William Shepperd Ashe (August 12, 1813 – September 14, 1862) was an American lawyer and politician who served three terms as a Democratic U.S. representative from North Carolina between 1849 and 1855.[1]
William Shepperd Ashe | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 7th district | |
| In office March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1853 | |
| Preceded by | James Iver McKay |
| Succeeded by | Francis Burton Craige |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 3rd district | |
| In office 1853–1855 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 12, 1813 Rocky Point, North Carolina |
| Died | September 14, 1862 (aged 49) Wilmington, North Carolina |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Sarah Ann Green |
| Alma mater | Trinity College |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Confederate States |
| Years of service | 1861-1862 |
| Rank |  Colonel[1] |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
After his service in Congress, Ashe served as an officer in the Confederate army during the Civil War.
Early life and education
editBorn in Rocky Point, North Carolina in 1813,[2] Ashe attended school in Fayetteville and pursued classical studies at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. Ashe engaged in rice cultivation and studied law; he was admitted to the state bar in 1836 and practiced in New Hanover County.
Political career
editActive in the Democratic Party, Ashe was a presidential elector in 1844 and was elected to the North Carolina Senate for a term of two years (1846–1848).
Congress
editIn 1848, he was sent to the U.S. House, serving in the 31st, 32nd, and 33rd Congresses (March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1855). During the 32nd Congress, Ashe chaired the Committee on Elections.
Later career
editHe did not run again in 1854 but served as the president of the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad Company from 1854 until his death.
He was elected to one further term in the North Carolina Senate between 1859 and 1861. He was a delegate to the Charleston Democratic National Convention in 1860 and the North Carolina Constitutional Convention of 1861.
Civil War
editDuring the American Civil War, Ashe was a major in the Confederate Army, in charge of all transportation between Virginia and the rest of the South.
Death and burial
editAshe was killed in a railroad accident near Wilmington, North Carolina on September 14, 1862.[3] He is buried in a family cemetery in Pender County, North Carolina.
References
edit- ^ a b Clifton, James. "Ashe, William Shepperd". State Library of North Carolina. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
- ^ United States Congressional Serial Set. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1913.
- ^ "Biography of William S. Ashe". www.csa-railroads.com. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
Sources
edit- United States Congress. "William S. Ashe (id: A000310)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.