The Biographical Dictionary of America/Ashley, James Monroe

ASHLEY, James Monroe, representative, was born near Pittsburg, Pa., Nov. 14, 1824. He was self-educated, and when only fifteen years old left home and became a clerk on the store-boats of the Ohio and Mississippi, later entering a printing office at Portsmouth, Ohio, taking editorial charge first of the Despatch and later of the Democrat. In 1849 he was admitted to the Ohio bar. He went into the business of boat-building, at the same time continuing his connection with the press. Removing to Toledo, Ohio, he became a wholesale druggist. In 1858 he was elected representative to the 36th congress, serving as a member of the committee on territories, and on his re-election to the 37th congress he became chairman of that committee, holding that position during the 38th and 89th congresses, and thus supervising the organization of Arizona, Idaho, and Montana territories. He was re-elected to the 40th congress, and was nominated to the 41st, but was defeated in the election. He was a delegate to the Philadelphia loyalists' convention of 1866. In 1869 he was governor of Montana, and was later lieutenant-governor of Ohio. For several years he was president of the Toledo and Ann Arbor railroad company, besides being interested in manufactories. He died Sept. 16, 1896.