John Ashton

Son-in-law of John Jarrett II (q.v.).

1. Son of Nicholas Ashton (1742-1833) and his first wife Mary Warburton. More on his father Nicholas: "In the 1790s he was co-owner (with the Marquis of Granby) of a privateer with letters of marque, the Marchioness of Granby (another, the Pelican, famously sank with the loss of almost a hundred lives during a parade in the Mersey in 1793), but he seems to have had no interest in the slave trade and consistently supported liberal politicians including anti-slavery campaigners." "John Ashton (1765-1814), born 9 August and baptised at St Peter, Liverpool, 11 September 1765; painted as a child by Joseph Wright of Derby; educated at Peterhouse, Cambridge (admitted 1782); married, 26 April 1790 at Childwall, Mary Noble (1771-1863), second daughter of John Jarrett of Wavertree (Lancs) and Freemantle (Hants) and had issue four sons and four daughters; lived at Hefferston Grange; died at Crawley House (Hants) in the lifetime of his father, 9 December 1814; will proved 31 December 1814"

2. Will of John Ashton of [the Grange] Weaverham Cheshire proved 31/12/1814. Under the will he rehearsed his marriage settlement of 1790 with Mary Jarrett and willed the £10,000 settled [by John Jarrett] to his own children Mary, Harriet, Herbert, William, Richard, Frederica and Julia. He was entitled to £16,600 in mortgages over Jamaica properties which he left in trust again for the benefit of his seven children, together with land in Staffordshire. The will appears to omit an older son, John, who reportedly died at Waterloo.

1. 'Landed families of Britain and Ireland: (210) Ashton of Woolton Hall and Hefferston Grange', https://landedfamilies.blogspot.com/2016/03/210-ashton-of-woolton-hall-and.html [accessed 18/12/2020].

2. PROB 11/1562/488.

We are grateful to Rebecca Virag for her assistance with compiling this entry.