JOHN L. ASHURST, manufacturer of the Blunt Succor Drill, Sec. 36; P. O. Kilbourne; was born in Bath Township, Mason Co., Ill., March 15, 1838, and is a son of Nelson R. and Jemima Ashurst. The family removed from Tennessee to Illinois in 1832, settling first in Menard Co., and about one year later removed to Mason Co., locating in what is now Bath Township. The subject of this sketch was married Feb. 12, 1858, to Miss Amanda C., daughter of Laban and Elizabeth K. Blunt, who were early settlers of Mason Co. Mr. Ashurst followed farming for some years, but, in about 1857, gave his attention to mechanical pursuits, purchasing a few tools and embarking in the blacksmithing business in a small way, mainly for the purpose of doing his own repairing; he soon gave up farming and devoted himself to his trade; he assisted Bobert Blunt, patentee of the Succor Drill, in the construction of the first machine, and the second was built wholly by Mr. Ashurst; since the death of Mr. Blunt, his son George, together with Mr. Ashurst, have made some improvements which place this drill on a footing with any manufactured, and, by many, believed to be superior to anything of the kind in the market. Mr. Ashurst has manufactured and sold about one hundred drills this season, but by no means supplying the demand, which has been some four to five hundred.

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