John Baptista Ashe (representative)

John Baptista Ashe (1810 – December 29, 1857), was an American slave owner,[1] lawyer and the nephew of the Revolutionary War veteran John Baptista Ashe, who served as a U.S. Congressman for Tennessee for one term (1843–1845).

John Baptista Ashe
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Tennessee's 10th district
In office
March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845
Preceded byAaron V. Brown
Succeeded byFrederick P. Stanton
Personal details
Born1810 (1810)
Rocky Point, Pender County, North Carolina
DiedDecember 29, 1857(1857-12-29) (aged 46–47)
Galveston County, Texas
Political partyWhig
Alma materTrinity College, Hartford, Connecticut
ProfessionLawyer, politician

Biography edit

Ashe was born in Rocky Point, Pender County, North Carolina, in 1810. He attended Fayetteville Academy and was in the 1830 class of Trinity College (then called Washington College), Hartford, Connecticut, but for unknown reasons did not receive his diploma until 1844.[2] He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1832.[3]

Career edit

Ashe then moved to Tennessee and commenced practice in Brownsville. As of the 1840 census, he owned eight slaves.[2]

He was elected as a Whig to the Twenty-eighth Congress from March 4, 1843 to March 3, 1845,[4] where he voted in favor of the annexation of the slaveholding independent republic of Texas, but did not run for another term, saying he was in ill health[2] After leaving Congress, he moved to Galveston County, Texas, and settled near Galveston to resume his practice of law.

Death edit

Ashe continued the practice of his chosen profession until his death in Galveston on December 29, 1857 (age about 47 years). He is interred at a cemetery near Galveston.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ "Congress slaveowners", The Washington Post, January 19, 2022, retrieved January 23, 2022
  2. ^ a b c "NEW ACQUISITION: From the ANNALS of Trinity College and SLAVERY | Library & Information Technology Services News". February 2021. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  3. ^ "John Baptista Ashe". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
  4. ^ "John Baptista Ashe". Govtrack US Congress. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
  5. ^ "John Baptista Ashe". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved March 13, 2013.

External links edit


U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Tennessee's 10th congressional district

1843–1845
Succeeded by