An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 138

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate publishing company
Number of Pages: 1146

USA > Washington > Kittitas County > An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 138
USA > Washington > Yakima County > An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 138
USA > Washington > Klickitat County > An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington > Part 138

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

JAMES HARVEY, residing on rural free delivery route No. 2, three miles southwest of North Yakima, is one of the sterling farmer- citizens of the Yakima country, and has been particularly successful in the raising of hops, his yards being among the best in the county. His birthplace is far-away Scotland, where, in the year 1858, he came into the home of David and Martha (Fitsimmons) Harvey, both of whom were also natives of the British Isles. His father and mother both died at their home in Scotland. The subject of this sketch was reared among the hills and heaths of his native country, there receiving his education and serving his appren- ticeship to the carpenter's trade. For a year and a half he worked at his trade in Glasgow. In 1880 he sought the shores of America, and after carefully looking over the country, located in Yakima City, where for ten years he was employed at his trade. At the end of that time he decided to permanently settle in the Yakima valley, and accordingly purchased seventy acres of land one mile west of the town. During the next fourteen years he farmed and worked at his trade, gradually accumulating a valuable prop- erty and learning American methods of farming. About the year 1892 the Yakima country took up hop culture in earnest, and in that year Mr. Harvey set out a twelve-acre yard, purchasing twelve acres of school land for that purpose. Two years later he added twenty-five acres to his holdings and set out an additional ten acres in hops, and he has lately purchased an adjoin- ing yard of fourteen acres. For the first five years he used the pole system; then changed to the trellis system, his yard being the second one in the county to adopt this improvement. The middle nineties were not encouraging years to the Yakima hop grower, but Mr. Harvey had faith in the business and patiently withstood his trials, and in the end has prospered. Last year (1903), he raised thirty-one and one-half tons, all of which have brought very satisfactory prices. Mr. Harvey has three brothers: William, living in Scotland ; David and Thomas, living in Yakima county; and one sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Pogue, who also lives in Scotland. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, and is an earnest advo- cate of the principles of the Republican party. His property interests consist of one hundred and twenty acres of high grade agricultural land, of which forty-two acres are in hops, thirty in alfal- fa, thirty in wheat and the balance in pasture grasses; he also owns a half-interest in a band of two thousand five hundred sheep. Mr. Harvey

JAMES HARVEY.

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is a substantial and respected citizen, belonging to that class which all sections are proud to number among their residents.

MRS. MARY A. SPLAWN, widow of Will- iam H. H. Splawn, resides upon a small, well- improved farm three miles west and an equal distance south of the city of North Yakima, where she commands the respect and esteem of · her neighbors and a large circle of friends. Born in Oregon, in 1852, she is the daughter of James WV. and Nancy J. (Miller) Allen, pioneers of the Northwest. Her father was born in Massachu- setts, and during his early life followed the car- penter trade and sailing. When still a young man he settled in Iowa, where he was married, and in 1851 crossed the Plains to Oregon, using ox teams. In that far western territory he settled on Eagle creek, where he built a mill. After a fifteen years' residence in Oregon, Mr. Allen re- moved to the Ahtanum valley, Washington, 1866, and there lived until his death in 1891. This hardy pioneer was of English extraction. His wife and her parents were natives of Illinois and pioneers of that state and Iowa. She died at the rnature age of seventy-eight. Mary Allen was educated in the common schools of Oregon and came to the Yakima county with her parents in 1866. There, when only fourteen years of age, she was married to Horris M. Benton, and to this union were born the only children she has: Mary M., born February 6, 1867, now the wife of D. D. Reynolds ; and Sarah C., born December 8, 1879, now the wife of C. E. Finberg, of North Yakima. In 1879, after the matrimonial ties which bound her to H. M. Benton had been dis- solved, she was married to William H. H. Splawn, a member of the noted Splawn family of the northwestern pioneers and a nephew of William, Charles and A. Jackson Splawn. Her husband came to Yakima county in 1870. He died some years ago, leaving no children. Mrs. Splawn owns a twenty-acre tract of fine land on Ahtanum creek, nine acres being in alfalfa and the remainder plow land, several cows and a number of horses, and from this real and personal property derives a steady, substantial income. She is bravely facing the world alone and daily demonstrates the ability of her sex to safely take the helm of life into its own hands when neces- sity so wills.

EUGENE ROUNDTREE, one of the scores of prosperous, contented farmers in the Ahtanum valley, is a native of Illinois, born in 1855 to John and Lydia (Spooner) Roundtree, the father a Mis- sourian, the mother a native of Kentucky. John Roundtree came to Illinois in early days and from there, in 1859, crossed the Plains to Puget

Sound, where he became one of Washington's oldest pioneers and lived the remainder of his years. The subject of this article was only four years old when his parents came to Washington, but withstood the fatiguing trip without injury to his health. At the age of nine he left home and went to Oregon, where for two years he worked at various tasks; he then went to Jacksonville, and when only thirteen years old was as far south as California. Six years later he returned to Ore- gon, staying at Eugene a year. In 1882 he came into Klickitat county, and for two years farmed leased property. Soon after he purchased a piece of railroad land, later sold it, and until 1897 was engaged in farming and stock raising in that county. In that year he removed to Yakima county, purchased forty acres in Wide Hollow, sold it, bought ten acres on Nob Hill, sold that, and with the proceeds acquired the twenty-acre farm in the Ahtanum valley, where he now lives. The fall of 1878 marks the date of his marriage to Irene Young, of Klickitat county. Her parents were Daniel and Alizan (Henton) Young, both of whom are dead. Her father was born in Ohio, was a pioneer of Illinois and Missouri, and in 1847 crossed the Plains by ox teams to Oregon, where Irene was born in Washington county, 1859. Subsequently, her father, then a widower, became a resident of Klickitat county and there died. She was married when eighteen years old. Her brothers and sisters are: Mrs. Mary J. Story (deceased) ; Jolín, living at Cottage Grove, Ore- gon ; Joseph, living at Goldendale, and Elam, liv- ing at Little Rock, Washington. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Roundtree have been born four children : Nettie, July 9, 1883; Eddie, October 12, 1885; Maudie, May 19, 1890; and Ethel (de- ceased ), February 18, 1895; all being born in Klickitat county, except Maudie, whose birthplace is Chehalis, Washington. Politically, Mr. Round- tree is a steadfast supporter of the Republican party. Seventeen acres of his farm are produc- ing alfalfa, the balance being in garden. Eight head of excellent dairy stock are also no unim- portant source of income. Mr. and Mrs. Round- tree have reason to feel proud of their comfortable home and the position they occupy among their friends and neighbors.

DAVID HARVEY, living on his ranch six miles southwest of the city of North Yakima, is of foreign birth and parentage, having been born in Scotland, in 1852, to the union of David and Martha (Fitsimmons) Harvey. His father was a farmer and lived and died near the place of his birth, his death occurring at the age of seventy. Until twenty-eight, the younger David remained at home, attending school and assisting his father on the farm, but in 1880 he immigrated to the

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United States, coming direct to the territory. of Washington. Here he decided to settle on the Wenas river, and accordingly rented a ranch there, and for five years was engaged in raising, sheep and farming. He then moved to Wide Hollow creek and again leased land, this time for six years. Finally, however, in 1891, he purchased the land where his home is at present, paying especial attention to hop growing. In 1893 he set out eight acres in hops, and the following season doubled that acreage, and his yard now comprises sixteen acres. Last year he picked twelve tons of hops, which commanded the most satisfying prices hop growers have received for some time. Since removing to his present home Mr. Harvey has also given attention to raising stock, success crowning his efforts in both farming and stock raising. He has three brothers, William in Scot- land, Thomas in North Yakima, and James in the Ahtanum valley, and one sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Pollock, also living in Scotland. Mr. Harvey was united in wedlock in 1885 to Miss Anna McCrea- die, the daughter of James and Maggie (Gracie) McCreadie, whose biographies will be found on another page. Both are natives of Ireland. They emigrated from the British Isles in 1894, and are now living at Mabton. Mrs. Harvey was born in Scotland in 1857 and was educated in the public schools of that country. She came to America in 1885. Three children brighten the Harvey home : Maggie J., born January 2, 1887; Annie B., Oc- tober 23, 1890; and Francis R., born September 18, 1902. Both Mr. and Mrs. Harvey are church members, the husband belonging to the Presby- terian and the wife to the Baptist church. In politics, he is a liberal Republican, loyal to the basic principles of the party, but ever ready to support the best man nominated when the de- struction of policies is not involved. Mr. Har- vey's stock interests have been referred to. In this line he is making a specialty of breeding fine Hereford stock, the major number of his band of sixty-five cattle belonging to that breed. He also has several fine horses. His ranch contains one hundred and twenty acres, of which forty are in salt-grass, fifty are producing Yakima's check for gold-alfalfa-and sixteen acres are devoted to the production of hops, in which the Yakima valley excels. Mr. Harvey and his wife have a host of warm friends, who contribute not a little to the enjoyment of one's life, and as a man of strict integrity, ability and substantial worth, he com- mands the respect of all with whom he comes in contact.

STEPHEN WADE. The subject of this biog- raphy is a native of England, born in 1831, his parents being John and Mary (Symons) Wade, also of English birth and extraction. John Wade

was born in 1798; his wife in 1806. The paternal ancestry has been traced back as far as 1333 to William Wade, who was assessed ten pounds six shillings and eight pence, by King Edward, to carry on the war against the Scotch, and in the family have been many of note. The Symons family is also a distinguished English family, Mary Symons being the daughter of John, who was in his life time mayor of the borough of Bos- siney. This place is of historic interest, having been the residence of King Arthur, the last king of the ancient Britons. Stephen Wade lived in England until his father immigrated to Canada in 1848, and attended both English and Canadian schools. When he became of age, however, his father sent him to England to dispose of property belonging to the family, a mission which he suc- cessfully accomplished, returning to the home- stead in America two years later. Subsequently he returned to England, in 1858, and was there united in marriage with Miss Frances Wade, daughter of Willianı and Mary (Wakham) Wade. Frances Wade was born in England, in the year 1826, received a public school education, and at the age of thirty-two was married to Mr. Wade. Returning to America, Mr. Wade engaged in farming, first in Canada, then in South Dakota, where he lived nine years. In 1890 he went farther west, settling in the thriving metropolis of Ta- coma, where he conducted a grocery business for three years. Fortunately, he was able to sell his business before the full force of the panic struck the Northwest, and with the proceeds purchased the farm where he now lives. Prosperity has now smiled upon him and industry and pluck have not been lacking in his character, as the re- sult of which he possesses a fine ranch in a most desirable locality. They have five children : John S., born February 13, 1859, in Canada; Stephen, November 23, 1860, in Canada; William, February 19, 1862, in Canada; Mrs. Mary Bray, June 26, 1866, in Canada ; and Charles, also born in Canada, January 26, 1870. Mr. Wade is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and both himself and wife partake of the Episcopal com- munion. In politics, he is an active Democrat, taking part in all general campaigns. During all his life he has been an ardent friend of educa- tional institutions and for thirty years past has been a member of school boards in his community. At present he is clerk of school district No. 26. His property. jointly with his sons' interests, consists of eighty acres, forty-five of which are raising alfalfa; ten are in hops; six in orchard, and the balance in plow land. Besides this real property, he owns one hundred and fifty head of cattle, fifteen head of horses and small stock. Mr. Wade is one of the county's substantial men in . every respect, and is highly esteemed in his com- munity.

Photographed by F. J. Tickner.

DAVID HARVEY.

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BIOGRAPHICAL.

GEORGE WILSON, living in North Yakima, is one of Yakima county's substantial and highly respected citizens and successful business men- a man who has made the most of his opportunities since arriving in the rich Yakima valley in 1877. His parents, William and Isabella (Vernon) Wil- son, were natives of Scotland, where they lived and died, the father being a farmer. The son George was born there in the year 1851 and there received his education, remaining at home until twenty-three years of age, when he set out into the world to seek his fortune. In 1876 he crossed the Atlantic, landing in New York city, whence he went by rail to San Francisco, where he accepted a position with the Southern Pacific Railroad Company. After remaining with that company a short time he prospected in Arizona, farmed in Oregon, and finally, in the fall of 1877, came to Yakima county, where his first work was in a log- ging camp near Soda Springs. There he worked until May, 1878, and then settled on government land on Wide Hollow, but did not use his citizen- ship rights on the claim, purchasing another man's squatter rights to a quarter section and moving thither. Subsequently, he bought a tract of eighty- one acres of deeded land, and later purchased a section of railroad land in the Cowiche valley, the latter tract being valuable principally for grazing purposes. For twenty years Mr. Wilson was en- gaged in farming and stock raising, but in 1901 he sold his ranch and stock interests and removed to North Yakima, where he erected the handsome brick block which bears his name. This sightly structure stands on the southeast corner of Yak- ima avenue and Third street and is occupied by stores and offices. Mr. Wilson also bought, at this time, a five-acre tract of suburban property, upon which he built a fine eight-room modern residence, where he now lives. In 1884 he made a trip to his birthplace and was there united in marriage to Anna MacMecken, daughter of Hugh and Ann (Fernie) MacMecken. Mrs. Wilson was born in 1856 and was given a good education in the common schools of her native land. To Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have been born the follow- ing children: Anna, born in 1885; William, in 1887; Robina, in 1889; Georgina, in 1892, and Harry, in 1900; Yakima county being the birth- place of all. Mr. Wilson and his wife are devoted members of the Presbyterian faith. · In politics, he is a stanch Republican and a supporter of the present administration.

JOHN J. TYLER, whose home is in North Yakima, is one of the early settlers of Yakima county, with whose history he has been promi- nently identified. His life has been one of varied experiences, the field of action ranging from New York to Washington and from Alaska to Central

America. Born in Yates, Orleans county, New York, in 1850, the son of John H. and Saloma M. (Gates) Tyler, he comes of old Puritan stock, both parents having been natives of Vermont and descendants of Revolutionary war veterans. John H. Tyler was in the War of 1812, and for some time represented his county in the legislature. The father died in 1856; the mother several years later. John J. Tyler lived with his parents on the farm and attended school, including a period at the Yates Academy, until young manhood, when he began to teach school. He taught and farmed, alternately, until 1877, when he came west, stop- ping first in Seattle, where he commenced work in the large jewelry house of W. G. Jameson. A year later he went to Tacoma and opened a small jewelry store, but after a year's experience aban- doned this business and removed to Ellensburg, where he accepted a clerkship in the store of John A. Shoudy and subsequently engaged in carpen- tering. In 1882, as the candidate of the Repub- lican party, he was elected sheriff of Yakima county., an event which necessitated his residing in Yakima City. So well did he administer the office that he was re-elected in 1884 and faith- fully served the people until failing health com- pelled him to resign, in May, 1886. Three years in Honduras, Central America, followed, during which he was engaged in placing mining machin- ery, and another year in Dallas, Texas, elapsed before his return to Yakima county, in improved health. He then engaged in mining in the Okan- ogan region for four years. The year 1896 saw him in Alaska, where he spent a season mining, and after a year in Oregon, placing machinery in the Blue River country, Mr. Tyler again re- turned to the Alaskan mines. While in Alaska the last time he was on the scene of the great snowslide which killed fifty-seven people, and was among the rescuers. Returning again to the states, Mr. Tyler spent several months on the coast and then came once more to North Yakima. arriving in July, 1902, where he is now engaged as a building contractor.

His marriage to Miss Kate F. Fuehrbach, a native of Missouri, and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Casper Fuehrbach, took place in 1888. In 1883 Miss Fuehrbach was appointed to fill the office of auditor and county clerk of Yakima county, the auditor-elect having died. Her father came to North Yakima from St. Charles, Missouri, in 1881, and at the present writing is conducting a barber shop in the first mentioned city. Mr. Tyler has one sister, two half-sisters, and one half- brother, all living in the east, and also two sons, Willard and Gilbert, living in California. The sons are from a former marriage of Mr. Tyler. He is affiliated with both the Masons and the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and in poli- tics has always been a Republican. Mr. Tyler

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owns a ranch, lying six miles west of North Yak- ima, which he is leasing at present. As a coura- geous, energetic pioneer, an efficient public offi- cer and a respected citizen who has been in the past, and is now, identified with the upbuilding of the community, Mr. Tyler is accorded a place in this volume.

WILLIAM H. VESSEY, whose home is sit- uated in North Yakima, is one of the leading stockmen in central .Washington. Born in Port- land, Oregon, October 13, 1860, he is the son of two pioneers of the Northwest, John and Ann (Harer) Vessey, of English descent. John Ves- sey was born in England and came to America in 1843, settling first in New York. In 1849 he went to California by way of Cape Horn, and for a year was busy with pick and shovel in the mines of the new El Dorado. He then came to Portland and was married. Mr. Vessey continued to fol- low his trade, that of a mechanic, and other pur- suits, in the Willamette valley until 1879, when he moved to Walla Walla; he died there in 1900. The Harer family came to Oregon from Arkan- sas, that state being Ann Harer's birthplace. They came in the emigration of 1852. While in the Blue mountains, the wearisome journey nearly accomplished and the promised land al- most within sight, father and mother became ill with the cholera and died after a short sickness, having consecrated their lives to the spread of civ- ilization into the Northwest. The little orphan girl was cared for by other emigrants, and subse- quently became the wife of Mr. Vessey; she died November 25, 1880. William H. Vessey received a common school education in Portland. When only thirteen years old, however, he began to do for himself, entering the employ of William Humes, in a salmon cannery. After a year's ex- perience in this work the youth labored on a farm in Washington county until 1876, coming to Walla Walla in the fall of that year and entering the service of his uncle, caring for stock. A year later he engaged in ranging sheep, learning the business thoroughly, so that in 1882 he was able to care successfully for his own herds. Mr. Ves- sey ranged his herds in Umatilla county until 1889, when he moved into the lower Yakima val- ley. Since that date he has made either Kiona or Prosser his headquarters. Since coming to Washington Mr. Vessey ,has entered into partner- ship with another Yakima stockman, and together they range from twelve thousand to fifteen thousand sheep each year.

Mr. Vessey was married in Walla Walla, 1883, to Miss Mary E. Defreece, the daughter of James Defreece. Both parents were natives of Missouri, the children of pioneers; were married in that state and in 1879 crossed the Plains to Umatilla

county, Oregon, settling near Milton. In 1888 Mr. Defreece immigrated to the Big Bend region, Washington, and lived near Davenport until his death. Mrs. Vessey was born in Nebraska in 1865, and was educated in the common schools of Nebraska and Oregon, marrying at the age of eighteen. Their only child, Estella, born in Ore- gon, July 29, 1884, died April 25, 1893. Mr. Ves- sey is fraternally affiliated with the Elks. Mrs. Vessey is connected with the Episcopal church. Mr. Vesscy is prominent in the Republican party, and in 1903 was appointed and confirmed as one of Washington's state fair commissioners, but de- clined the honor. The co-partnership in which he is interested has among its assets sixteen thou- sand acres of grazing land in Yakima county, a section of wheat land in cultivation, one hundred and sixty acres irrigated by the Sunnyside canal, twenty acres in the Ahtanum valley, a quarter- section near Mabton, considerable city property in North Yakima and Prosser, one hundred head of horses and seven thousand head of sheep; in all of which he has a half-interest, giving him an unusually valuable property. His faithful indus- try has won him deserved success in business, which, added to his reputation as a man of high principle and to his personal congeniality, gives him a position of influence in the Yakima coun- try. Mr. and Mrs. Vessey enjoy the friendship of all with whom they are associated.

ABRAHAM W. MORRISON, residing six miles west of the city of North Yakima, has been a successful farmer in Yakima county for nearly a quarter of a century. Born in Pike county, Illi- nois, in 1843, he is the son of James D. and Lydia (Lee) Morrison. natives of Pennsylvania and In- diana respectively. His father moved from Penn- sylvania to Indiana, thence to Illinois, where he lived sixteen years, and finally settled in Mis- souri, where his death occurred in 1870. Abra- ham worked with his father on the farm in Illi- nois and Missouri until the Civil war burst over the nation. At that time he was eighteen years old and, his qualifications being sufficient to per- mit of his acceptance, he enlisted in Company E, Seventh Missouri cavalry, in which he valiantly served his flag for three years one month and eleven days, participating in the famous battles of Pea Ridge, Cross Hollows and Lone Jack, be- sides many smaller ones. His army life came to an end in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1864, when he was mustered out. Returning home, he remained there until his father's death. The succeeding fall he was married, and in the spring of 1877 the young husband and wife crossed the Plains bv mule teams to the Willamette valley. There they lived until the fall of 1880, then moved to Washington, where Mr. Morrison filed a home-

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stead claim to a quarter section lying near Prosser. In the new home he followed farming and stock raising successfully for many years. He then sold his place and moved into the Yakima valley, choosing as a residence a place one and one-half miles southwest of North Yakima, where he lived a year previous to buying his present ranch on Wide Hollow. His bride in 1870 was Miss Alma Lybyer, daughter of Daniel and Rachel (Carpen- ter) Lybyer, both of Dutch descent. Her father was born in Pennsylvania and lived the greater portion of his life in Indiana, and died in Mis- souri ; the mother was born in Indiana and reared eight children. Mrs. Morrison, who was a na- tive of Indiana, born in 1854, was educated in the common schools of that state, and was sev- enteen years old at the time of her marriage to Mr. Morrison. Their happy home was recently covered by a pall of sorrow, placed there by the grim reaper, September 21, 1903, when husband and children watched the light of life in the eyes of her they loved so well flicker ont forever. She was the mother of six children-George W., born in 1871; James D., 1874; Gertie, 1876; Roy, 1879; Mrs. Edith Stair, 1881, living at Mabton; and Jessie, 1884, at home. Mr. Morrison has five brothers and sisters, as follows: Mrs. Mary A. Chapman, living in Oregon; Mrs. Nancy Turn- baugh, in Missouri; Mrs. Maria Carr, in Kan- sas ; John L., in Ahtanum valley, and James W., also in the Ahtanum. Mr. Morrison is a mem- ber of the Masonic order, and in politics a stal- wart Democrat. As the successful candidate of his party, he served as one of Yakima county's commissioners during the years 1887-8, making an excellent record. His ranch is divided as fol- lows: Fifty-five acres in alfalfa; ten acres in clo- ver and timothy; twelve acres in a hop yard, from which he harvested thirteen tons last fall; five acres in bearing orchard; and the balance in plow land and building sites. His stock interests in- clude eleven horses, thirty hogs and several head of fine cattle. As a substantial citizen of his county, a man devoted to his home, and of gen- erous impulses, he is esteemed by his fellow men.

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An illustrated history of Klickitat, Yakima and Kittitas counties; with an outline of the early history of the state of Washington, Part 138

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1904 Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate publishing company Number of Pages: 1146

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Chicago] Interstate publishing company
Number of Pages: 1146