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Delos Rodeyn Ashley (February 19, 1828 – July 18, 1873) was a California and Nevada politician who served as State Treasurer of California and a member of the United States House of Representatives from Nevada.

Biography

Ashley was born at Arkansas Post, Arkansas Territory, on February 19, 1828.[1] He was the son of Chester Ashley, who was an attorney and later U.S. senator from Arkansas.[2] He received his education in the local schools, then studied law with an attorney in Monroe, Michigan.[3] He was admitted to the bar in 1849, and moved to Monterey, California, where he established a practice.[1][4]

As a member of the Democratic Party,[5] Ashley served as district attorney of Monterey County from 1851 to 1852.[1] From 1854 to 1855 he represented the 3rd District in the California State Assembly.[1] From 1856 to 1857 he served in the California State Senate as a member of the Know Nothings.[1][5] During his senate term, he was the body's president pro tempore.[6] He later became a Republican,[5] and he served as California State Treasurer from 1862 to 1863.[1]

In 1864, Ashley moved to Virginia City, Nevada.[1] In 1865, news accounts indicated he had been a passenger aboard the steamship Yosemite when her boiler exploded, killing 55 and injuring and burning dozens more.[7] Ashley was blown into the Sacramento River, and escaped the wreck by swimming to shore.[7]

Later that year he was elected to the United States House of Representatives from Nevada's at-large district.[1] He was reelected in 1866 and served from March 4, 1865 to March 3, 1869.[1] He was not a candidate for reelection in 1868.[1] During his Congressional service, Ashley was chairman of the Committee on Mines and Mining.[8]

He moved to Pioche, Nevada, in 1871 and resumed practicing law.[1] When his health began to fail in 1872, Ashley moved to San Francisco, California, where he lived in retirement until his death on July 18, 1873.[1] He was buried at Calvary Cemetery in San Francisco, and was later part of a mass reburial of Calvary Cemetery[9] remains at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Colma, California, Section H.[10]

Family

Ashley was the husband of Annie (McNamara) Ashley.[10] They were the parents of four children:

  • Delos Richard Ashley (1852–1932)[10]
  • Annie Rosalie Ashley O'Connell (1854–1899), the wife of Daniel O'Connell[10][11]
  • Ida Inez Ashley Eddy (1861–1932)[10]
  • Victoria Frances Ashley (1864–1864)[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Joint Committee on Printing, U.S. Congress (1961). Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1961. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 492 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ "O'Connell, Grace A." Her Side of the Story: Tales of California Pioneer Women. The Society of California Pioneers. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  3. ^ Barnes, William Horatio (1868). History of the Thirty-ninth Congress of the United States. New York, NY: Harper & Brothers. p. 578 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ "California Emigrants: Latest from Fort Independence; Correspondence of the Missouri Republican". The Evening Post. New York, NY. April 23, 1849. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c "Candidate Biography: Delos Rodeyn Ashley". JoinCalifornia.com. Alex Vassar & Shane Meyers. 2005. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  6. ^ "California Legislature: Seventh Session; Senate". Placer Herald. Rocklin, CA. January 12, 1856. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b "Hon. D. R. Ashley". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Santa Cruz, CA. November 4, 1865. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Committee on Resources, U.S. House of Representatives (2002). Historical Information of the Committee on Resources and Its Predecessor Committees, 1807–2002. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 373. ISBN 978-0-1606-9552-0 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ Spencer, Thomas E. (1998). Where They're Buried. Baltimore, MD: Clearfield Company. p. 220. ISBN 978-0-8063-4823-0 – via Google Books.
  10. ^ a b c d e f gentlemanrob (February 14, 2021). "Delos Rodeyn Ashley Sr". CivilWarTalk. Martinsburg, WV: Mike Kendra. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  11. ^ "Obituary: Hon. Delos R. Ashley". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Santa Cruz, CA. August 2, 1873. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.

External links

Political offices
Preceded by Treasurer of California
1862–1863 		Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Nevada's at-large congressional district
1865–1869 		Succeeded by
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