Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1900-03-31
DEATH OE voLNEY V. ASHFORD.
"Wednesday. Mnrch q.

NtuHSSht1s MIICH So
News was received by the Mariposa
mail OF the death of VJlney V. Ashford
al san Francisco.
Nolney Vaillancourt Ashford was
born at Port Hope. Ontario. Canada.
His ancestors were OF fighting stock
tating back to the Anglo-SaxOn con-
iueIOIs Of England in the NTH CEN
.uIy. This shows hat his military in
Jtincts which, Joined to political am
Oition made him a storm conler in
he Hawaiian Islands were easily at
tIibutable to hereditv. V. V. Ashford
was educated for the law, but when
barely sixteen Joined The Union army
and served two years in Virginia. and
before he was eighteen was promoted
20 commission in tho st New York
Cavalry. Ashford late. Jaw active SER
vice as volunteer in Canada. When
he left Canada for 1Hw..ii in 1854 he
ranked on the army list as captain and
brevet major of cavalry.
In Honolulu V. V. Ashford associated
| himsen in law practice with his
younger brother ClareuCe w. When
| the secret revolutionary League was
| formed in the winter OF 1861, V. v.
| Ashford succeeded WIN. Aldrch in
| command Of the Honolulu Rifles, the
| only white company II the Hawaiian
military. lie built mp me command to
a battalion of four companies and was
commissioned as its lieutenant colonel
| by King kalakaua, The lIifles won the
Kings prize colors in . competitive
drill shortly before they were called
out to guard the BerotIIlla street ar
mOfy when the mass meeting was held
! there on June 80. 1887. which success
| fully demanded the RESIGNATION of the
Gibson ministry and new constitu-
| ton.
While the Thurstnn ministry, the
| first under the new constitution, was
striving for ministerial privilege
against royal preroga.vc under that
| instrument, one Of the severest crises
in that category developed around the
person of Ashford. The Cabinet adj
vised the King to commission him as
colonel of all the forces, but the King
/ claimed the personal appointing power
over that office There were days Of
tense anxiety over the liability Of an
armed collision until the Supreme
Court decided in favor OF the Cabinet
and the King submitted.
| Colonel Ashford was later cast aside
by the party that hpd made so much
use Of him, for reasons that need not
be canvassed here, AMI because involv>
ed in series of Revolutionary con-
SplIaci,s. lie han piiy. knowledge OF
the Wilcox outbreak II. 1889, and in
1892 was apprehended with Wilcox and
others for another seciCt conspiracy.
For suspected completely in the insur-
rection against the Republic in 1895.
he was banished from the Islands and
had lived in San Francisco ever since
until his death. When he left he was
complete physical wreck, and the
wonder is that he has lived so long.
AS lawyer Colonel Ashford was
careful, methodical and well read.
These characteristics combined with
good natural ability would have made
his professional mark. had they not
been overwhelmed with soldier and
politician complications. AS command.
er of the Honolulu Rifles the Colonel
was exceedingly popular with the boys
for his liberality as well as so!dierly
qualities. Clarence w. Ashford who
took up residence in San Francisco un.
der circumstances SIMILAR to those con.
trolling his brother, is still there
Their aged father, James Ashford, hai
been a resident of Honolulu for several
years.