History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II, Part 103

Author: Lyman, William Denison, 1852-1920
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: [Chicago] S.J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 1138

USA > Washington > Benton County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II > Part 103
USA > Washington > Kittitas County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II > Part 103
USA > Washington > Yakima County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II > Part 103

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

On the 23d of December, 1909, Mr. Thorndyke was united in marriage to Miss Alice Schauweker, a native of Meadville, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Frank and Alice (Kemble) Schauweker. Her father, who was the owner of a large tannery, removed from the Keystone state to Cleveland, Ohio, where he spent the remainder of his life and where the mother still makes her home. Mrs. Thorndyke is a gradu- ate of the Cleveland Kindergarten Training School and also taught in that institu- tion for several years. She is likewise a skilled musician and has become well known in that connection. By her marriage she has become the mother of two children, twins, Roger and Maurine, who were born on the 21st of March, 1918.

Thus in brief is given the history of Joseph A. Thorndyke, whose activity and ambition have brought him into the new and growing west with a recognition of its opportunities and advantages, whereby he has gained a place among the repre- sentative and valned citizens of Yakima county.

ALBERT LEE MCCLANAHAN, M. D.

Dr. Albert Lee McClanahan, engaged in the practice of medicine at Yakima, was born in Strasburg, Virginia, in 1872, a son of George M. and Elizabeth (Bauman) McClanahan, representatives of old southern families. The father is an attorney and practiced his profession for many years in Virginia but is now living retired, having reached the notable old age of ninety-six years.

Liberal educational advantages were accorded Dr. McClanahan, who was gradu- ated from Columbia University on the completion of a classical course, winning the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1898. He afterward attended the St. Louis University and won his M. D. degree in 1904. Following his graduation he went to Nome, Alaska, but soon afterward returned to Seattle, where he opened an office and con- tinued in the active practice of medicine and surgery until 1914. He then removed to Ellensburg, where he remained until 1918, when he came to Yakima and opened offices in the Miller building. He has already won a good practice, for his ability is pronounced and he is most careful in the diagnosis of his cases.

In 1904 Dr. McClanahan was united in marriage to Miss Emma Boesewetter, who was born in St. Louis. Fraternally the Doctor is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and in Masonry has attained high rank. He belongs to Arcania Lodge No. 83, F. & A. M., and he has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, while with the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine he has crossed the sands of the desert. He also has membership with the Loyal Order of Moose. He has never sought nor desire political office but served for one year as deputy mar- shal of the second division of Alaska. In strictly professional lines his connection is with the County, the State and the American Medical Associations.

JAMES C. YOUNG.

An excellent ranch property of forty acres five and a half miles west of Yakima pays tribute to the care and labor bestowed upon it by James C. Young, whose labors constitute another proof of the productiveness of the soil of the Yakima valley and the adaptability of the region for fruit raising. Mr. Young is a native of Michi- gan. He was born at Chelsea, that state, on the 25th of June, 1861, his parents being Thomas and Elizabeth (Kelly) Young. The father was a contractor and ship- builder of Chicago in early manhood but afterward turned his attention to the occupation of farming in Michigan. He and his wife were natives of Ireland but came to the United States in childhood and were married on this side of the At- lantic. Both have now passed away.

In the acquirement of his education James C. Young passed through consecu- tive grades in the public schools until he had gained a high school course. In 1884 he went to California and settling at Selma, there engaged in merchandising for nine years, or until 1893. He afterward returned to his native state, where he again

JAMES C. YOUNG

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spent a year, but at the end of that time returned to Selma and occupied the posi- tion of deputy postmaster at that place until 1894. In the spring of 1895 he made his way to Cook's Inlet, Alaska, where he engaged in mining, but the year 1896 found him again in the vicinity of Selma, California. The following year he returned to the Klondike, where he remained until 1900, and was also at Teller and Port Clar- ence, Alaska, where he was prospecting. At Council City on Golofnin Bay he was also mining for two years. He was for a time at Fairbanks, Alaska, remaining until 1907, and spent altogether eight winters and twelve summers in that country, travel- ing largely over the district and prospecting most of the time. He made some money on Esther creek, near Fairbanks, and he gained valuable experience and picked up much interesting information concerning the country and its possibilities.

In 1907 Mr. Young arrived in Yakima county, where he purchased forty acres of land five and a half miles west of Yakima, of which a few acres had already been planted to fruit. He sold thirty acres of this in 1910 but has throughout the interven- ing period cultivated the entire forty-acre tract. He has planted it all to fruit, hav- ing thirty-five acres in fruit. He has erected the buildings thereon and has a splen- didly equipped ranch. He belongs to the Yakima County Horticultural Union and he assisted in organizing the Yakima Fruit Growers Exchange, of which he was president during several years of its existence. He helped to organize and was president of a society formed to get rid of the fruit blight. In fact he has done very progressive work in connection with fruit raising in the northwest and has closely studied every phase of the business until he is thoroughly familiar with the causes of blight and all those things which destroy the trees or keep the fruit from attain- ing its normal perfection. He employs the most modern scientific methods in the care of his trees and in the gathering, packing and shipping of his fruit and is today a prominent representative of the horticultural interests of this section of the state.

On the 20th of May, 1915, Mr. Young was married to Miss Minnie Einwalter and they have become parents of two sons, James William and Howard Frederick. Mr. Young votes with the democratic party where national questions and issues are in- volved, but at local elections casts an independent ballot. He is a member of the Sour Doughs, an organization of men formerly residents of Alaska. He has at- tractive social qualities, which make for personal popularity, as well as splendid busi- ness traits, giving him classification among the epresentative and valued residents of the valley.

JOSIAH H. MORRISON.

Josiah H. Morrison is the owner of an excellent farm property of eighty acres in Yakima county and its development has not only been to him a source of indi- vidual profit but has contributed also to the advancement of agricultural interests in this section. Mr. Morrison is a native of Illinois. He was born on the 16th of March, 1865, a son of John L. and Caroline (Billic) Morrison, the former a native of Illinois, while the latter was born in Pennsylvania. The father removed with his family from Illinois to Bates county, Missouri, in 1866 and after residing there for eleven years came to the northwest in 1877, settling in Polk county, Oregon. In the fall of 1880 he removed to Yakima county and Josiah H. Morrison and his father took up a homestead on Nob Hill and proved up on the property. Afterward they sold that land and each purchased a ranch on the Ahtanum. The father is now liv- ing retired, making his home in Yakima in the enjoyment of a rest which he has truly earned and richly merits. His wife passed away in 1874.

Josiah H. Morrison was reared to farm life and early became familiar with prac- tical and progressive methods of ranching through the assistance which he rendered his father. Since his father's retirement he has concentrated his efforts and atten- tion upon the development of his eighty acres of land, on which he raises hay, grain and hops. He also has a considerable amount of live stock upon his place and is engaged in the dairy business. His activities are always prompted by a most progres- sive spirit and by a laudable ambition that produces good results.

On the 1st of January, 1893, Mr. Morrison was united in marriage to Miss Carrie

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Minner, a native of Oregon and a daughter of William H. Minner, one of the pio- neers of that state. The children of this marriage are as follows: Lester is engaged in ranching and is married and has one child. Gerald was a member of the United States army, having served with the military band of his regiment, the Twenty- seventh Artillery. He married Hazel Shanks, of Spokane, and they have one child, Gerald, Jr. Prudence is the only successful woman mail carrier of the northwest and in her official capacity is popular in Yakima. By her enterprise and attention to duty and her desire to make her own living she has not only gained credit for her- self but proves that she comes of an industrious family. Fleda and Mildred, who are both yet at home, are attending school.

Mr. Morrison belongs to the Brotherhood of American Yeomen. His study of political questions and issues has led him to give his support to the democratic party, for he believes that its platform contains the best elements of good government. He has membership in the Christian church as has the family and his life is guided by high and honorable principles. He is loyal to his convictions and no trust re- posed in Josiah H. Morrison is ever betrayed. He is classed with the pioneer farm- ers of Yakima who have done much to develop the agricultural possibilities of the state and his success is the merited reward of his labor.

OLIVER W. WALLACE.

Oliver W. Wallace, owner of a fine ranch property of thirty acres in the vicinity of Grandview, has been a resident of Yakima county since 1902, at which time he came to the west with his parents, William and Ellen (Hartman) Wallace, who were pioneer settlers of Iowa, establishing their home in Keokuk county, where the birth of Oliver W. Wallace occurred on the 16th of December, 1873. He was a young man of twenty-eight years when the family removed to the Pacific coast. He accom- panied his parents, and the father and his sons purchased sixty acres of land one mile from the present site of Grandview. At a later period thirty acres of this tract were sold. For a considerable period the father remained an active factor in ranch- ing interests in Yakima county but afterward retired from active business and resided in Grandview to the time of his death, which occurred in March, 1917. His widow survives and is now a resident of Idaho.

Oliver W. Wallace was reared under the parental room with the usual experi- ences of the farm-bred boy, so that he was well qualified to take up ranching inter- ests when he came with his parents to the west. He was associated with his father in the development of the homestead ranch for some time and eventually purchased the interests of the others in the property and is today the owner of thirty acres of valuable land, highly cultivated and improved. He engages in raising corn, potatoes and hay and his large crops find a ready sale on the market.

On the 28th of December, 1911, Mr. Wallace was married to Miss May Kissinger, who was born in Kansas, a daughter of Boston and Clara Kissinger, now residents of Idaho. The children of this marriage are Homer, Howard, Deloss and Clara, all yet under the parental roof. Mrs. Wallace is a member of the Methodist church and a lady of many admirable qualities. In politics Mr. Wallace is an independent republican, for while he usually supports the party, he does not consider himself bound by party ties. He has never been ambitious to hold office but has ever been desirous of winning success in his ranching operations, and his close application and unahating energy are bringing him very near to the goal of prosperity.

WESLEY W. SHEANE.

Wesley W. Sheane, president of the W. W. Sheane Automobile Company of Spokane, conducting a motor car sales and repair business, has the largest garage in Yakima and the property is the visible evidence of his well directed energy and thrift. The story of his life is a story of earnest endeavor which has brought him

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to a desired goal. He was born in Canada, October 7, 1862, a son of George and Lucy (Gammon) Sheane. The father a native of Dublin, Ireland, crossed the Atlantic to Canada when but nine years of age. He afterward took up the occupation of farming and secured a homestead claim in Bruce county, Canada, where he success- fully followed general agricultural pursuits for many years, there passing away in 1914, while his wife survived until 1915.

Wesley W. Sheane was reared to farm life, remaining upon the old homestead until twenty-three years of age, during which time he acquired a thorough public school education. He arrived in Washington in 1885 and settled in Spokane, where he became connected with the livery business. He purchased the business of his employer in 1908 and there remained until 1910, when he removed to Yakima, where he again purchased a livery business which he owned until 1918 and then sold. In the meantime, as the horse and carriage was being largely supplanted by the auto- mobile, he wisely turned his attention in the latter direction and in 1914 established a garage at No. 118 South Third street, where he was located for a year. In 1915 he organized the Central Automobile & Supply Company, of which he was the pres- ident until the 1st of January, 1918, when he sold the business and organized the W. W. Sheane Automobile Company. He then bought ont the Public Garage and occupies a large building two hundred by one hundred and thirty feet, with storage room for one hundred and twenty-five cars. This is the largest garage in Yakima. Mr. Sheane is agent for the Paige motor car and also for the Atterbury truck and in addition to his sales department has the largest repair shop in Yakima. He makes it his object to please all customers and has built up a fine business. It is recognized that the work done in the garage is most thorough and of high grade, while in all business transactions the name of Sheane stands as a synonym for thorough relia- bility.

On the 10th of August, 1897, Mr. Sheane was united in marriage to Miss Emma Bouvette, who was born in Pembina, North Dakota. Fraternally Mr. Sheane is connected with the Elks. He also belongs to the Commercial Club of Yakima, to the Yakima Valley Business Men's Association and to the Automobile Association and is thus active in promoting the trade interests and business development of city and district. In politics he is a republican but has never been an office seeker. He owns some fine farming property in this section of the state together with city property in Yakima and Spokane. He has become prominent and well known in the valley and is today accounted one of the representative business men of the west, his alertness, his enterprise and business sagacity being the salient features in win- ning him his substantial success. His efforts are most carefully directed and his plans wisely formulated and, moreover, he early recognized the eternal principle that industry wins, so that he made industry the beacon light of his life.

A. C. WHITSON.

A. C. Whitson, a resident of Yakima for fourteen years and now conducting a successful and growing business under the name of the Whitson Plumbing & Heat- ing Company, was born at Morris, Minnesota, July 27, 1880, a son of Robert and Hattie (Huntington) Whitson, who after residing for a number of years in Minne- sota removed to Pembina, North Dakota, in 1889. The father engaged in railroad work, thus providing tor the support of his family.

A. C. Whitson was a youth of but nine years at the time the family home was established in North Dakota, where he acquired a public school education. He afterward learned the plumbing business at Crookston, Minnesota, and there re- mained until 1904, when he removed to the Pacific northwest, settling in Yakima. For seven years he was employed by the Yakima Hardware Company and during this period carefully saved his earnings until his industry and economy had brought him sufficient capital to enable him to engage in business on his own account. In 1912, therefore, he organized the Whitson Plumbing & Heating Company at No. 13 South First street and has since conducted a general plumbing and heating busi-

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ness. He did the plumbing for the Wapato high school, for the Country Club and in many of the leading residences of the city.

In 1900 Mr. Whitson was married to Miss Sarah Wellington, a native of Ohio, and to them were born ten children: Hattie and Annie, twins, who have passed away; one who died in infancy; Wendell; Robert; Verne; Helen; John; Alfred and Flor- ence.

Fraternally Mr. Whitson is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and politically with the republican party. His efforts and attention, how- ever, are mostly concentrated upon his business affairs and in addition to his plumb- ing and heating business in the city he owns a cattle ranch and a fruit ranch in the Yakima valley, having made judicious investments in property in this section and thus indicated his belief in the future of the district. He is a self-made man in that he owes his success entirely to his perseverance and industry and his prosperity has indeed been well earned.

WILLIAM STOBIE.

William Stobie has a fine home standing in the midst of one hundred and twenty- six acres of land not far distant from Sunnyside. Much of this was covered with the native sagebrush when it came into his possession and his labors have wrought a marked transformation, converting it into rich and productive fields. The life record of William Stobie is an interesting one. He is a Scot by birth, his natal day being December 20, 1843. His parents, James and Elizabeth (Thompson) Stobie, also natives of Scotland, crossed the Atlantic to Canada in 1845 and there the father engaged in farming until his death.

William Stobie was less than two years of age when the family home was established in Canada, where he was reared and attended the public schools to the age of eleven years. He was but ten years old when his father died and since the age of twelve has made his own way in the world. He crossed the border into the United States and has since been dependent entirely upon his labors and resources. In 1863, in response to the country's call for aid to preserve the Union, he enlisted in the First New York Light Artillery as a member of Battery K, under Captain Stoughton, and served until the close of the war with a most creditable military record, being honorably discharged and mustered out in 1865. He then took up blacksmithing and also canal boat building, to which he devoted a year in New York. In 1867 he removed to Missouri, where he engaged in farming and also con- ducted a blacksmith shop. In 1869 he became a resident of Kansas and for two years again engaged in farming and blacksmithing. In 1871 he started for the Black Hills, but changing his plans, took up his abode at Central City, Colorado, where he continued for a year. He afterward spent a similar period at Floyd Hill, Colorado, and then went to Idaho Springs, Colorado, where he remanied for two years. He was next at Platte Station, Colorado, and thence went to Weston, Colo- rado, and on to Buena Vista, where he conducted a blacksmith shop and also en- gaged in freighting. He "pulled" the first six-mule team into Pitkin, Colorado. Later he went to Alamosa, Colorado, where he did railway contracting on the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. He followed freighting, railroad building and other work of that character at various points in Colorado and New Mexico in the typical Indian days when one had to endure all the hardships and privations of pioneer life, and he was in New Mexico at the time of one of the Indian scares there. He did a large amount of railway construction work in Pocatello, Idaho, and on the Snake river, around Elizabeth Station, also at Shoshone, Idaho, and other places for the Oregon Short Line. He was likewise engaged in railroad contract work on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy in Minnesota and North Dakota. His experiences have been indeed broad and varied, connecting him with many lines of business activity and bringing to him an intimate and comprehensive knowledge of the condi- tions of the country over which he has worked.

After putting aside railroad contract work Mr. Stobie took up a homestead in Thomas county, Kansas, in 1885, securing a tract of land which was entirely wild

WILLIAM STOBIE

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and undeveloped, but his home and fortunes were wrecked by a cyclone in 1887. He then went to Colorado, where he did contract work on the Union Pacific Railroad, and he also engaged in railway building under contract at various points in the west. He likewise took contracts for street work in the west and in British Columbia and thus became associated with the interests and development of this section of the country. In October, 1891, he arrived in Yakima county to do contract work on the Sunnyside canal and built over thirty miles of the main canal, together with many laterals all over the lower valley. The canal company, however, met with financial disaster and Mr. Stobie lost heavily thereby. It was then that he turned his attention to agricultural interests, securing a claim of sixty acres of sagebrush land as part payment for some of his work. He at once began the development of his ranch and he now has a fine home and valuable property. He has bought more land until his holdings now aggregate one hundred and twenty-six acres, splendidly im- proved with all the equipments and accessories of a model farm of the twentieth century.

On the 27th of April, 1878, Mr. Stobie was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary Thurman, who was born in Germany and came to the United States at the age of eighteen years. By a former marriage Mr. Stobie has three children, as follows: Cora E., who is the wife of George Madison, a ranchman of Yakima county; Alice, who lives in Texas and is the wife of Alex Carthorn; and William Thomas, a rancher of Yakima county.

Fraternally Mr. Stobie is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is also a member of Weber Post, No. 179, G. A. R., of Sunnyside. His political allegiance is given to the republican party. His experiences of life have been varied, broad and interesting. In Colorado he and his wife once had to run from the Indians and with team and buckboard drove a distance of one hundred and forty miles without stopping. They then camped, but a hear scared the team, which ran away. However, Mr. Stobie caught the team, after which they drove all night, managing to elude the Indians. There is no phase of pioneer life or experience with which he is not familiar and he has contributed much to the development and up- building of the west. He has assisted in building various drainage projects and roads and he is today one of the oldest settlers in his part of Yakima county, having the first house built in the section in which he lives. His success is well deserved, for with patience, determination and energy he has continued his labors, undeterred by obstacles and difficulties, and in due time has arrived at the goal of prosperity, being now one of the successful ranchmen in the vicinity of Sunnyside.

HENRY W. GRISSOM.

Henry W. Grissom, who is engaged in the cultivation of about eighty acres of land on the Ahtanum, was born in Jefferson county, lowa, September 25, 1866, a son of John M. and Elizabeth (Minner) Grissom. The father was a native of Ohio, while the mother was born in Indiana, and they became pioneer settlers of Iowa, where Mr. Grissom continued to carry on general agricultural pursuits until 1882. He then left the Mississippi valley for the far west, making his way to Kittitas county, Wash- ington, where he purchased a homestead riglit. He then began farming in the north- west but was not long permitted to enjoy his new home, for his death occurred in 1883. His widow afterward sold the farm and resided in Ellensburg, Washington, until she was called to her final rest twenty years later, passing away in June, 1903.

Henry W. Grissom pursued his education in the public schools of Iowa and from the age of sixteen years worked for wages. While thus employed he carefully saved his earnings until his industry and perseverance had brought to him sufficient capital to enable him to start in business on his own account. It was in 1891 that he rented land in Kittitas county, cultivating that place for four years. In 1895 he removed to Yakima county, where he again rented land until 1911, at which time he purchased twenty acres on the Ahtanum. He rents about sixty acres more, so that he is now cultivating eighty acres, devoted to the raising of hay and other crops. He has large (35)

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History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II, Part 103

Author: Lyman, William Denison, 1852-1920 Publication date: 1919 Publisher: [Chicago] S.J. Clarke Number of Pages: 1138

Author: Lyman, William Denison, 1852-1920
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: [Chicago] S.J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 1138