Ashford is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 4,098 at the 2000 census. It was founded in 1714. Eastford, Connecticut was a part of Ashford until 1848 or 1847, when the former split off to organize its own town. For this reason North Ashford is located in northeast Eastford. Ashford is home to the largest Boy Scout camp in Connecticut, June Norcross Webster Scout Reservation and Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.
One of the most daring and able officers of the Continental Army, Thomas Knowlton, grew up on his father's farm in Ashford.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 102.3 km² (39.5 mi²). 100.5 km² (38.8 mi²) of it is land and 1.8 km² (0.7 mi²) of it (1.80%) is water.
Demographics
| Historical population of Ashford [1] [2] [3] | |
| 1830 | 2,661 |
| 1840 | 2,651 |
| 1850 | 1,295 |
| 1860 | 1,231 |
| 1870 | 1,241 |
| 1880 | 1,041 |
| 1890 | 778 |
| 1900 | 757 |
| 1910 | 668 |
| 1920 | 673 |
| 1930 | 726 |
| 1940 | 704 |
| 1950 | 845 |
| 1960 | 1,315 |
| 1970 | 2,156 |
| 1980 | 3,221 |
| 1990 | 3,765 |
| 2000 | 4,098 |
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 4,098 people, 1,578 households, and 1,084 families residing in the town. The population density was 40.8/km² (105.6/mi²). There were 1,699 housing units at an average density of 16.9/km² (43.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.71% White, 1.00% African American, 0.27% Native American, 1.02% Asian, 0.44% from other races, and 1.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.00% of the population.
There were 1,578 households out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.5% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $55,000, and the median income for a family was $61,693. Males had a median income of $42,117 versus $31,942 for females. The per capita income for the town was $26,104. About 3.4% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people, past and present
- Galusha A. Grow (1822–1907) Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1861 to 1863, was born in Ashford.
- Thomas Knowlton in addition to being a daring officer in the American Revolution, headed up Knowlton's Rangers, America's first Army intelligence unit. He grew up in Ashford.
- Nathaniel Lyon (1818 -1861) the first Union general to be killed in the American Civil War, grew up on a farm in Ashford. He hated farming but escaped by getting into West Point where he graduated 11th in his class.
- Eliphalet Nott (1773-1866), native of Ashford, was left an orphan without resources, but graduated in 1795 from Brown University. In 1804 he became president of Union College in Schenectady, New York, a post he held till his death 62 years later. From 1829 to 1845 he simultaneously was president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He was also the inventor of the first stove for anthracite coal.
