Following is a historical account of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Ash Grove, (Cambridge, Washington County NY) which was founded by Philip Embury and whose congregation included Switzers, Ashtons,Hecks, etc. all from Courtmatrix, Co. Limerick. I would be very interested in knowing where in Ontario the families who left Ash Grove settled I assume after the US Revolutionary War. If anyone has any clarification or correction of the following information I would also appreciate it. My sources for the account are noted. ********* Philip Embury was born in Ballingarrane, Co. Limerick, Ireland and was baptised September 29, 1728. On October 31, 1758 Embury married Margaret Switzer, daughter of Christopher and Elizabeth Switzer of Courtmatrix, Co. Limerick, Ireland They were married in the church in Rathkeale (Co. Limerick) which had been established largely thru Embury's efforts. They had six children all born in the New York City: Catherine Elizabeth (1760-1762), John Albert (1762-1766) Samuel (1765-1853) Catherine (1767-1833) Anna (1769-1775) and Philip Jr. (1772-1775). It's believed Embury emigrated from Ireland on the Perry under Capt. Richard Hogan, although there's no record of the passenger list. The ship left Limerick Town, Co. Limerick, on June 9, 1760 and arrived at Pecks slip in New York on August 10, 1760. Traveling with Embury were his brothers David, Peter and John and his cousins Paul and Barbara Ruckle Heck. Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire had been issuing grants on land which had been contested for ownership for grants issued by Gov. George Clinton of New York. Embury applied for a grant in 1765 and was given land later called the Embury-Wilson grant. This now forms part of the town of White Creek and extends into the State of Vermont. Embury and his friends went to the Embury Wilson Patent in 1770. Some settled on that land while others settled in an area along the Diondehowe River north of that land. That area was later called West Camden and is today part of Salem Township. This land was 2300 acres in all and was known as Duanes Camden Tract. The land was leased from James Duane who was a prominent lawyer, Attorney General of New York in 1767 and member of the First Continental Congress and first Mayor of New York City after the British evacuation. Initially he opposed the Revolution because of his extensive land holdings but he later became a supporter. Embury died in 1773 and was buried in what is now called the Camden Valley Burial Ground. He was later moved to Woodlands Cemetery in Cambridge, NY. The family later moved to Ontario, Canada. The Embury Methodist Church of Cambridge New York is the direct descendent of that Ashgrove Society. They had built a church building by 1789. The second church at Ashgrove was built in 1832 because the congregation needed a larger building. The church burned in 1835. A new Church was built in North White Creek (Cambridge Village) in 1836 to be near the Presbyterian Community. The Church was renovated and expanded in 1861 because they needed a larger building. After the new Church was built in North White Creek (Cambridge Village) some of the members who wished to remain in Ashgrove built another church on the foundation of the burned edifice. This was built in 1839 without official sanction. Today nothing remains of the old Ashgrove Circuit but the old burial ground and the monument to Philip Embury in Woodlands Cemetery, Cambridge, NY. The above information is from 1770-1970 200th Anniversary of the Camden-Ashgrove Methodist Episcopal Church compiled by Kenneth A. Gottry, Historian, Embury United Methodist Church, Cambridge, NY. I have changed the name of Philip Embury's birthplace from the Balligarane name which Gottry references to Ballingarrane. I believe Gottry's reference is probably a phonetic spelling of the actual Co. Limerick townland name. Thomas Ashton was also born in Ballingarrane, Co. Limerick, Ireland. (Note: Gottry, however, notes Ashton was from Dublin, Ireland. His ministry may have been in Dublin which might account for the difference.). He was one of the first thirty families to settle on the Cambridge Patent which had been granted eight years before to six men on condition that immediate settlement was made. He and the other twenty nine first settlers received a hundred acres free for helping to settle this Patent of almost 32,000 acres lying north of the Hoosick Patent, and up the valley ever since called Cambridge. In 1770 Ashton and Embury started the first class in Methodism. The first probable members were Thomas Ashton, Elizabeth Ashton, John Armitage, Ely Armitage, James Barber, Sarah Barber, Philip Embury, Margaret Embury, Peter Switzer, Anna M. Switzer, and Christopher Switzer. The Ashgrove class grew to a list of 70 members including the names of the Ashtons, Fishers, McLeans, Bakers, Hannahs, whose descendants still live in the valley. This reference is from Account of Old Home Week, Cambridge NY September 10,11 and 12, 1916 by J. R. Fisher, The Story of the Second Methodist Church in America: 146 Years of Methodism in the Old Town of Cambridge by Rev. John Leonard Cole. Again, I've changed the name of Thomas Ashton's birthplace in Ireland from Ballingran which was noted in Rev. Coles description to Ballingarrane which I believe is the correct spellling. ****** Ash Grove is just northeast of Cambridge Village, Washington County, New York. It's about 175 miles north of New York City. Thanks for any information. Eilis O'Hara ________________________________________________________________________ Yahoo! Messenger - Communicate instantly..."Ping" your friends today! Download Messenger Now http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com/download/index.html