James Mitchell Ashley

James Mitchell Ashley (November 14, 1824 - September 16, 1896) was a US congressman, territorial governor and railroad president.

Early Life

Ashley was born in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, to John and Mary A. (Kilpatrick) Ashley. He married Emma Smith in 1851 and together they had four children. He is the great-grandfather of Thomas W. L. Ashley.

Ashley was mostly self-taught in elementary subjects. His early employment included clerking on Ohio and Mississippi River boats. In 1848, he settled in Portsmouth, Ohio, where he became editor of the Portsmouth Democrat. In 1849, he was admitted to the Ohio Bar but did not practice. About this time he moved to Toledo, Ohio, and got involved in the wholesale drug business.

Political Career

In 1858, he was elected to U.S. House of Representatives of the 36th Congress as a Republican. While in Congress (the 37th through 40th), he served as the chairman to the Committee on Territories. During his term, he wrote a bill to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia, introduced the first bill for a constitutional amendent abolishing slavery, and initiated impeachment proceedings against President Andrew Johnson (1867). He was defeated for re-election in 1868.

Following his defeat, Ashley was appointed the Territorial Governor of Montana and served until 1870. He then returned to Toledo.

Bibliography

Horowitz, Robert F. Great Impeacher: A Political Biography of James M. Ashley. New York: Brooklyn College Press, 1979.

Source

Who's Who on the Web, s.v. "James Mitchell Ashley" (n.p.: Marquis Who's Who, 2005).

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress