Henry Graham Ashmead (June 30, 1838 – November 27, 1920) was an American historian, journalist, and chronicler of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Ashmead's History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania (1884) is one of the classic texts of southeastern Pennsylvania history.
Ashmead read law in his father's New York office and gained admittance to the New York bar on November 29, 1859. He practiced law briefly alongside classmate Leon Abbett, a future governor of New Jersey, but abandoned his legal career because of ill health, on the advice of his physicians. Ashmead later "embarked in outdoor uncongenial occupations in which he was unsuccessful." After his father died in 1868, Ashmead accompanied his mother to her hometown of Chester, Pennsylvania, where he embarked on a career in journalism and public history. He worked as a reporter and editor for the Chester Daily News and later the Delaware County Republican. In 1882, he became secretary of the Pennsylvania Bi-Centennial Association of Chester. In 1885, President Grover Cleveland appointed him to the office of postmaster of Chester.[1][2]
Personal lifeedit
Ashmead married Rebecca Frances Warner in 1872. Their son, John Wayne Ashmead, died at age 18. After his first wife's death, he married to Emma Campbell in 1881. Ashmead died in Chester on November 27, 1920, at the age of 82. He was interred at Chester Rural Cemetery.[1][2]
Publicationsedit
Ashmead authored several books and articles on the history of Delaware County. The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography predicted that Ashmead's Historical Sketch of Chester "will prove of great value to the genealogist and antiquarian."[3] He also wrote several minor stage plays.[2]
Gilbert, Cope; Ashmead, Henry Graham, eds. (1904). Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Chester and Delaware Counties, Pennsylvania. Vol. 2. New York: Lewis Publishing Company.
Ashmead, Henry Graham (1884). History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: L. H. Everts.
Ashmead, Henry Graham; Johnson, William Shaler (1883). Historical Sketch of Chester, on Delaware. Chester, PA: Republican Steam Printing House.
Referencesedit
^ abcSamuel T., Wiley (1894). Garner, Winfield Scott (ed.). Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Comprising a Historical Sketch of the County, Together With Nearly Four Hundred Biographical Sketches of the Prominent Men and Families of the County. Richmond, Indiana: Gresham Publishing Company. pp. 318–321.
^ abcdeGilbert, Cope; Ashmead, Henry Graham, eds. (1904). Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Chester and Delaware Counties, Pennsylvania. Vol. 2. New York: Lewis Publishing Company. pp. 138–142.
henry, graham, ashmead, june, 1838, november, 1920, american, historian, journalist, chronicler, delaware, county, pennsylvania, ashmead, history, delaware, county, pennsylvania, 1884, classic, texts, southeastern, pennsylvania, history, ashmead, 1894born, 183. Henry Graham Ashmead June 30 1838 November 27 1920 was an American historian journalist and chronicler of Delaware County Pennsylvania Ashmead s History of Delaware County Pennsylvania 1884 is one of the classic texts of southeastern Pennsylvania history Henry Graham AshmeadAshmead in 1894Born 1838 06 30 June 30 1838Philadelphia U S DiedNovember 27 1920 1920 11 27 aged 82 Chester Pennsylvania U S Burial placeChester Rural CemeteryOccupation s historian journalist Contents 1 Life and career 2 Personal life 3 Publications 4 ReferencesLife and career editAshmead was born in Philadelphia on June 30 1838 His parents were John Wayne Ashmead a successful lawyer who served as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Henrietta Graham Flower His maternal great grandfather and namesake Henry Hale Graham was the first presiding judge of the Delaware County Courts of Common Pleas Both his parents were of English descent 1 2 Ashmead attended West Chester Academy in West Chester Pennsylvania and Saunders Institute in West Philadelphia As a boy he met Edgar Allan Poe and as a young man he was a friend of Frank R Stockton who named a character in his Christmas story Major Pendallas after Ashmead 2 Ashmead read law in his father s New York office and gained admittance to the New York bar on November 29 1859 He practiced law briefly alongside classmate Leon Abbett a future governor of New Jersey but abandoned his legal career because of ill health on the advice of his physicians Ashmead later embarked in outdoor uncongenial occupations in which he was unsuccessful After his father died in 1868 Ashmead accompanied his mother to her hometown of Chester Pennsylvania where he embarked on a career in journalism and public history He worked as a reporter and editor for the Chester Daily News and later the Delaware County Republican In 1882 he became secretary of the Pennsylvania Bi Centennial Association of Chester In 1885 President Grover Cleveland appointed him to the office of postmaster of Chester 1 2 Personal life editAshmead married Rebecca Frances Warner in 1872 Their son John Wayne Ashmead died at age 18 After his first wife s death he married to Emma Campbell in 1881 Ashmead died in Chester on November 27 1920 at the age of 82 He was interred at Chester Rural Cemetery 1 2 Publications editAshmead authored several books and articles on the history of Delaware County The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography predicted that Ashmead s Historical Sketch of Chester will prove of great value to the genealogist and antiquarian 3 He also wrote several minor stage plays 2 Gilbert Cope Ashmead Henry Graham eds 1904 Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Chester and Delaware Counties Pennsylvania Vol 2 New York Lewis Publishing Company Ashmead Henry Graham 1884 History of Delaware County Pennsylvania Philadelphia L H Everts Ashmead Henry Graham Johnson William Shaler 1883 Historical Sketch of Chester on Delaware Chester PA Republican Steam Printing House References edit a b c Samuel T Wiley 1894 Garner Winfield Scott ed Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Delaware County Pennsylvania Comprising a Historical Sketch of the County Together With Nearly Four Hundred Biographical Sketches of the Prominent Men and Families of the County Richmond Indiana Gresham Publishing Company pp 318 321 a b c d e Gilbert Cope Ashmead Henry Graham eds 1904 Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Chester and Delaware Counties Pennsylvania Vol 2 New York Lewis Publishing Company pp 138 142 Notes and Queries The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography 7 1 111 1883 ISSN 0031 4587 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Henry Graham Ashmead amp oldid 1218665481, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
