Overview of the Collection Creator Ashley, Fred C. Title Fred C. Ashley Papers Dates 1941-1970 (inclusive) 1941 1970 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 99164-5610 Telephone: 509-335-6691 mascref@wsu.edu 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 1899. 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 1938. 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 1968. 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 1963. Ashley entered politics as a Republican about 1940. He served in the Washington State Legislature as representative from Spokane County from 1942 to 1947. 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 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv95761 1
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 1965. 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 1970. 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 1970. http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv95761 2
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. 1942-1970 1 1 1942-1944 1 2 1946-1951 1 3 1953-1957 1 4 1958 1 5 1959-1970 2 6 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. 2 7 1947 Legislature Session Bills, with changes and revisions noted. 1944 1947 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv95761 3
3 8 Stevens County Democratic Party 1954-1962 3 9 Election returns and maps 1950-1962 3 10 Democratic National Convention 1956 3 11 Clippings and Pamphlets 1954-1960 3 12 State Senate Campaigns 1954; 1958 3 13 Campaign for United States Congress 1960 3 14 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. 4 15 1959-1960 4 16 1960 4 17 1961-1962 5 18 1963-1965 5 19 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. 1958-1969 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv95761 4
6 20 Regional Office 1958-1961 6 21 Regional Office 1962 6 22 Regional Office 1963 7 23 Regional Office 1964 7 24 Regional Office 1965-1966 7 25 Regional Office 1967-1969 7 26 Billings Chapter 1961-1964 7 27 Vancouver, B.C. Chapter 1962-1964 7 28 Portland Chapter 1962-1964 7 29 Seattle Chapter 1961-1964 7 30 Spokane Chapter 1963-1964 8 31 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 1943-1967 8 32 American Right-of-Way Association 1959-1967 Series 3: Personal Papers and Photographs. 8 33 Personal papers. This group contains some "random" papers relative to Ashley's insurance policies, charities, book clubs and activities. Included is material from the 1945-1965 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv95761 5
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. 8 34 Photographs. Portrait and photograph of Ashley, his family, and professional and political associates. Some identified. Included is a presentation portrait of Warren Magnuson. 1943-1967 Series 4: Business Papers, Miscellaneous. 9 35 Account books, balance sheets, and expense and income statements 1943-1967 9 36 Taxation Reports 1946-1959 9 36 Federal income tax reports 1946-1961 9 36 Property tax reports 1954-1964 9 36 Unemployment insurance tax 1950-1959 9 36 Excise tax reports 1954-1959 9 37 Ranch. Deeds, mortgages, cattle and stock, brand registrations, and other papers related to purchase and sale of ranch. 1946-1967 10 38 Idaho Water Power Corporation Charter 1951 10 39 Northwest Farmer's Supply. Profit and loss statement, inventory, and photograph. 10 40 Bill's Shell Station, Addy, WA. Bills, receipts, and legal papers. 10 41 Empire Building Company. Correspondence, legal papers, financial records and corporate minutes. 1950 1956-1957 1944-1951 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv95761 6
10 42 Security Homes, Inc.; Rental Homes, Inc.; Hollywood Homes, Inc. Taxation records, financial records. 1942-1947 10 43 Mining Investments 1963-1965 Series 5: Business Papers, Real Estate. Correspondence 1941-1962 11 44 1941-1946 11 45 1954 11 46 1961-1962 Real Estate papers. Contracts, listings, sales agreements, earnest money agreements, correspondence. 1955-1962 11 47 Aa - Cl 11 48 Cm - Ly 11 49 McC - Wi Series 6: Business Papers, Appraisal. 12 50 Correspondence. Letters relative to securing contracts, bills for services and correspondence related to appraisals. 1963-1967 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv95761 7
Appraisal Notes, papers and reports 1961-1968 12 51 Aa - Car 12 52 Ce - Eastern Washington State College 13 53 Fo - General Services Administration 13 54 General Telephone - Hop 13 55 Hoq - Libby Dam 14 56 Los A - McG 14 57 Na - Ste 14 58 Washington State Highway Department 15 59 Washington State Highway Department 15 60 Washington State Highway Department 16 61 Washington State Highway Department - Yu 16 62-63 Comparable Sales Appraisals 1961-1967 17 64-65 Appraisals in Spokane 1962-1965 18 66 Appraisals in Spokane 1966-1968 16 67 Miscellaneous appraisal papers 1963-1964 18 68 Tribal Lands, Colville Reservation 1964 Series 7: Papers of W.J. Carrothers http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv95761 8
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. 1960-1962 1951-1962 19 70-71 Washington State Highway Department 1959-1962 Federal Government (public works and military agencies) 20 72 1951-1958 20 73 1958 20 74 1959-1960 21 75 1960-1962 21 76 Montana Highway Department 1960-1962 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., 1899- --Archives (creator) Carrothers, W. J. Finding aid prepared by Lawrence R. Stark 2012 http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv95761 9
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