William A. Ashbrook

William A. Ashbrook (1913)

William Albert Ashbrook (born July 1, 1867 in Johnstown , Licking County , Ohio , †  January 1, 1940 ibid) was an American politician . Between 1907 and 1921 and again from 1935 to 1940 he represented the state of Ohio in the US House of Representatives .

Career

William Ashbrook attended the common schools and then the Bartlett's Business College in Lansing ( Michigan ). Since 1885 he worked in his hometown of Johnstown in the newspaper business and in the banking industry. Between 1893 and 1897 he also held the post of postman there . Between 1902 and 1906 he was secretary of the National Editorial Association . At the same time he embarked on a political career as a member of the Democratic Party . He was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives in 1904 and 1905 .

In the congressional elections of 1906 Ashbrook was elected to the United States House of Representatives in Washington, DC in the 17th  constituency of Ohio , where he succeeded Martin L. Smyser on March 4, 1907 . After six re-elections, he was able to complete seven legislative terms in Congress by March 3, 1921 . In 1913 the 16th and 17th amendments were ratified. It was about the nationwide introduction of income tax and the direct election of US senators . The First World War also fell during his time in Congress . In addition, the 18th and 19th amendments to the Constitution were ratified in 1919 and 1920 . It was about the ban on trade in alcoholic beverages and the nationwide introduction of women's suffrage . From 1911 to 1913, Ashbrook chaired the Department of Post Office's Expenditure Control Committee; from 1915 to 1919 he headed the Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures . In 1920 he was not re-elected.

After the end of his time in the US House of Representatives, William Ashbrook worked again in the newspaper business and in the banking industry. In the elections of 1934 he was re-elected to Congress in the 17th district of his state, where he replaced Charles F. West on January 3, 1935 . After two re-elections, he could remain in the US House of Representatives until his death on January 1, 1940. During that time, many of the Roosevelt administration's New Deal laws were passed there. In 1935 the provisions of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution were applied for the first time , according to which the legislative period of the Congress ends or begins on January 3rd.

William Ashbrook was buried in his hometown of Johnstown. His son John (1928-1982) was also a member of Congress, but was a Republican .

Web links

Commons : William A. Ashbrook  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

• William A. Ashbrook in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• William A. Ashbrook in the database of Find a Grave (English)