Alex
J. Ashen, one of the leading members of the Sacramento county bar and formerly
assistant district attorney of Sacramento county, was born in Edmonton,
Alberta, Canada, on the 18th of November, 1884, and is son of John
F. and Mary (Foley) Ashen. His father, a native of Illinois, was a soldier in
the Civil War. Some time after his marriage he and his wife moved to Canada,
where they lived until their son Alex was about five years of age, when they
returned to this country and thereafter lived in the northwest until the father’s
death.
Alex
J. Ashen received his early education in the public and high schools and
attended the University of Washington at Seattle. Later he entered the law
school of that university, and completed his law studies there in 1912. In that
year he was admitted to the bar and in 1916, entered upon the practice of his
profession in Seattle, where he remained until 1920, during three years of
which period he served as assistant corporation counsel of Seattle, and was
also attorney for the bond house of John E. Price & Company. In 1920 Mr.
Ashen came to Sacramento and for six years was associated with the law firm of
Devlin & Devlin. In 1926 he was appointed assistant district attorney, in
which capacity he has always been very capable and dependable. In 1931 he
accepted a position with the McClatchy Newspaper, as legal counsel and special
writer.
Mr.
Ashen was united in marriage to Miss Geraldine Kelly and they are the parents
of two children, Ruth and Jane. In his political views he is a republican and
his religious connection is with the First Unitarian Church. Fraternally, he is
a member of the Delta Chi fraternity; Sacramento
Lodge, No. 6, B. P. O. E.; Oak Park Aerie, No. 1714, F. O. E.; and Lions
Club. Professionally, he is affiliated
with the Sacramento County Bar Association, the California State Bar
Association and the American Bar Association. During the World war he entered
the Army Y.M.C.A. Service and was placed in charge of one of the “Y” Huts at
Camp Lewis. He is fond of athletics, baseball, football and volleyball being his
favorite games. He is a man of broad views and well defined opinions and is
well liked and respected by all who know him.
Transcribed
by Marla
Fitzsimmons.
Source: History of the
Sacramento Valley California Vol. III J. W. WOOLDRIDGE 1931. Page 157-158.
© 2004 Marla
Fitzsimmons.