by Laurel | April 9th, 2013
Ashley Tombstone,
Elmwood Cemetery, Holyoke, MA
Elisha Ashley
1831 – 1896
Eliza Coit, His Wife
1835 – 1905
04 May 1896 — Two Deaths in One Family. The Ashley residence on Cherry street was saddened yesterday morning by two deaths within a few hours of each other. The first was the death of Elisha Ashley, 65, who died about 5 o’clock of a week’s illness of pneumonia. he was born at the Ashley home, opposite Ashley ponds, and lively nearly all his life in Holyoke. He was a carpenter, employed by the Merrick thread company. he was a man devoted to his family and was not a member of any organization. His was was Eliza Coit a daughter of the late Benjamin Coit. He leaves two children, Harlan Coit Ashley and Mrs. C. W. Johnson. A few hours after the death of Mr. Ashley, his wife’s mother, Mrs. Emily Miller Coit, widow of Benjamin Coit, died at the age of 92. Both deaths were caused by colds that were taken a week ago. Mrs. Coit was born in Chester in 1804, and after living a short time in Huntington, she moved to Holyoke, where she had spent 40 years of her life. For the past four years, since the death of her husband, she had lived with her daughter, Mrs. Ashley. She leaves two children besides her daughter. They are Mrs. George W. Merritt of Suffield and Henry Coit of Worcester. There are also two stepsons, Edward Coit of Chesterfield and Watson Coit of Huntington. Mrs Coit was a long time member of the First Congregational church. The funerals will be held at one service at the house on Cherry Street tomorrow afternoon at 2:30.
02 December 1905 — Death of Mrs. Eliza Coit Ashley. Mrs. Eliza Coit Ashley, 70, widow of the late Elisha Ashley, died yesterday morning at 11:30 at her Cherry Street home. The Holyoke reservoir, known as the Ashley Ponds Reservoir was so named because the ponds were on property owned for years by the Ashleys. The old Ashley homestead is no longer standing, but the location is marked by cellar walls yet to be seen. Mrs. Ashley was born on Norwich Hill in Huntington and came to Holyoke when about 20 yeas of age, married Mr. Ashley about 46 years ago. Mr. Ashley, who died several years ago, left one brother Hiram J. of Springfield and two sisters, Mrs. Laura Moody of Kennebunkport, Maine, and Mrs. Climena Bagg of West Springfield. Mrs. Ashley leaves one sister, Mrs. Susan Merritt of Suffield, CT, and two brothers, Watson Coit of Huntington and Henry Coit of Valley Falls, RI. Two children also survive, Harlan C. Ashley and Mrs. Charles W. Johnson of Holyoke. The funeral will be held at the Cherry Street home Monday afternoon at 2. Rev. H. H. Morrill will officiate and the burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery.
Obituary adapted from The Springfield Republican.
