The Ascah family has been in North America for two and a half centuries beginning in 1757 when Richard Ascah (“Richard the First”) married Dorita Mellick in Halifax. Fast forward to 2025 and the family has spread across Canada and into the United States, and now likely to other continents. This website is devoted to updating the two genealogies (1967,1974) authored by my Uncle Elmer George Ascah and family trees and to telling stories including the ones posted so far. future stories mainly about my branch of the family and to encouraging readers to submit stories or historical documents this site will curate. It is my hope at some point to consolidate these stories, including pictures, DNA analysis, or archival documents (e.g.,birth certificates) and updated family tree into the third Ascah genealogy.

One of the many mysteries we have yet to unlock is where did Richard come from. There are a number of theories contained in the genealogical materials left to me by my uncle Elmer as well as materials, including old scrolls of family trees written by my Great-Uncle Robert Gordon Ascah given to me by Geoffrey Moody Ascah. Theories range from coming to the United States from the continent (Germany or possibly The Netherlands) or from Great Britain. My DNA analysis suggests our family came from southern England and the most common matching is to the Wait(e) family.

Military records, church records and census records are the main sources of information as the first few generations of the Ascahs could not read or write and therefore this is no historical record. This gets corrected in the late 19th century. notable contributions come from my Great Uncle Augustus Clifford’s record of his journey by train and canoe to Moose Factory as an Anglican missionary and one of his sermons.

In addition, future posts will include Excel spreadsheet of all the genealogical materials which I have catalogued including Elmer’s correspondence with archivists, relatives, military historians etc. I have scanned all these materials and are available by request. My email is ascahll@gmail.com