When William Hardin Ashby was born on 16 July 1839, in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, United States, his father, Nathaniel Ashby, was 34 and his mother, Susan Hammond, was 30. He married Nancy Maria Badger on 14 January 1865, in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah Territory, United States. They were the parents of at least 6 sons and 7 daughters. He lived in Salt Lake, Utah Territory, United States in 1860. He died on 19 March 1925, in Holden, Millard, Utah, United States, at the age of 85, and was buried in Holden, Millard, Utah, United States.