; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; hist (1885). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Their biographies name William Ashton: Francis Ashton (b. 1831) H. Secrest (b. 1871) Francis Ashton Henry C. Richardson (b. 1864) Thomas H. Jones (b. 1835)
The printed record stops around 1885. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.