Person Record
Images
Metadata
Name |
Ashbee, Charles F. |
Othernames |
Charles " Charles "Charley" Frasier Ashbee |
Born |
11/19/1871 |
Birthplace |
Manhattan, NYC |
Places of residence |
Manhattan, NYC Ridgefield, CT on Wilton Road West and Barry Avenue |
Titles & honors |
Named Man of the Year by the Ridgefield Rotary Club. in 1960. |
Father |
William Henry Ashbee |
Mother |
Sarah Elizabeth (Olmstead) Ashbee |
Notes |
A few years before he died, when Ashebee he was acting as Santa Claus for an assembly of local school students they surprised him and gave him a watch with the inscription: "To Ridgefield's Santa Claus From the School Children of Ridgefield." Over the more than 30 years he played Santa, Ashbee wore out three suits and three sets of wigs and whiskers. Ashbee collected autographs of Civil War generals. He also had a collection of autographs of Presidents through Dwight D. Eisenhower, with only that of George Washington missing. Everett Lounsbury Jr., who developed Ashbee Lane off Route 7 in the 1960s, named the road the year after Ashbee died. |
Occupation |
Insurance Executive having worked for Niagara Insurance Company and the America Fore Insurance Group. Ashbee was known as Ridgefield's perennial Santa Claus. Ashbee was a charter member of the Ridgefield Lions Club. |
Spouse |
Ida Ashbee |
