John Wesley Ashcraft, aged 79, of Protection, died Wednesday, September 29 in Wesley hospital where he had been a patient seven days. He was a retired hardware merchant.Born January 3, 1870, in Louisville, Kentucky, he made the run into Oklahoma when the strip was opened in 1893, and homesteaded near Aline, Oklahoma until 1910 when he moved to Protection.
He married Lenora Crum 60 years ago. She preceded him in death by several years. He was a member of the Baptist church, Masonic Lodge No. 384 of Protection and Modern Woodmen.
Surviving are four sons, C. P. Ashcraft, publisher of The Hillsboro Star at Hillsboro, Kans., Martin Ashcraft of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ernest E. Ashcraft of Stockton, Calif., Ivan Ashcraft of Protection and Mason Lewis, now in Japan with the army. There also are four daughters, Mrs. John Webb of Protection, Mrs. C. F. Gould of Barstow, Calif., Mrs. William Schultz of Protection and Mrs. Clinton Easterday of Englewood, Kans.
The body was taken to Protection for funeral services at 2:00 p.m. Sunday in the Methodist church.
John Wesley Ashcraft, Sr. is buried in the Protection Cemetery.
Also see:
Francis Joseph Ashcraft, son of John Wesley Ashcraft, Sr., killed in a plane crash 18 February 1928.
Sgt. John W. Ashcraft, Jr., U.S. Army, WWI, son of John Wesley Ashcraft, Sr. He was an auto, motorcycle and aircraft racer; stunt pilot and nationally-known aviator. He was killed in a plane crash 28 June 1929.
At left: John W. Ashcraft, Jr., also known as John Ashcraft, Jack Ashcraft and Big Jack Ashcraft.
Photo courtesy of Jack Ashcraft's great niece, Cindy Weigand.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!
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