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MONONGALIA COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
PJSTON@aol.com
December 4, 1999
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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume II
pg 92+93
William Harrison Ashcraft, cashier of the Commercial Bank of Morgantown, at
the judicial center of Monongalia County, was born in this county, on a farm
near Halleck in Clinton District, October 12, 1879, and is a representative
of two of the old and honored families of this section of West Virginia. His
paternal grandfather, Harrison Ashcraft, a native of Wales, came with his
parents to the United States, and eventually established his home in Marion
County, West Virginia. Rollo Trickett, the maternal grandfather, is supposed
to have been born in America, and was of English parentage. He became a
farmer in Preston County, West Virginia, which was at the time still a part
of Virginia, and at the time of the Civil war he removed to Monongalia
County, where he passed the rest of his life.
Dextrous T. Ashcraft, father of William H. of this review was born in Marion
County, this state, December 14, 1852 and in his youth he learned the
carpenter's trade, to which he continued to give his attention in Marion
County until his marriage. He then engaged in farm enterprise in Monongalia
County, where he has continued as a prominent and substantial representative
of farm industry. His wife, Amanda, was born in Preston County, January 14,
1853, a daughter of Rollo Trickett, mentioned in the preceding paragraph.
William H. Ashcraft so fully profited by the advantage of the public schools
of his native county that he proved himself eligible for pedagogic service.
After five years of successful work as a teacher he entered the University of
West Virginia, but before completing the full course in the same he withdrew
to enter business. September 1, 1901, Mr. Ashcraft became bookkeeper in the
Second National Bank of Morgantown, in which he was promoted to teller in
1903 and assistant cashier in 1906. He continued his connection with this
institution until September 15, 1920, when he resigned to accept his present
post, that of cashier of the Commercial Bank, which was then in process of
organization. He had active charge of the opening of the new bank March 26,
1921, this being the youngest of the financial institutions of the county but
its solidity and representative personnel of its executives and stockholders
give it secure place in popular confidence and support. Mr. Ashcraft is a
member of the Morgantown Chamber of Commerce, and he and his wife are zealous
members of the First Baptist Church, of which he was treasurer for more than
twenty years.
June 15, 1906, recorded the marriage of Mr. Ashcraft with Miss Alice Maude
Gilmore, daughter of Col. T.J. and Sarah (Epper) Gilmore. Colonel Gilmore
came to Morgantown from Albemarle, Virginia, and became a prominent railroad
contractor.
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