ETHRIDGE,
CAPT. ASA CROSBY, son of Stephen and Jane (McGaffey) Ethridge, was born
at Sandwich, New Hampshire.
Stephen
Ethridge came from England, was of Scotch-Irish descent, and settled in
Sandwich, New Hampshire. He married Jane McGaffey, who was, according to
best authorities, of Scotch parentage. They had thirteen children, the
last of whom were twins one being Asa C., who was born August 9, 1803.
He married Asenath R. S. George, a daughter of Daniel and Mary (Sanborn)
George of Sutton, Vermont.
Asenath
R. S. George was born at Sutton, Vermont, February 24, 1803. Her maternal
great-grandfather, Jethro Sanborn, according to the original rolls in the
bureau of pensions at Washington, "Enlisted in 1755 as a private in Captain
Jacob Webster's company to serve his majesty, King George the Second, in
a regiment raised for an expedition to Crown Point."
Jethro Sanborn,
2d, maternal grandfather of Asenath R. S. George, served as a soldier of
the Revolution. February 22, 1776, he was paid for twenty-three days' service.
This service was in one of the companies of "minute men" that went to Winter
Hill in December, 1775. He again saw service during 1776 as a private in
Captain John Calfe's company, Colonel Bartlett's regiment. This enlistment
must have been of short duration for September 8, 1776, we find him in
Captain Ezra Currier's company, Colonel Abraham Drake's regiment, "to reinforce
the Continental army near Stillwater." This service lasted three months
and eight days. He was present at the historic surrender of Burgoyne. Jethro
Sanborn's service in the Revolution was from New Hampshire. After the close
of the war he moved to Vermont, and in 1812 again entered the army of his
country in the war of that year. He was born in 1755, the year in which
his father saw service in the army of George II.
In
1818 Asenath R. S. George went to live with a sister at Sandwich, New Hampshire,
and while there met, and on March 20, 1827, married Asa Crosby Ethridge.
For some years they continued to live at Sandwich. Six children blessed
their union, two of whom were born at Sandwich, Mary J., who married Giles
E. Humphrey, and Hiram L. They moved from Sandwich in 1833 to Sutton, Vermont.
Here two more children were born: Susan E., who married Benjamin F. Sanborn
of Brighton, Massachusetts, and Ellen A. (see Milo Jenkins, Kirby). In
1840 Captain Ethridge located in Burke. Here the last two children were
born: Sarah L., who married Ezra Powers of Burke, and Luella R., who married
Frank Pinney of Brighton, Vermont.
While
a resident of Sandwich, Asa O. Ethridge was a leading and public-spirited
citizen, and took a deep interest in all public matters. In 1831 he was
commissioned a lieutenant of infantry, and August 14, 1832, Governor Samuel
Dinsmore commissioned him "captain of the Seventh company of infantry in
the Nineteenth regiment."
When
Captain Ethridge located in Sutton he settled on a farm on "South Ridge,"
so-called. He served his town in various offices and was a man of sound
judgment, firmness, and absolute integrity.
In
1840 he purchased a farm at Burke Hollow, and later acquired the old grist-mill
(now used as the Burke creamery). In 1872 Mrs. Ethridge died; and Captain
Ethridge sold his property and went to reside with his daughter, Luella
R., at Brighton, where he departed this life December 16, 1876. For thirty-five
years he was a devoted member of the Methodist church.
Source:
Successful Vermonters, William H. Jeffrey, E. Burke, Vermont, The Historical
Publishing Company, 1904, page 162-165.
Prepared
by Tom Dunn, October 2007
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