Fred C. Ashley Papers,

Transcription

1 Overview of the Collection Creator Ashley, Fred C. Title Fred C. Ashley Papers Dates (inclusive) Quantity 21 containers., (10.5 linear feet of shelf space.), (6000 items.) Collection Number Cage 294 Summary Correspondence, clippings, notes, reports and other papers re: real estate and appraisals, professional organizations, politics and government. Included are correspondence and notes of W.J. Carrothers re: appraisal of lands for public works projects. Repository Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections. Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections Terrell Library Suite 12 Pullman WA Telephone: Access Restrictions This collection is open for research use. Languages Sponsor English Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Biographical Note Fred C. Ashley was born in Spokane in After his graduation from Lewis and Clark High School in Spokane, he was commissioned an U.S. Army balloon officer, but the war ended before he had an active assignment. After the end of World War I, he returned to Spokane and was employed by several firms in the automotive and insurance fields until In that year, he organized his own real estate business. In the 1950's he specialized in real estate appraisals and he and his associates became active in condemnation proceedings involving public works projects. Ashley ultimately became one of the leading figures in the appraisal profession and in recognition was elected to senior membership in the American Society of Appraisers, an organization of which he was regional governor from 1964 to As an adjunct to his real estate interests, he was a developer and builder of residential homes in Spokane during the early 1940's. He was also a rancher in the Colville area from 1946 to Ashley entered politics as a Republican about He served in the Washington State Legislature as representative from Spokane County from 1942 to He sponsored the Teacher's Retirement System Law of 1947 and several pieces of aviation legislation. He also authored a wartime resolution commending the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. About 1948, Ashley became a Democrat, and from 1952 to 1958, he served as Stevens County Democratic Chairman. He was an organizer of the 1952 Adlai Stevenson campaign and a delegate to the 1956 Democratic National Convention. He ran unsuccessfully for the Washington State Senate in 1954 and 1958, and in 1

2 1960 was the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for Congressman representing the Fifth District of Washington. Active in the public electric power movement in both Washington and Idaho, Ashley was for a time a member of the Bonneville Power Administration Advisory Committee. He received another important appointment in 1959 when he was made a member of the Washington State Advisory Board on Public Assistance, and remained a member until its dissolution in He also held appointment as Director of the Stevens County Civil Defense Unit for several years during the 1950's. Content Description The papers of Fred Ashley are concerned with his various activities from 1941 to Approximately one-half relates to real estate appraisals performed by Ashley, or his associate W. J. Carrothers, during the 1950's and 1960's. Although this material contains some private appraisals, much of it is concerned with public works projects, such as the John Day Dam, the Albeni Falls Dam and various highway construction projects. The appraisal papers, as well as certain real estate transaction records, have been retained in Ashley's working arrangement. The collection also contains material relevant to real estate and appraisal organizations, especially the American Society of Appraisers. Use of the Collection Restrictions on Use Literary rights in the unpublished writings and other properties in this collection are reserved by Washington State University Library. Preferred Citation [Item Description]. Cage 294, Fred C. Ashley Papers. Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA. Administrative Information Arrangement The portion of the collection relevant to real estate and appraisal organizations has been arranged into chronological series. The remainder of the collection, also in chronological order, is made up of partial records of various business enterprises, personal papers and photographs, and political papers. Of the political and governmental papers, half relate to the Washington State Advisory Board on Public Assistance; the other half is concerned with electoral and legislative politics. Acquisition Information The Washington State University Library acquired the papers of Fred C. Ashley, real estate broker and appraiser, rancher, businessman and political figure of Spokane and Colville, Washington, as a gift from Mr. Ashley in

3 Related Materials Further Fred C. Ashley papers are located in Cage 501. Detailed Description of the Collection The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection. Series 1: Political and Governmental Papers. Correspondence. This sub-series contains personal political correspondence relative to the Washington State Legislature, the Washington State Democratic Party, the National Democratic Convention of 1956, political appointments and expressions of opinion. Included is correspondence with Mon Walgren, Arthur B. Langlie, Albert Rosellini, Lon Johnson, Daniel Evans, Warren Magnuson, Henry Jackson, Tom Foley, Don Magnuson, Luke Wright, Adlai Stevenson, Averell Harriman, Stuart Symington, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Hubert H. Humphrey, and others The "Palestine Resolution". Copies of House Joint Memorial No. 1, 1944 Session, letters of support for the resolution and printed material relative to the Palestine situation Legislature Session Bills, with changes and revisions noted

4 3 8 Stevens County Democratic Party Election returns and maps Democratic National Convention Clippings and Pamphlets State Senate Campaigns 1954; Campaign for United States Congress Political Miscellaneous State Advisory Board on Public Assistance. This sub-series contains correspondence with members of the Board and with officials of the Department of Public Assistance, reports of the Board, minutes of meetings and supplementary information collected for the Board's consideration Reports undated Series 2: Professional Papers. American Society of Appraisers. Letters, printed materials, circulars and reports of the American Society of Appraiser's Northwest Regional Office, both before and during Ashley's tenure as Regional Governor. Also included is correspondence of the various local chapters that made up the regional unit

5 6 20 Regional Office Regional Office Regional Office Regional Office Regional Office Regional Office Billings Chapter Vancouver, B.C. Chapter Portland Chapter Seattle Chapter Spokane Chapter Real Estate Organizations. This group contains papers relative to the Spokane Realty Board, National Association of Realty Boards, Idaho Realty Board, National Association of Farm and Land Brokers, and the Spokane Real Estate Trader's Club American Right-of-Way Association Series 3: Personal Papers and Photographs Personal papers. This group contains some "random" papers relative to Ashley's insurance policies, charities, book clubs and activities. Included is material from the

6 American Platform Association, a public speaking group, and the text of a speech on the mental health of financial executives. Also included are Ashley resumes and a short biographical sketch Photographs. Portrait and photograph of Ashley, his family, and professional and political associates. Some identified. Included is a presentation portrait of Warren Magnuson Series 4: Business Papers, Miscellaneous Account books, balance sheets, and expense and income statements Taxation Reports Federal income tax reports Property tax reports Unemployment insurance tax Excise tax reports Ranch. Deeds, mortgages, cattle and stock, brand registrations, and other papers related to purchase and sale of ranch Idaho Water Power Corporation Charter Northwest Farmer's Supply. Profit and loss statement, inventory, and photograph Bill's Shell Station, Addy, WA. Bills, receipts, and legal papers Empire Building Company. Correspondence, legal papers, financial records and corporate minutes

7 10 42 Security Homes, Inc.; Rental Homes, Inc.; Hollywood Homes, Inc. Taxation records, financial records Mining Investments Series 5: Business Papers, Real Estate. Correspondence Real Estate papers. Contracts, listings, sales agreements, earnest money agreements, correspondence Aa - Cl Cm - Ly McC - Wi Series 6: Business Papers, Appraisal Correspondence. Letters relative to securing contracts, bills for services and correspondence related to appraisals

8 Appraisal Notes, papers and reports Aa - Car Ce - Eastern Washington State College Fo - General Services Administration General Telephone - Hop Hoq - Libby Dam Los A - McG Na - Ste Washington State Highway Department Washington State Highway Department Washington State Highway Department Washington State Highway Department - Yu Comparable Sales Appraisals Appraisals in Spokane Appraisals in Spokane Miscellaneous appraisal papers Tribal Lands, Colville Reservation 1964 Series 7: Papers of W.J. Carrothers 8

9 19 69 Correspondence. Letters regarding appraisal contracts and bills for services. Appraisal notes, papers, and reports. Notes, reports, and maps relative to the John Day Dam, the Ice Harbor Dam, the Priest Rapids Dam, the Albeni Falls Dam, Bonneville Power Administration, the Kalispell and Cut Bank Air Force Station, and highway projects Washington State Highway Department Federal Government (public works and military agencies) Montana Highway Department Names and Subjects Subject Terms : Legislators -- Washington (State)--Correspondence Real estate business--washington (State)--Spokane--Records and correspondence Real property --Valuation--Washington (State)--Spokane--Records and correspondence Personal Names : Ashley, Fred C., Archives (creator) Carrothers, W. J. Finding aid prepared by Lawrence R. Stark

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