HISTORICAL PHOTOS FROM BEECH GROVE (click on any of the photos below for a larger version)
Ashby Homestead. Lorraine Sweets Melville passed away in 2007 in Michigan at the age of 99. This was a photo of her grandfather, Marshall G. Ashby, a long time resident of Beech Grove. He married Lola McDaniels.
The following was taken from the book, "Kentucky History of the State 1885, by W. H. Perrin, J.H. Battle, and G. C. Kniffin:
McLean County. MARSHALL G. ASHBY, one of the live business men of Beach Grove, McLean County, was born September 16, 1839, in Hopkins, now Webster County, KY. He is the eldest of six children born to Jesse and Julia (Sellers) Ashby, natives of Nelson and Henderson Counties, respectively. He lived with his parents on a farm until he was twenty one years old, and attended the common schools, when not employed on the farm. Possessing a patriotic spirit, and believing secession to be wrong, he enlisted in October, 1861, in Company K, Twenty-fifth Kentucky Federal Infantry, and was in the battles of Donelson, Shiloh, Mission Ridge, Altonia Mountain, Dalton, Resaca, Atlanta and Nashville. He went as far south as Jonesboro, returned to Nashville, and was discharged as coproral, February, 1865, when he returned to his home and Cincinnatus-like, again betook himself to the plow until 1869. when he embarked in mercantile business at Wrightsburg. In 1871, he located at Beech Grove, where he has since followed the same business with good success. He also engaged in the milling business for three years. In 1871, he was appointed postmaster at Wrightsburg, which position he held for ten years; in 1883, was appointed at Beach Grove and is the present incumbent. He was married in April, 1871, to Lola McDaniel of McLean County, a daughter of Charles and Bettie (Brown) McDaniel, born and reared in Daviess and Oldham Counties, respectively. Six children bless this union: Osceola (deceased), Sciota, Alpharetta, Othello E., Tullahoma and Nedawah M. Mr. and Mrs. Ashby are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church; he is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and in politics a Republican, but gave his first presidential vote for Bell and Everts in 1860. Mr. Ashby is considered one of the best business men in the county. He has a large stock of goods, also a good mill, and one of the finest residences in the county.
