To all Reynolds Co, MO, ASHER Researchers:
Following is a family history compiled by Mrs. Judy Bowlin through her
years of research, which I have edited somewhat for clarity. I am posting
this information in the hopes that it will help someone else in dissecting this
murky line.
If anyone would like to correspond with me about this info, you can contact me
at shelia@iwon.com or post a reply here and I will try to get back with you ASAP.
Happy Hunting!!
Shelia




"David Asher was born in the County of Burke, NC on 6-12-1759 and
served in the Revolutionary War. He volunteered at Tater Mill, Burke
Co, NC. He married Rachel, who was born in 1760 in Virginia. After
the war, David moved to Granger Co, TN before Tennessee became a
state. He then moved to Anderson Co, TN, Roane Co, TN, Washington Co,
MO and finally to Reynolds Co, MO, where he lived the remainder of his
life. Four children of David and Rachel are known:
Charles Asher, born 1790
Leonard Asher, born 1792
Thomas Asher, born 1794
David Asher, born 1796


Charles Asher was born in 1790, in TN, to David and Rachel Asher. He
died 1-1-1868 in Reynolds Co, and is buried in the Asher Cemetery. He
served in the War of 1812 and was a private in the Battle of
Horseshoe, against the Creek Indians, serving under Major MacDonald.
He enlisted at Jacksonbow, TN and served for 112 days of service. He
married Barbara Ollis in 1816, by Benjamin Wheeler at Anderson Co, TN.
The marriage was witnessed by Sara Richardson and Rebecca Newby.
Charles received two land warrants for 40 acres each, supposedly in
Reynolds County, filed about September 1852. Known children of Charles
and Barbara are:
James Asher, born 1817, Morgan Co, TN
George F.C. Asher, born 1833, Morgan Co, TN
Margaret Asher
Sarah Asher Dunn, born 1823 in TN


George F.C. Asher died in 1868 leaving his wife, Martha Wezinger, whom
he married on 3-11-1858 in Iron County, with two minor children:
Barbara Jane Asher
Jacob S. Asher
After his death, GeorgeÂ’s wife married Urban Sumpter.

James Asher, oldest son of Charles Asher, was born 1817 and died
between 1865 and 1870. He is buried at Oates, Missouri in the Asher
Cemetery. There is a story relating to his death that goes as
follows:
At the end of the Civil War, James Asher, his brothers
Charles and George F.C., and their friend, John Newby, were
shot by bushwhackers known as the Old Adams Bunch. The
Ashers had refused to join either side of the Civil War,
Union or Confederate, so they just “scouted around” to keep
from getting caught. The Adams bunch warned that they would
kill them if they ever returned. After the war ended, the
Ashers came back home and were, indeed, killed. Rumor has
it that they are all buried in one big grave in the Asher
Cemetery. JamesÂ’ house was burned and his wife was left
with nothing but her children. An unknown man came along
and built her a two-room log house. She never married
again, but had a boy named Yancey by this man. Yance
carried the name of Asher and he is buried in the Asher
Cemetery as well.
Edith Ollis was married to James Asher in 1849. She died in 1906.
Before her death, she helped to raise her son WesleyÂ’s illegitimate
daughters, Sarah Laura. She was a mid-wife also. She died with a
stroke and is buried beside her husband. James and Edith were both
from Tennessee. They had 9 children:
Wright Asher
Rebecca Asher
Leanah Asher
Sarah Asher
Charles Asher
Serena Asher
Wesley Nelson Asher
Martha Asher
Johnathan Yancey Asher (not JamesÂ’ actual son)


Wright Asher, son of James Edith Asher, was born in Tennessee in
1845. Before 1870, he married a woman by the name of Sarah. She was
born in 1846, but it is unknown when she died. They had 5 children:
Melinia Asher, born 1867 in MO
James Asher, born 1869 in MO
Columbus Asher, born 1873 in MO
Elisha Asher, born 1876 in Mo
Leo Asher, born 1879 in MO


Elisha Asher married Rachel Lawson and had one known daughter,
Nellie. Nellie bore twin sons by Samuel Bowen, but they were
never married. Nellie later wed a man by the name of Werley, who
was killed in an auto accident. The boys were named Edgar and
Edward. One took the name Werley, the other went by Bowen.


Rebecca Asher, daughter of James Edith Asher, was born in 1848 in
Missouri and was married before the 1870 census.

Leanah Asher, daughter of James Edith Asher, was born 12-23-1850 or
1851 in Missouri. She died on March 16, 1923. She married her second
cousin, Henry Malcolm Asher, on 5-4-1867, and later married Henry
Bailey. She had 4 children:
Lilly Dail Asher, born 11-1-1869
Dora Alice Asher, born 7-20-1873 in Dallas, TX
Genoah (Noah) Asher, born 7-27-1878 in MO
Lee Ondo Asher, born 10-4-1891

Lilly Dail Asher married Link Sweeney. She died 11-27-1940.
Dora Alice Asher married John Frank Sutterfield on 3-17-1897 and
died 4-8-1955.
Noah Asher married Ada M. Barley who died 5-23-1901, then later
he married a Schultz.
Noah is listed as having a son named Eddie, but this is not
actually the case. Eddie is the son of Ondo, NoahÂ’s brother, but
Ondo was very young at the time of EddieÂ’s birth, and Noah was
already married, so they said that Eddie belonged to Noah, so
that Ondo wouldnÂ’t have to marry the girl. Years later, on her
death bed, EddieÂ’s natural mother told the story. Eddie was
raised part of the time by Lily Dale (Asher) Sweeney. EddieÂ’s
natural mother was Clara Brown.


Charles N. Asher, son of James Edith Asher, was murdered by John O.
Turner on 1-4-1888. The Grand Jury Indictment reads as follows:

“On January 4, 1888 in Iron County, MO, John Turner did
set upon on Charles Asher felonious by willfully,
deliberately, premeditatedly, of his malice aforethought and
by lying in wait, did make an assault and that the said John
Turner with a certain rifle gun of the value of fifteen
dollars ($15.00) then and there charged with gun powder and
one leaden ball, which said rifle gun and said John Turner
then and there inflicted one mortal wound on Charles Asher
on the 4th day January 1888, when he died.”
Trial began on 6-23-1890. Records state:
“Now on this day John Turner - defendant herein states
that he stands charged by Grand Jury of Iron Co, with
killing Charles Asher. Said John Turner states that the
minds and hearts of inhabitants of Iron, Washington,
Jefferson and Wayne Counties are so prejudiced against him
that he can not get a fair trial in any of the above
counties. he asks that said trial be moved to 26 Judicial
Circuit Court where said prejudice doesn’t exist.”
The statement was sworn to by John M. Lawson and Joseph Lawson, and
the change of venue was granted. In the Change of Venue record, it
stated that the Sheriff of Iron County was to remove John Turner from
Iron County jail where he was residing and turn him over to Reynolds
County Sheriff to be placed in the Reynolds County jail. Trial in
Reynolds County was set to begin on 11-24-1890. Noted on the front of
the envelope, it gave witness as:
A.J. Sumpter, Gentry Sumpter, Mary E. Sumpter, John Lawson, Nancy
Ann Sumpter, Ambrose Copeland, John Sumpter Jr., John Sumpter
Sr., James Dunn, Wesley Asher, and Dr. John Gordon.
Those subpoenaed to appear for the defendant, John Turner were:
Mount Prior, Logan Baker, George Loomis, John Mathis, Mary
Wilkins, John Myers, Henry Thompson, J.N. Parker, Monroe Morris,
Hugh Wilkins, William Clark, Ben Camden, George Camblin, Yancey
Ship, George W. Conley, Melton Camden, Joe Black, Mrs. E.J.
Sumpter, Lucinda J. Sumpter, Mrs. L.V. Black, Johnathan J.
Trollinger, Samuel Sumpter, Catherine Turner, John Shaw, Joseph
Black, Semline Dunn, E.J. Sumpter, Elvira Copeland, Grant
Kennedy, Tilman Terry, Wesley Anderson, Sarah Canada, Peter
Sumpter, Miller Lawson, John Matthews, Wyatt King, C.N. Minor,
Ben Brooks, John Stricklin, Harriet Stricklin, Webb Ray, A.J.
Trollinger, James W. Dunn, L. Painter, R.C. Williams, Abe
Kennedy, W. Wilkins, Saul Nelson, Sarah Benoda, James Graham,
Joseph Lawson, John Lawson, W.T. Crocker, James Strickland, Leo
Dowd, and D.W.E. Douglas.
Witnesses for the State were:
Wayne Parton, John Barton, William Summers, Leanna Asher, James
Johnson, Melse Barton, Sarah Barton, William Barton, James
Fortner, Dallardson S. Love, Louis Fortner, Dr. John Gordon, John
Barton Sr., Bettie Sumpter, Jess Copeland, A.J. Sumpter, Martha
Strickland, David Cureto, James Henry Sumpter, Daniel Fortner,
Yance Asher, Boston Ollis, Gentry Sumpter, Mary E. Sumpter, Nancy
Ann Sumpter, Ambrose Copeland, John Sumpter Jr., James Dunn, John
Sumpter Sr., Wesley N. Asher, Joe Thompson, John E. Copeland,
Martha Fortner, W.R. Asher, Tom Crocker, William Crocker, and
John Lawson.


Wesley Nelson Asher, son of James Edith Asher, was born on July 4,
1860 and died September 1, 1928. Wesley had children with a woman
named Eliza Jane Byers, but never married her. The three children
were named Sarah, Laura and Harrison Asher. Jane left Wesley when the
girls were small, leaving them behind with him. She was pregnant with
Harrison when she left. She married a man by the name of Stevens
later on, and before her death, she lived with her daughter, Laura
her family in Reynolds County. Eliza Jane Byers had a son, William J.
Jones, aged 6, born in MO, at the time she and Wesley lived together.
They are listed on the 1900 Reynolds Co, census as living in Courtois
or Crawford, with Wesley aged 18 and Eliza J. aged 27. DonÂ’t know
what became of Will Jones, WesleyÂ’s sort-of step-son.

Wesley married Martha Fortner on 11-10-1892 at Ironton, MO. They were
married by the Honorable Adam Henderson, JP. Martha was born
11-15-1868 and died 3-20-1948, after bearing Wesley four children:
Charles Asher
Henry Preston Asher
Edith Mae Asher
Lula Asher
Sometime after the marriage of Wesley and Martha, two sisters, Cynthia
and Nancy Bowen, moved into the Asher home. Wesley fathered children
with these girls: Nancy had a daughter named Elsie and Cynthia had two
boys named Jackson Johnny. After these births, the girls moved out.
Nancy then married Allan Douglas and Cynthia married Tom Burke. When
Cynthia moved out, she left Jack with Wesley and took Johnny with her.
She and Tom lived in Oklahoma where Tom died in 1964.

Laura Asher was born 5-15-1882 and died 3-14-1961. She married
Frank Bowen, son of John Wess Bowen and Susan Myers, who was born
2-9-1880 and died 7-9-1934. Laura and Frank, along with their
children, are buried in the Asher Cemetery. Their children are:
Ethel Bowen
Johnny Bowen
Vestie Bowen
Raymond Bowen
Woodrow Bowen
Dessie Bowen
Niten Bowen, born 2-7-1903, died 5-22-1903

** Frank and Henry Bowen are brothers to Nancy and Cynthia Bowen,
who bore children to Wesley Asher, the father of the two
illegitimate girls Frank and Henry married.

Sarah Asher married Henry Bowen on 11-1-1898. They had 7
children:
James Ivory Bowen, born 7/6/1899
Martha Bowen, born 6/15/1902
Anna Bowen
Lillie Dail Bowen
Rose Bowen
Leo Bowen, born 4/15/1918, died 1/1/1971
Virgil Wilbur Bowen

Jackson “Jack” Asher was born 12-9-1902 to Wesley Asher and
Cynthia Bowen. Jack married Lillie Prater on 1-30-1921. Lillie
was born 3-19-1903. They moved from MO to IL on 7/26/1938 and
had 9 children before his death on 11-14-1975.
Ruble Asher
Robert Asher
Tressie Asher
Cynthia Asher
Dellmer Asher
Clyde Asher
Dolly Asher
Erma Lee Asher, who preceded Jack Lillie in death.
Judy Asher, who married Ken Bowlin and lives in Redbud, IL.
** Jack has a full brother named Johnny who was raised by a
Reeves family.

Charles Asher, son of Wesley Martha Asher, was born 2-22-1894
at Bixby, MO and died 6-7-1968. He was married to Mae Ogles,
born 3-3-1897 at Iron Mtn, Iron Co, MO. She is the daughter of
Charlie Ed and Ann Ogles. Charles and Mae had four children:
William Asher
Frank Asher
Elmer Asher
Emma Asher

William Asher married Elsie Camden and had seven children.
Frank Asher married Norma Clement and had three children.
He later married Evelyn Brown and had two children.
Elmer Asher married Edna Usher and they have two children.
Emma Asher is single.

Henry Preston Asher was born June 1, 1897. He married Ollie Lamb
and they had one daughter named Della Mae Asher. Della married
Richard Walker. Henry and Ollie divorced and Henry remarried to
Girtie Luvinia Stricklin, with whom he had 15 more children, of
which nine survived. They are:
Mabel Asher
Vernie Asher
Jackson Wesley Asher
Herman Preston Asher
Montie Ray Asher
Emmett Asher
Goldie Asher
Vernon Asher
Helen Luvinia Asher

Mable and Vernie remained single, teaching school and caring
for their parents until their death. Their father was
killed, and Vernie was seriously injured, in an automobile
accident when the ambulance in which they were riding
wrecked. Henry and Girtie maintained separate residences,
as they could not get along. Vernie finally made a partial
recovery and Girtie died later on.

Jackson married Ruth Ness and had three children: Kenneth,
Nina and Ginger Asher.
Herman Asher married Betty King and had two children, one of
which was named Kathy, who married Charlie Campbell and bore
a son named Joshua; the other named Jeffery Asher.
Montie Asher married Linda Nelson.
Emmett Asher married Brenda Edgar, two boys named Randy and
Nathan.
Goldie Asher Seely Keister has two children: Jerry and Dawn
Seely.

Edith Asher, daughter of Wesley Martha Asher, married Albert
Miner and bore six children:
Earl Miner
Lawrence Miner
Calvin Miner
Lucy Miner
Erna Mae Miner
Della Faye Miner

Lula Asher, daughter of Wesley Martha Asher, married Raymond
Fieldon Dunn on 1-21-1923. She was born on 9-17-1908; he was
born 3/16/1896 and died 8/31/1963. They had 8 children:
William Henry Dunn
Raymond Earl Dunn
William Carl Dunn
Simoline Dunn
Eva Dunn
Rose Lee Dunn
Donald Dunn
Gene Dunn
The three eldest boys are dead.
Eva married Haskel Camden and bore 13 children.
Simoline married Clarence Camden.
~~~ The End ~~~"