Canadian Confederated Provinces, July, 1871, he represented the district of Comox (Vancouver Island) in the Provincial Legislature for four terms, 1871 to 1884.
After retiring from public life he visited England twice, and then quietly settled down in Victoria to renew practice in which as an oculist he specially enjoyed a more than provincial reputation. Patients from the neighboring states came to consult him, as he was in those days considered a skilful and successful operator.
He died of apoplexy on March 17, 1886, in his sixty-third year.
Ashby, Thomas Almond (1848–1916)
Surgeon, teacher, author, Thomas A. Ashby was born near Front Royal, Virginia, November 18, 1848, the son of Thomas Newton and Elizabeth Almond Ashby, of good old English stock descending through Col. John Ashby, a friend of Washington.
He secured his preliminary training in Washington College, Virginia (now Washington and Lee University), under Gen. Robert E. Lee.
Graduating in medicine at the University of Maryland in 1873, he was a resident physician in the hospital in 1875. In 1877 with several associates he founded the Maryland Medical Journal, remaining its editor for fourteen years. He helped to found the Women's Medical College of Baltimore in 1882, and remained associated with it until 1897, when he took the chair of diseases of women at the University of Maryland as successor to the widely known Dr. Wm. T. Howard (q.v.), close friend and extravagant admirer of Marion Sims (q.v.).
In 1890 he was president of the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland; he was a member of the American Gynecological Society, and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Ashby wrote a book on the diseases of women but the manuscript was burned in the fire of 1904. He published later a "Text Book of Gynecology;" the "Life of Turner Ashby;" "The Valley Campaign," and a boyhood reminiscence of the Civil War.
Dr. Ashby's faith expressed to his close friend and associate L. E. Neale, during the last winter of his life, was that he would awake sometime after death, it might be in a few seconds or it might be after long ages, and then he would find that all was well with him.
Dr. Ashby was familiarly and affectionately called "Tim" by his intimates; he was a politician in the good sense of the word, always cordial, kindly and friendly, and keeping in touch with everybody. He died June 26, 1916, in Baltimore after an attack of diabetes and tuberculosis lasting for some months.
Ashhurst, John (1839–1900)
John Ashhurst, Jr., surgeon, son of John Ashhurst, merchant and banker, was born in Philadelphia, August 23, 1839. Educated by private tutors, he entered the college department of the University of Pennsylvania at the age of fourteen and made an average the highest ever attained in the University. In 1857 he graduated A. B., and at once entered the medical department of the university, receiving his M. D. in 1860. In the same year the university conferred upon him her A. M. He received the honorary LL. D. from Lafayette University in 1895.
Dr. Ashhursts' studious and industrious habits were formed early. He had been taught to read before he was four years old, and by the time he was sixteen had accumulated a library of some three thousand volumes, which subsequently was more than tripled in size. Throughout life he found his greatest relaxation in solving mathematical problems, in reading his favorite Greek and Latin authors, and in playing the piano.
First lessons in practical surgery were learned from Dr. George W. Norris while resident in the Pennsylvania Hospital (1861–62), where he also came under the influence of Joseph Pancoast, whom in after years he still regarded as the most brilliant operator he had ever seen. Abandoning a projected course of European study, on account of threatening rumors of civil war at home, he was appointed contract surgeon, with the title of acting assistant surgeon, United States Army, and was ordered, August 13, 1862, to the Chester (Pennsylvania) United States American General Hospital, under the command of Surgeon John L. LeConte, United States Volunteers. The board of examiners before whom Dr. Ashhurst appeared on this occasion was composed of his intimate friend, Dr. James H. Hutchinson (1834–1889), Dr. S. Weir Mitchell, and Dr. S. D. Gross. Dr. Hutchinson of course declined to ask him any questions. Nor would Dr. Mitchell attempt to examine him. Finally old Dr. Gross said, in his usual deliberate manner, "Doctor, I should be afraid to ask you any questions, for fear you might
