Biography - JOSEPH ASHURST
Joseph
Ashurst, principal and superintendent of the Camargo public schools and
present nominee of the Democratic party for the office of county
superintendent of schools, has been a leading educator in the county for
several years. He was born in Somerset, Pulaski county, Kentucky, April 16,
1872, and is a son of Henry Clay and Elizabeth (Thurman) Ashurst, who were
both born in Pulaski county, Kentucky. His grandfathers, Henry Ashurst and
Joseph Thurman, were natives of Virginia and early settlers in Pulaski
county, where they were engaged in agricultural pursuits. His father, Henry
C. Ashurst, was one time sheriff of his native county.
Joseph Ashurst attended the common school and afterward the high school, and
is largely self educated. In Douglas county he stands at the very front rank
as a successful educator and teaches in his schools at Camargo, beside the
common branches, botany, philosophy, zoology and algebra. Prior to his
coming to Camargo, which was in September, 1899, he resided at Arthur, where
he located in 1890 and taught school in the country and subsequently was
grammar teacher in the Arthur schools, which position he resigned to accept
his present one. In 1894 he was united in marriage to Miss Lucy B., a
daughter of Henry C. Wood, a retired farmer, of Arthur, but formerly of
Moultrie county. Mr. Wood was born near Vincennes, Indiana, in 1845, and is
a son of Eli Wood, who was an early settler in Knox county, migrating from
North Carolina. He was a soldier in Company F, Eighteenth Infantry, and
served until the close of the war. His wife was Miss Ann Shultz, of Piatt
county.
Joseph Ashurst, because of his high merit as an educator and general
popularity as a gentleman, was chosen by the Democratic party to make the
race for county superintendent in the next election, and it is conceded that
he has most excellent chances of being elected. He owns eighty-five acres of
land just south of Arcola; is a member of the Masonic and Odd Fellows
fraternities and of the Woodmen. He has been retained in the Camargo schools
for another year at quite a good increase in salary, thereby showing to the
people of Camargo and Douglas county that his work is appreciated. Although
the majority in the fall election is against him he has a better show for
election than any other candidate that the Democratic party has put out in
several years.
Extracted 22 Jul 2019 by Norma Hass from the Historical and Biographical Record of Douglas County, Illinois, published in 1900, pages 240-241.
