William Harrison Ashcraft
Monongalia Co. WV

The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume II
pg 92+93


William Harrison Ashcraft, cashier of the Commercial Bank of Morgantown, at 
the judicial center of Monongalia County, was born in this county, on a farm 
near Halleck in Clinton District, October 12, 1879, and is a representative 
of two of the old and honored families of this section of West Virginia.  His 
paternal grandfather, Harrison Ashcraft, a native of Wales, came with his 
parents to the United States, and eventually established his home in Marion 
County, West Virginia.  Rollo Trickett, the maternal grandfather, is supposed 
to have been born in America, and  was of English parentage.  He became a 
farmer in Preston County, West Virginia, which was at the time still a part 
of Virginia, and at the time of the Civil war he removed to Monongalia 
County, where he passed the rest of his life.

Dextrous T. Ashcraft, father of William H. of this review was born in Marion 
County, this state, December 14, 1852 and in his youth he learned the 
carpenter's trade, to which he continued to give his attention in Marion 
County until his marriage.  He then engaged in farm enterprise in Monongalia 
County, where he has continued as a prominent and substantial representative 
of farm industry.  His wife, Amanda, was born in Preston County, January 14, 
1853, a daughter of Rollo Trickett, mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

William H. Ashcraft so fully profited by the advantage of the public schools 
of his native county that he proved himself eligible for pedagogic service.  
After five years of successful work as a teacher he entered the University of 
West Virginia, but before completing the full course in the same he withdrew 
to enter business.  September 1, 1901, Mr. Ashcraft became bookkeeper in the 
Second National Bank of Morgantown, in which he was promoted to teller in 
1903 and assistant cashier in 1906.  He continued his connection with this 
institution until September 15, 1920, when he resigned to accept his present 
post, that of cashier of the Commercial Bank, which was then in process of 
organization.  He had active charge of the opening of the new bank March 26, 
1921, this being the youngest of the financial institutions of the county but 
its solidity and representative personnel of its executives and stockholders 
give it secure place in popular confidence and support.  Mr. Ashcraft is a 
member of the Morgantown Chamber of Commerce, and he and his wife are zealous 
members of the First Baptist Church, of which he was treasurer for more than 
twenty years.

June 15, 1906, recorded the marriage of Mr. Ashcraft with Miss Alice Maude 
Gilmore, daughter of Col. T.J. and Sarah (Epper) Gilmore.  Colonel Gilmore 
came to Morgantown from Albemarle, Virginia, and became a prominent railroad 
contractor.