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Fred C. Ashley Papers, 1943-1977

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Ashley, Fred C., 1899-
Title
Fred C. Ashley Papers
Dates
1943-1977 (inclusive)
Quantity
18.5 Linear feet of shelf space, (19 Boxes)
Collection Number
Cage 501 (collection)
Summary
Papers of Washington State Representative, and Spokane based real estate appraiser, Fred C. Ashley. Included are: property appraisal reports for Spokane and adjacent counties; business correspondence and financial records, and records of his activities as an officer of the American Society of Appraisers.
Repository
Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)
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 and available for research use.

Languages
English
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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 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.

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Content Description

The papers of Washington State Representative, and Spokane based real estate appraiser, Fred C. Ashley include: property appraisal reports for Spokane and adjacent counties; business correspondence and financial records, and records of his activities as an officer of the American Society of Appraisers.

The first and largest series is Appraisal Notes, Papers, and Reports 1959-1977. All the subseries within this series contain appraisal reports and the notes, photographs, and correspondence used in creating the reports. The first subseries, Alphabetical, consists of private appraisals arranged according to who requested the appraisal, generally the property owner or attorney. When there are two names to a file, the first is the attorney requesting the appraisal and the second is the name of the client. Another subseries, Comparable Sales, is a file of reports of real estate sales that were kept for use in determining just market values. Those labeled multiple additions contain records for many different additions within the city. The two subseries of Estate Appraisals are arranged according to the name of the attorney probating the estate. The other five subseries contain appraisals contracted by government agencies for use in determining Just Market Value in compensating property owners for property taken. The City of Spokane subseries contains appraisals from a variety of areas of the city, largely as part of condemnation projects in preparation for Expo '74, the world's fair held in 1974. The Highbridge Park and Riverfront Development subseries have similar material but are confined to specific geographical areas. The subseries of Washington State Highway Commission appraisals is arranged according to regions. The Wells Hydroelectric Project subseries contains appraisals contracted by Munson-Nash Associates for use by the Douglas County Public Utility District.

The second series is Correspondence, 1963-1975. The third series, Financial Records, 1962-1974, contains invoices, ledgers, and tax forms. The fourth series, Professional Organizations, 1963-1973, covers Ashley's time holding regional and national offices in two appraisal organizations. The fifth series, Personal Papers, 1943-1975, contains correspondence, certificates of professional recognition, check registers, and photographs. The folders of political clippings contain information regarding both his congressional campaign and the state Democratic convention of 1960.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply.

Preferred Citation

[Item description]

Fred C. Ashley Papers, 1943-1977 (Cage 501)

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The papers are arranged in five series.

The first series, Appraisal Notes, Papers, and Reports, 1959-1977, is arranged in nine subseries, retaining Ashley's arrangement: The first subseries, Alphabetical, consists of private appraisals arranged according to who requested the appraisal, generally the property owner or attorney; The Comparable Sales subseries is arranged alphabetically; The two subseries of Estate Appraisals are arranged according to the name of the attorney probating the estate; Three subseries contain appraisals contracted by the City of Spokane and are arranged alphabetically according to geographical region and then numerically by lot number; The subseries of Washington State Highway Commission appraisals is arranged according to regions; And the Wells Hydroelectric Project subseries is arranged by lot number.

The remaining series: Correspondence, 1963-1975; Financial Records, 1962-1974; Professional Organizations, 1963-1973; and Personal Papers, 1943-1975, are each arranged alphabetically.

Acquisition Information

The papers were donated to Washington State University Libraries in September, 1977 (MS 77-55) by Fred C. Ashley.

Related Materials

Fred C. Ashley Papers, 1941-1970 (Cage 294)

Fred C. Ashley: a Register of His Papers, 1941-1970 in the Washington State University Library. Pullman [Wash.]: The Library, 1971.

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Detailed Description of the Collection