Barbara was the daughter of Abraham Miller, longtime resident of the southeast portion of Hardin County, Kentucky, which would become Larue County in 1843, and his first wife, Barbara Allen.

One published source indicates that Abraham's wife and the mother of his children was Mary Johnson. Mary appears with Abraham in the 1850 US Census and was likely his second wife.

A. W. Toole, who married an Ashcraft, did extensive research in the 1940's. He indicated that Abraham Miller's first wife and mother of his children was Barbara Allen. Recently, I acquired a very old Bible from a direct descendant. It is inscribed "Barbary Miller." It documents the births of Abraham and Barbara Miller's children and a few grandchildren, as well as a couple of their marriages. It almost certainly belonged to Abraham's wife "Barbary," Allen Miller, not this daughter Barbary.

On 15 Oct 1832, at age 16, the young Barbara Miller became the wife of Jedediah (Jediah) Ashcraft. Since she was under age at the time, her marriage record includes permission from her father, Abraham Miller.

The 1850 U. S. Census shows the Ashcraft family living in the next household to her father. By about 1852, the Ashcrafts left Kentucky. They lived for a brief time in Missouri, where their son Samuel was born. Beginning 2 Jun 1854, Jedediah, along with others, began camping in Mt. Pleasant Township in Atchison County, Kansas.

Barbara and Jedediah were the parents of at least 12 known children. In addition to the nine that are linked to this record, they also include: Edward Young Ashcraft, who died in childhood in Kentucky, James William Ashcraft, who apparently left Atchison County at a young age, and Francis Ashcraft. In addition, Al Toole's research mentions a daughter named Barbara Ashcraft, however, we find no record of her.

The last census record we find of Barbara (Miller) Ashcraft is in Shannon, Atchison County, Kansas in the 1885 Kansas Census.

Her death notice appeared in the16 Jan 1894 issue of the Atchison Daily Champion.
"Mrs. Barbara Ashcraft, aged seventy-eight years, died at the home of her son, J. J. Ashcraft, who resides on Independence Creek, about six miles north of this city, at an early hour yesterday morning. The deceased had been suffering with consumption for a number of years. The funeral will leave the Ashcraft residence on Independence Creek at 9 o'clock this morning and proceed to the home of Abraham Ashcraft, about seven miles southwest where the services will be held at 12 o'clock."

--Bonnie Ward Williamson
Memorial Edited 24 Oct 2021