Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum
My great uncle Ashcroft was a railway constructor in the late 1800's in America, do you have any information on him or his company ... ?
—John Ashcroft, Northern Ireland
posted from CPRR Discussion Group at 10:46 AM
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Suggest that you utilize the many available online resources for genealogy research, or you may need to hire a professional genealogist to trace your family's history.
A last name and occupation alone is usually not sufficient information to search genealogy records. What additional information do you have or can you discover by asking family members, including your distant cousins? Such as his full name, dates of birth or death, names of his parents, wife or children, when he came to America, where he lived, etc.
You should check as to whether your family name is shared by many unrelated families, or only a very few. If the Ashcroft name is used by only a single family or a limited number of families (i.e., for example, if it is not derived from an occupational description used by many unrelated individuals), you might be able to locate a late 19th century family genealogy book which lists all of the Ashcroft family members.
I did a quick check on the Federal Census, and find 8 John Ashcrofts in England in 1855-1901; 31 John Ashcrofts on the US Census of 1880. To find him, I would need his birth date, approximate arrival date in the US, and what portion of the US did he live in? OK to respond to caliron@cwnet.com G J Chris Graves, NewCastle, Cal.
From: "JOHN ASHCROFT" johnashcroft417@btinternet.com>
I am trying to find some information about the early Ashcroft's – how left N Ireland in the early 1900's – they went to the USA. I can trace back to my great grandfather William John Ashcroft 1852 from Richill Armagh, Ireland.
Three brothers and three sisters went to the US – one of the brothers worked on the railways or built bridges. I saw on the net, a bridge named the "Ashcroft Bridge" – it could be either a William or John James Ashcroft who built them. I was at the Ashcroft–Larson reunion at Eaglewood resort & Spa in Chicago. I am H P John Ashcroft a cousin of the former US Attorney General John David Ashcroft. I am also trying to find information on my uncle George Ashcroft from New York, now deceased. He was a US soldier in the cavalry WW II at the Normandy landings and the Battle of the Bulge – I met him when I was in my teens.
Do not go to any bother, but if you do have information I would be very grateful.
—John Ashcroft
i am an Ashcroft of the same family tree and live here in n.ireland , i was also invited to the same re-union , however i was unable to attend , though some of the Ashcrofts from the Coagh area in co.tyrone did attend
A John Ashcroft published a series of Railway Directories in the 1860s. The title page gives his address as No. 50 John Street, New York. His introduction in the 1867 edition does not reveal much about him but gives his apologies for not getting the directory out sooner.
Several American libraries carry this directory. Perhaps other editions have more personal information than this one.
C. Fink
Lansing, MI
Library copies of Ashcroft's Railway Directory.
Nice design of blog.
From: MRuane4501@aol.com
I found your website very interesting and informative. I am currently looking into my ancestry and I have a great grandfather Martin McAndrew who is reputed to have travelled to the US from Ireland with his brother (not sure of name). They apparently made their way to California where they worked building the railroad with the Chinese. This would have been around 1895 - 1905, I believe. I would be interested in trying to find out whether he is listed on any payroll records, and would be grateful if you could let me know how I could go about this.
—Patrick Ruane
Where could I look for railroad personnel records?
From: "Craig McMicken" craig.mcmicken@gmail.com
Subject: Genealogy Search
My father, Donald E. McMicken (1878-1967) supervised maintenance gangs UPRR on line east of Portland, Oregon about 1908-15. Can you directme to where I might search the record?
—Craig McMicken, Florence, Oregon
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