\ IRCrlNIA BIOGRAPHY
127
arrived in 1635. Thomas Ashby, believed
to be the son or grandson of the immigrant,
about 1700 located in what is now Fau(iuier
county. He died in 1752. Robert, scni of
Captain Thomas Ashby born about 1710,
died 1792. his wnfe having died before him.
He spent his entire life on a farm near Dela-
plane and had a large family. His son Hen-
jamin settled on land along the Shenandoah
river which was given him by his father.
It was Benjamin who served as second lieti-
tenant in the Eighth Virginia Regimental
Continental line, in 1777, was promoted to
first lieutenant March 13. 1779, and March
18, 1779, was lieutenant of Third Virginia.
His son, Captain John Ashby, born April i,
1740, died April 4, 1815. served in the Third
Virginia, Continental Line, from 1775"77'
was severely wounded at the battle of
Brandywine in 1777, then retired from active
service, but was continued as supernumerary
on continental establishment. It was his
uncle. Captain Jack Ashby. wdio founded
what was known as Ashby's Fort, on Patter-
son Creek, and in Washington's correspond-
ence w^ith Governor Dinwiddie was frec[uent-
ly mentioned. Captain John Ashby. the
nephew, married Mary Turner, of Maryland,
who was born in 1750 and died in 1826.
Thomson, son of Captain John Ashby, mar-
ried Ann Stuart Menefee. granddattghter of
Joseph Strother. Thomson Ashby was born
in Culpeper county and served in the war of
1812. William Strother, founder of the
family in Virginia, was living along the
Ra])pahannock river, where he owned land.
His wife was named Dorothy. Their son.
William Strother. born before 1653, at his
father's estate, now in King George county,
became sherift of the county. He married
Margaret, daughter of Francis and Alice
(Savage) Thornton. Francis Thornton was
an ancestor of George Washington, a son
of the first William Thornton, of Gloucester
county, and Alice Savage was a daughter of
Captain Anthony Savage, justice and high
sherilY of Gloucester county. William (2)
son of William and Margaret Strother, born
about 1700, in 1727 purchased an estate on
the river opposite I'redericksburg, which
his widow sold to Augustine, father of
George Washington, in 1738. He married
Margaret Watts. Francis Strother, second
son of William and Margaret Strother, mar-
ried Susannah Dabney, of the Hanover
family of that name, and their son was John
.Strother, born in Hanover cou.ity, died in
.\pril, 1795. Tlic latter married Mary Wil-
lis Wacle and shortly afterwards removed
to Wadefield, Culpeper county. He was
captain in the Culpeper militia in 1756, and
saw active service in the French and Indian
war. His son, Josej^h Strother, married
Ann .Stewart, daughter of Robert and Mary
.'^tuart. A daughter of this union, Alary
Wade Strother, married William Menefee
and is spoken of as a great beauty. Colo-
nel William Menefee was born in 1762 and
died in 1841, son of John and Mildred (John-
ston) Menefee. Anne Stuart, daughter of
William and Mary Wade (Strotherj Mene-
fee, married Thomson Ashby, of Fauquier,
as above mentioned. Thomson Ashby, born
March 31, 1785, was lieutenant in the Fifth
Virginia Regiment, Captain Benjamin
Cole's company from Culpeper, in the war
of 1812, and died July 14, 1850. Mary Ellen,
yovmgest daughter of Thomson and Anne
Stuart (Menefee; Ashby. married Charles
Bayne, and they had five children : Nannie
Thomson, born in 1849, died in 1896, wife of
Dr. David Branch ; Howard Randolph
Bayne, mentioned further ; Estelle St.
Pierre, wife of Fletcher Piatt Jones, born
1853, died 1902; Frances Scott, born 185(1.
died 1893. '^"'i Hunter Ashby, born 18(30,
died 1887. Mrs. Charles Bayne was born
in Fauquier county, Virginia, June 14, 1826,
and died October 2, 1869.
In early boyhood Howard R. Bayne stud- ied under private ttitors and he prepared for college in Squire's School in Richmond. He graduated from Richmond college in 1872, with the degree of M. A. and from the same institution received the degree of J]. L. in 1879, having taken the summer law course under Professor John B. Minor at the Uni- versity of Virginia in 1878. He taught in the University School in Richmond two years after his graduation and for three years was principal of Pampatike Academy at the home of Colonel Thomas H. Carter in King William county, Virginia. In 1879 he was admitted to the Richmond bar and soon afterwards formed a partnership with James Alston Cabell, under the firm name of liayne & Cabell, which continued until July, 1882. when Mr. Bayne left Richmond and took up his residence in New^ York City. At that time he was admitted to the Xew York bar, before wdiich he has prac- ticed continuously ever since. He reside '
