1. Where was William L. Ashbrook from 1850 to 1860?
From 1845-1850 Matilda and her father James L. appear on Russell Co. tax lists. On the 1850 Russell Co. Census, James is living with his wife Elizabeth (Grimes) and their two daughters, Mary, age 5 and Mahala, age 1. James' neighbor is Alex and Franny Lynch, parents of William's future wife Mary Frances, age 16. Matilda is living next door to James with Wm., age 10 and John W. and Nancy W. Ashbrook, age one month. It is quite likely that Matilda and her father James L. must have both died sometime between 1850 - 1860. Neither appear on tax lists after 1850 and James' widow, Elizabeth married Robert Quarles July 1854. I have not found William on any census in or around these counties in 1860 although Wm. married Mary Frances in September of that year and is listed on Russell Co. tax lists owning land on Wolf Creek.
2. Where were the children after the death of parents William and Mary Frances?
Family oral history is that the children of Wm. and Mary Frances were raised by their Lynch grandmother and uncle, Jesse Lynch. One daughter supposedly died at age 18 (I'm thinking this was Mary) but there is absolutely nothing known about Lanceford. Nancy, age 16 is found in the home of Franny Lynch on the 1880 Russell Co. Census while Alexander, age 16 and Thomas, age 11 are in Adair Co. in the household of David Streales. Where were John Hooker, Mary, and Lanceford?
If I could locate guardianship for the children perhaps more clues about the deaths of the parents would be evident. In 1869 Wm. is listed with 77 acres @ Caney Fork; 1871 finds him with 77 acres @ McFarland Creek and in 1872 Wm. has 77 3/4 acres @ Caney Fork . He appears once more on Russell Co. tax lists- 1873, Wolf Creek, 78 acres. In April, 1872 there was a sale of land (McFarland and Bobbs Branch) from Wm. and Mary Frances Ashbrook to Lafayette Dunbar.