Edward Ashford was the only son of Arthur Ashford and the 5th generation head of the British aristocratic Ashford family. He was a discoverer of the primordial Progenitor virus and was also a co-founder of the Umbrella Corporation. 1
History
At some point, Lord Ashford attended university and graduated with a doctorate.
Progenitor Virus Discovery (1960s-1966)
During the 1960s, Ashford began research on an ancient virus with the ability to promote organic evolution, based on the existence of an existing virus. In September 1966, he started an expedition for such a virus along with his fellow aristocrat Oswell E. Spencer and a biochemist named James Marcus. The search began following Spencer's hypothesis over a flower mentioned in the "Natural History Conspectus" books penned by Henry Travis, and Marcus' assertation that the flower may contain a virus with the ability to recombine DNA. In an isolated cave system leading to an ancient underground city in West Africa, the trio discovered the Progenitor virus on December 4, 1966. The virus itself inhabited the flower which was described in Travis' book, verifying the hypotheses of Spencer and Marcus.
Foundation of Umbrella (March 1968)
Following the discovery, Ashford left Africa with the virus to conduct his own research along with his son, Alexander Ashford. In March 1968 at the request of Spencer, Ashford agreed to covering up the secret virus research with the Progenitor virus for military use and helped establish "Umbrella Pharmaceuticals", a pharmaceutical company secretly acting as a camouflage for the trio's research into biological weapons. He became one of the three founders of Umbrella alongside Spencer and Marcus and was highly revered by the company's researchers, being a brilliant researcher himself.
Ashford's position within Umbrella made the Ashford family even more famous around the world, allowing for the family to quickly prosper. At some point, as part of his rivalry with Spencer, Ashford requested the design documents of Spencer's mansion in the Arklay Mountains from George Trevor. These designs were then incorporated into the Ashford family manor in England.
Death (July 1968)
During an experiment with the Progenitor virus in July 1968, Ashford accidentally contracted the virus and died, leaving his research to his son Alexander. This supposed accident was actually an assassination orchestrated by Spencer to increase his control over Umbrella. With his death, the Ashford family name quickly declined in the hands of his son and his once prosperous research began to lag behind the rest of Umbrella. With this decline, Spencer was able to seize the Ashford family's stake in Umbrella. Even after his death, his brilliance was highly revered, especially among the more senior researchers of Umbrella. The failure of his son to live up to his example resulted in Spencer's influence growing by the day, tarnishing the Ashford family name in the process.
Footnotes
- 1. biohazard archives (Page 156)