Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-27
SNOWDEN ASHFORD
D|ESAT HOSPITAL
City'S First Municipal ArChi-
teCt Planned Many of Cap
itaPs Buildings.

| Snowden Ashford, 81 years old. for
| mer municipal architect Of the Dis
! trict of Columbia, who had contributed
much to the growth and development
of this city, died in the National
| homeopathic Hospital yesterday fol
! lowing an operation
For more than a quarter of a cen
! tury in the service of the District
| Mr.. Ashford had the distinction of
being this city's first municipal archj-
! tect. that office having been created
| while he was serving the local govern
ment
Appointed assistant building in
| spector in 1895, Mr. Ashford soon
showed his ability. inaugurating inn
! provements in the inspectors office
/ In 1900 he revised the building regula-
tons and introduced q card system
and other facilities for increasing the
efficiency of the latter office.
Resigned in 1921.
His ability being widely recognized,
he was appointed municipal architect
in July, 1909, and continued in that
office until resigning, March 81, 1921,
to become a private architect here.
During the time he was in office
he prepared the plans for rs school
buildings in this city, as well as
drawing plans for engine houses and
many other District buildings. Prior
to entering the District service he
worked as a craftsman on the plans
for the Congressional Library. Be-
fore that time he was active as one
of the organizers and first officers
of the Washington Architectural
Club which started q movement for
the recognition of the merits Of the
LEnfant plan for the development
of this city and recommended that
memorial be erected to the memory
of the famous French engineer.
Active as Citizen.
Long active in civic AFFAIRS here,
Mr.. Ashford was vice president of
the Dupont Circle Citizens Asso-
citation, delegate to the Federation
of Citizens Associations and to the
Public School Association of the
District Of Columbia. He had taken
a special interest in all of these
organizations, particularly in the
school association, in which he, with
his special knowledge of school
buildings, aided in carrying on cam
paigns for more and better schools.
Born in this city, January l. 1866
Mr.. Ashford was the youngest son Of
the late Mr.. and Mrs. Mahlon Ash
ford. His father was a native of Vir-
ginia, but resided in this city for
more than 40 years, while his mother
was a member of the SnoWden fam
| lily Of Philadelphia.
His Early Education.
Mr.. Ashford received his early
education at the RittenhOuse Academy
and at the Christian Brothers Roman
Catholic School, later preparing for
| pnl1aOn a tho .0IiSyh .Ilrona 80 tnY
! School in Bethlehem, Pa. He was
afterward graduated from Lafayette
| College.
After graduation he entered the Of
| flee of A. r. Mullett, who formerly
| had been supervising architect of the
| Treasury. Later he went to West
Virginia and engaged in the building
business until 1892, when he returned
to this city.
In addition to the other organiza-
lions of which he was a member, he
| of the American Institute of Archi-
tects, the Society of Natives of the
| District Of Columbia, the Meridian
University, the Chevy Case and Cen
fury Clubs and the Sigma Chi and
| Theta Nu Epsilon fraternities.
Daughters I'm Honolulu.
| Tie IL SuTplNeu ny ms WIuoW, MIS-
Antoinette Crichton Ashford; a son,
Snowden Ashford, Jr., and two daugh-
tiers, Mrs. Annette Ashford Wattles
and Mrs. Agnes Ashford Robert. Both
| daughters are the wives of lieutenants
| in the Navy and are now in Honolulu.
| Funeral services will be conducted
at his late residence, 1414 Twenty
street, tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock
| Rev. w. S. Bishop of St Thomas
Episcopal Church will officiate.