Elizabeth Ashby
Surnames: Manville, Stark
Regions: Oneida Co., NY - Sheboygan Co., WI
Source: Sketches of Wisconsin Pioneer Women,
by Florence Chambers Dexheimer,
W. D. Hoard & Sons Co., Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin
Pages 33-35
Elizabeth Ashby Manville, the first white child born in the town of Sheboygan, was one of the real pioneer women of Wisconsin and the following sketch covers but very inadequately and briefly the many interesting phases of her long and varied life:
Mrs. Manville was born on the old Ashby homestead near what is now the city of Sheboygan, on January 16, 1843, and was summoned home on January 27, 1924 after eighty-one years of activity. Mr. William Ashby, the father of Mrs. Manville, came from Rome, Oneida County, New York, to Wisconsin in 1836 and became identified with the lumbering interests about Sheboygan.
Elizabeth Ashby's early education was secured in the spare one room log cabin school house near where she was born; however, her parents were very progressive and their daughter was sent to Springfield, Illinois, to complete her education. Upon returning from Springfield, Mrs. Manville instructed the children in the same log cabin which she had earlier attended, afterward teaching school in the village of Sheboygan. In 1867 she became the wife of Fayette Manville, a photographer, who not only maintained a fine studio at Sheboygan but one at Algoma, Kewaunee, and Sturgeon Bay as well. Mr. Manville died in 1907 and of the two children of their union, Fred survives, residing now in the city of Sheboygan.
Mrs. Manville's recollections of her earlier days were most vivid and her reminiscences given at various public gatherings were always much appreciated and enjoyed. She was fond of recalling her experiences with the native Indians, as they often came to the Ashby home.
It was Mrs. Manville's privilege to see the present city of Sheboygan (with a population of 32,000) grow from the few settlers' huts and Indian lodges of her childhood, a most wonderful and unique experience in any life. As she grew to girlhood, she beheld the shipping industry on Lake Michigan unfold before her wondering eyes destined to make Sheboygan the lake port it is today. Even in those far off pioneer times amusements were not lacking to lighten the toil of wearisome days, as Mrs. Manville has told the writer of attending her first real ball at the age of eight years, and her splendid memory clearly visualized the pleasure of hearing Mark Brained, famous story teller, H. N. Ross, elocutionist and character interpreter, and others of her girlhood day.
Two great tragedies of early times were often retold in her later years, the sinking of the Lady Elgin and the burning of the Steamer Phoenix, the latter in 1847. Although only four years old at this time, the circumstances of this catastrophe were such as to forever impress themselves on the childish mind. The Phoenix burned but a short distance from the port of Sheboygan and many of the survivors were brought into the settlement. One of these, an immigrant girl, was taken into the Ashby home and remained for several months. Food and shelter were furnished the poor unfortunates who had been passengers on this ill-fated boat and they were assisted in every way possible, the Ashby family being most active in this rescue work.
Mrs. Manville was a faithful communicant of the Episcopal Church for almost sixty years and was closely identified with the work of the parish during her entire life.
Like many of the pioneer stock, Mrs. Manville was of pure Yankee descent. She traced her ancestors beyond the Revolutionary period and was a direct descendant of General Stark, leader of the "Green Mountain Boys." She was for years a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and even up to within a very short time before her death was a faithful attendant of the meetings and contributed much to the success of the local Chapter by her genial personality, charm of manner, and ready wit.
Elizabeth Ashby Manville was of a most lovable character and included both old and young among her many friends. Her many fine qualities, combined with the interest always aroused by her recollections of the pioneer history of Sheboygan County, made her an outstanding personality and her death a real loss to the community.
(author - Mrs. Jessica B. Fessenden)
