Mildred Vogel was the only woman title executive in the United States in 1929. Vogel had an office in the old Caples Building and presided over the El Paso Branch of Stewart Title and Guaranty Company. She handled hundreds of deals and owned the Vogel Hotel on West Missouri Street. Vogel also invested in various properties.
Ida Ashley was another El Paso woman business pioneer. Ashley was born in Kentucky and her father was a Christian minister. Her husband Harry Ashley was a railroad conductor until his death in 1936. After Harry’s death, Ida bought and sold real estate. Ida became so successful in that field that she was able to make large real estate investments with her fortune. She also went into the real estate and investment business in California. In El Paso, Ashley invested and helped her son establish a Mexican Restaurant called Ashley’s Gardens and later Ashley’s brand of canned Mexican food.
Mrs. Ashley was an active member of the El Paso Women’s Club and helped raise over $200,000 for various charities, clubs, and organizations. Ashley started the El Paso Christian School for Girls and a bought a house for the organization in San Jose. It later became the Teen Challenge Home. Ashley died in 1977.
Joseph Longo
EPHS volunteer
