History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II, Part 54

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 54
USA > Washington > Kittitas County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II > Part 54
USA > Washington > Yakima County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II > Part 54

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On the 16th of June, 1904, Mr. Jongewaard was married to Miss Kate Swier, who was born in Holland and came to the United States when eleven years of age. The four children of this marriage are Margaret, George, Ethel and Donald.

The parents and their children are members of the Dutch Reformed church and in social circles of the community they occupy an enviable position. Mr. Jongewaard votes with the republican party. He has never regretted his determination to leave the Mississippi valley and try his fortune in the Pacific coast country. He has here found the opportunities which he sought and in their utilization has worked his way steadily upward, becoming one of the substantial and successful business men of Yakima county.

MARTIN A. SANDVIG.

Martin A. Sandvig, whose time and attention are given to the further develop- ment and care of fine apple, pear and prune orchards which are the principal feature of his home ranch near Zillah, was born in Crookston, Minnesota, May 15, 1883, a son of Mads R. and Anna Sandvig, who were natives of Norway. They were married there and came to the United States in 1874, at which time they took up

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their abode near Crookston, Minnesota, where the father devoted his attention to the occupation of farming until 1894. He then succumbed to the lure of the north- west and made his way to Great Falls, Montana, where he again followed farm- ing. His next removal took him to Kalispell, Montana, and thence he made his way to Spokane, Washington, after which he came to the Yakima valley in 1899. Here he purchased twenty acres of land a mile and a half northwest of Zillah. It was covered with sagebrush when it came into his possession but the earnest labor which he spent upon the place soon wrought a marked transformation, inasmuch as his labors were supplemented by the energy and determination of his sons. The father died in the year 1900, after which Martin A. and his brother, Robert Sandvig, continued the work of clearing the farm and built thereon a fine home. The death of Robert Sandvig occurred in 1907, since which time Martin Sandvig has carried on the work of the place. He has also rented one hundred and sixty acres of land on the Yakima Indian reservation and is devoting that tract to the raising of grain and stock. The home farm is nearly all planted to orchard, particularly apples, pears and prunes.

In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Mads R. Sandvig were ten children: Robert, men- tioned above; Martin A., of this review; Olaf, who is now with the medical depart- ment of the United States army in France and who was graduated from the law department of the University of Washington and was practicing in Yakima at the time he joined the colors; Adolph, who was in an automobile school at Kansas City but who recently returned and will work at Yakima; Josephine, at home; and five who have passed away. The parents were members of the Lutheran church and were ever regarded as people of the highest respectability and worth in the various communities in which they lived.

Martin A. Sandvig has always maintained an independent course in politics, vot- ing for the candidates whom he regards as best qualified for office. He has never been ambitious to serve in political positions, for his time and energies have been fully occupied by his business affairs. He was a youth of sixteen when he came to the Yakima valley and with his father's death the following year the responsibility of caring for and developing the home ranch largely fell upon him. In the inter- vening years he has proven his right to be classed with the progressive and suc- cessful orchardists and ranchmen of the northwest.

HENRY WAYENBERG.

Holland made a valuable contribution to the citizenship of Yakima county by sending many of her substantial residents to this section. Among those who can claim to have had their birth in that interesting little kingdom, whose humanity and level-headedness have been so strongly manifest during the recent world war, is numbered Henry Wayenberg, whose birth there occurred on the 3d of March, 1858, his parents being Teunis and Grace (Van de Brake) Wayenberg. In the year 1867 the parents bade adieu to friends and native country and sailed for the new world, taking up their abode in Wisconsin, where they resided until 1871 and then went to Sioux county, Iowa. In the latter district the father took up a homestead and de- veloped and improved his claim, converting it into an excellent farm property, whereon he resided until called to his final rest. Both he and his wife passed away in 1898.

Henry Wayenberg acquired a public school education and afterward took up the occupation of farming, to which he had been reared. At a subsequent period, how- ever, he engaged in the agricultural implement business, conducting a store of that kind at Sioux Center, Iowa, for ten years. The favorable reports which reached him concerning the northwest, its opportunities, its growth and its development, led him to come to Washington in the fall of 1896, at which time he made his way to the Yakima valley and purchased twenty acres of land on the Moxee. He then under- took the task of interesting other Hollanders in this country and in the work was associated with George Rankin and J. W. Clarke. He succeeded in interesting in this district, several hundred families and assisted in selling thousands of acres of

MR. AND MRS. HENRY WAYENBERG

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land to them and helping them to become well located in this region. In fact his work has been one of the main features in building up the Moxee country with a very desirable and substantial class of citizens, who have utilized the natural resources and opportunities of the district and converted it into a very productive and valu- able section of the state. Mr. Wayenberg purchased more land until he became owner of eighty acres in all. He has built a fine house upon his ranch and has one of the splendidly improved properties of the district. There is no accessory or con- venience of the model farm of the twentieth century that is not found upon his place. He has been very successful as a horticulturist and now has thirty-five acres of splen- didly bearing orchard, planted to apples and pears. His work has been guided by sound intelligence that enables him to readily recognize the possibilities and oppor- tunities of a business situation and to quickly discriminate between the essential and the nonessential. He is now well known as one of the successful farmers of the Yakima valley and his work in bringing about the settlement of the district cannot be overestimated.

On the 12th of January, 1882, Mr. Wayenberg was united in marriage to Miss Rena Raak, who was born in Grand Haven, Michigan, a daughter of Gerrit and Ida (Winter) Raak. Mrs. Wayenberg passed away March 7, 1918, her death being deeply regretted by many friends as well as by her immediate family. She had become the mother of five children: Teunis A., who is engaged in ranching on the Moxee, has a wife and two children; Grace is the wife of Peter Zeutenhorst and has one child; they reside on a ranch on the Moxee; Peter H., is a member of the United States army; Ida M. is at home; and William H. is married and also resides upon the old homestead farm.

Mrs. Wayenberg was a consistent and loyal member of the Reformed church, to which Mr. Wayenberg also helongs. In fact he was one of the founders of the First Reformed church of Yakima and has always been active and earnest in its work, doing everything in his power to promote its progress. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and he has served as justice of the peace. He has also been officially connected with the schools as a director and he is interested in every- thing that has to do with public progress and improvement, cooperating heartily in all those projects which are a matter of civic virtue and of civic pride. He belongs to the Yakima County Horticultural Union and is interested in everything that per- tains to the development of this section of the state as a fruit producing center. His work has been most wisely directed, the results have been valuable and far- reaching and the valley owes much to his progressive spirit and the effective work which he did in bringing Holland settlers to this section of the state.

I. N. MUELLER.

I. N. Mueller, a well known undertaker of Kennewick, comes to the northwest from Iowa, his birth having occurred in Carroll county, that state, in 1880. He is a son of H. G. F. and Mary Mueller, residents of Des Moines, Iowa. He obtained his education in the public schools and afterward became connected with the hard- ware and undertaking business at Auburn, Iowa. In 1906 he arrived in Kennewick, Washington, and secured employment in a hardware store, of which he afterward became one of the proprietors. The Kennewick Hardware Company was organized in 1903 by the firm of Sherman & Amon, who sold to H. A. Bier, and later Mr. Mueller purchased an interest in the business from Mr. Bier, becoming one of the owners in 1913. Five years later Mr. Bier took part of the stock and removed to Ritzville, Washington, while Mr. Mueller continued the business in Kennewick. He carried a general line of shelf and heavy hardware and his enterprising methods and earnest desire to please his patrons were salient features in his success. In 1918 he removed his stock to the store by the postoffice, where he occupied a room twenty- five by one hundred feet until the 1st of September of that year, when he sold out to C. F. Winkenwerder. He also conducted an undertaking business and now de- votes his entire attention to that enterprise, being the only undertaker in the town.

In 1909 Mr. Mueller was married to Miss Anna Amon, of Kennewick, and they

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have become the parents of four children: Veidella, Ruth, Amon and Frank. In his fraternal relations Mr. Mueller is an Odd Fellow and is also identified with the Artisans and the Modern Brotherhood of America. In politics he is a republican and he belongs to the Commercial Club, which indicates his interest in all that pertains to the welfare and upbuilding of his community. He is an alert, energetic business man, constantly watchful of opportunities pointing to success, and his progressive- ness has gained for him a creditable position among the representative business men of his section.

GEORGE E. MEHL.

George E. Mehl is the owner of an excellent ranch property of one hundred and five acres near Naches and his place is the visible evidence of his life of well directed energy and thrift. He owes his success entirely to his individual effort and enter- prise and he has become a well known and highly respected citizen of Yakima county, where he dates his residence from 1908. He was born in Mitchell county, Kansas, November 22, 1876, a. son of John and Ida (Peavey) Mehl, the former a na- tive of Indiana, while the latter was born in lowa. They became pioneer residents of Nebraska, where they were married, and in 1874 they removed to Kansas, where the father took up the occupation of farming. He and his wife are still living in that state.

George E. Mehl acquired a public school education and became actively identified with farming interests in Kansas, where he resided until 1908, when he sought the northwest with its constantly broadening opportunities. He had learned the car- penter's trade and after arriving in Yakima county he built and sold houses in Yakima, continuing in speculative building until May, 1913, when he purchased one hundred and seventy acres of land on Naches Heights. Soon afterward he sold a part of this but now has one hundred and five acres, sixty of which is irrigated and under cultivation. He is engaged in the raising of potatoes, hay, alfalfa and wheat and annually gathers good crops as the result of his careful and systematic methods of carrying on the work of the ranch. He is very thorough in all that he undertakes and his enterprise and business ability have brought him prominently to the front.

On the 23d of December, 1900, Mr. Mehl was married to Miss Carrie Guptail, who was born in Kansas, a daughter of Frank and Jennie Guptail, who were pioneer people of the state. The children of this marriage are Helen and Caroline. In poli- tics Mr. Mehl is a republican and fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and .the Modern Woodmen of America. He is well known, heing highly esteemed throughout the community in which he established his home more than a decade ago. His plans have been carefully formulated and promptly executed and his enterprise is bringing to him gratifying success.

SYDNEY LIVESEY.

Yakima has always been distinguished for the high rank of her bench and bar. Her lawyers have ever been capable of crossing swords in forensic combat with the ablest representatives of the profession anywhere. For nine years Sydney Livesey has been practicing in Yakima and his ability has brought him prominently to the front, connecting him with much important litigation heard in the courts of the district.

Mr. Livesey is a native of England, his birth having occurred in Wirksworth, Derbyshire, on the 3d of March, 1880, his parents being John T. and Alice (Bates) Livesey. The father came to the United States in 1887 and made preparations for his family, after which the mother brought their children to the new world in 1889 and the family home was established in Augusta, Wisconsin, where John T. Livesey was engaged in the creamery business for some time. His death there occurred, after

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which his widow removed to St. Paul, Minnesota, and spent a number of years in that state but ultimately came to the Pacific coast and is now living in Bellingham.

Sydney Livesey, pursuing his education in the schools of Wisconsin, was grad- uated from the high school at Augusta, that state, and afterward attended the State Normal School at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He then carefully reviewed the broad field of business in order to determine upon an occupation or profession which he wished to make his life work. He at length resolved upon law practice and with that end in view entered the St. Paul Law School, from which he was graduated in June, 1906. Making his way to the northwest, he settled in Seattle, Washington, where he remained for two years and for a part of the time was employed in law offices. In 1909 he came to Yakima, where he has since remained, and through the intervening period he has made steady progress in his chosen calling.

On the 19th of September, 1913, Mr. Livesey was married to Miss Hazel G. Hughes, a teacher of Yakima, who was born in Kalkaska, Michigan. They now have two daughters, Dorothy May and Hazel Margaret.

Mr. Livesey belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and he is a member of the executive board of the republican central county committee. In 1913 he was called to the office of deputy prosecuting attorney under H. B. Gilbert and filled that position until 1917. While he continues in the general practice of law, he devotes much time to transpor- tation law and is thoroughly versed upon that department of jurisprudence.

WESLEY P. CREWS.

Wesley P. Crews, who is engaged in general farming and to some extent in fruit raising at Tieton, was born in Livingston county, Missouri, April 30, 1853, a son of Dawson T. and Margaret (Yates) Crews. The father was born in Madison county, Kentucky, and the mother in Howard county, Missouri. The paternal grandfather was Robert Crews, of Kentucky and of Scotch descent. He became one of the pio- neer settlers of Missouri, establishing his home there at a very early day, and Daw- son T. Crews and Margaret Yates were the first couple married in Medicine town- ship, Livingston county. The mother died in Missouri and the father spent his last days in the Boise valley of Idaho.

Wesley P. Crews acquired a public school education in Missouri, pursuing his studies in one of the old-time log schoolhouses with its slab desks and rude seats around the walls. He took up the occupation of farming in his native state and in 1872 went to Burlington, Iowa, where he remained for a year, engaged in the livery business. He next turned his attention to farming in Lee county, Iowa, where he remained for eight years, after which he returned to Livingston county, Missouri. In 1902 he came to Yakima county, where he lived for three years on the Splawn ranch, and in 1904 he took up a homestead of sixty-six acres under the Tieton. He has three acres planted to orchard and the balance of his land is devoted to general farming, in which connection he makes a specialty of the raising of alfalfa, beets and potatoes.

On the 10th of September. 1893, Mr. Crews was married to Miss Margaret Elizabeth Thompson, who was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, in 1870, a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Boyd) Thompson, the father also a native of Pickaway county, Ohio, while the mother was born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. The grand- father of Mrs. Crews was John Thompson, a native of Ireland, who came to the United States in young manhood. Her father went to Missouri in February, 1883, and in 1901 came to Yakima county, where he purchased a farm on the Cowiche, there residing until his death, which occurred August 19, 1913, when he was seventy- seven years of age. His wife died February 17, 1914, at the age of seventy-nine years. Mr. and Mrs. Crews have become the parents of three children: Thompson; Robert, a student of veterinary surgery; and Paul.

The religious faith of the family is that of the Methodist church and in politics Mr. Crews maintains an independent position, voting for men and measures rather than party. His wife is a woman of artistic temperament and well known locally

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as a writer of both prose and poetry. It was Mrs. Crews who established the first Sunday school in Tieton in 1907 and she has been very active in the social life of the community.

CARL G. STRAND.

Carl G. Strand, identified with the ranching interests of the northwest since 1903, was born in LaCrosse county, Wisconsin, on the 17th of December, 1867. He is a brother of Julius O. Strand, in connection with whose sketch, found on another page of this work, is made mention of his parents and the family. He engaged in farming with his father until he reached his majority. In 1890 he removed to Pipestone county, Minnesota, where he carried on a general merchandise business at Ruthton until 1893. He then went to Cottonwood, Minnesota, where he published a news- paper and was also assistant cashier of the Bank of Cottonwood. At a subsequent date he became cashier of the Quarrymen's Bank of Sandstone, Minnesota, where he remained until 1900, when he removed to the northwest. Making his way to Tacoma, he spent three years as superintendent with the Northwestern Conserving Company of that place and in 1903 arrived in Yakima county, where in connection with his brother, J. O. Strand, he purchased two hundred acres of land on the Cowiche. Later they sold that property and Carl G. Strand purchased forty acres adjoining and also forty acres nearby, making cighty acres in all. He now has twelve acres planted to apples and his orchards are in fine condition, so that he annually gathers a large amount of fruit. The remainder of his land is planted to corn, hay and sugar beets and he gathers large crops each year. He is also engaged in the rais- ing of hogs, which forms a profitable feature of his business. Upon his ranch he has built a good house and substantial barn and made other improvements, so that his place is today one of the excellent properties of the locality.

On the 14th of August, 1894, Mr. Strand was married to Miss Emma Gunderson, a native of Iowa and a daughter of Gano and Randy (Torgerson) Gunderson. The children of this marriage are: Mildred, who is a teacher and resides at home; Ger- trude, the wife of Charles Mayo, a rancher in the Cowiche valley, now with the United States army, by whom she has one child, Leland William: Adolph, who is with the Students' Army Training Corps at Pullman, Washington; Raymond, Ralph and Marjorie, all at home. The parents are charter members of the Lutheran church and take an active part in its work. In his political views Mr. Strand is a republican. He is classed with those self-made men to whom opportunity has ever been the call to action. He has for a number of years been accounted one of the successful farm- ers of the Cowiche, for throughout his entire life he has utilized every chance to make a forward step and each forward step has brought him a broader outlook and wider opportunities. There have been no esoteric phases in his career. His course has always been straightforward and the reliability and enterprise of his methods have constituted the broad foundation upon which he has built his prosperity.

ABRAM VERSTRATE.

For twenty-one years Abram Verstrate has been a resident of Yakima county and since 1900 has lived upon his present farm on the Moxee. He was born in Hol- land, August 25, 1862, and is a son of John and Katherine Verstrate, who came to the United States in 1880. Making their way to Michigan, the father there took up the occupation of farming and he and his wife continued residents of that state until called to their final rest.

Abram Verstrate, spending his youthful days under the parental roof, pursued his education in the schools of his native country and was a lad of eighteen when he accompanied his father and mother to the new world. He afterward worked upon farms in Michigan until 1897, when thinking that he would have better business opportunities in the northwest, he made his way to Washington and has since re-

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sided within the borders of this state. He took up his abode in Yakima county and for two years he cultivated rented land on the Ahtanum. On the expiration of that period he secured a homestead claim on Black Rock but did not prove up on the property. He was afterward employed by others for a short time and then made investment in twenty acres of wild land on the Moxee, securing this place in 1900. He has since resided thereon and his labors have made it a very productive and valu- able property. He has proven, as many others have done, that this is an excellent fruit producing district and he now has five acres planted to apples and pears. The remainder of his land is devoted to the raising of hay and to various crops well adapted to soil and climatic conditions here, and he also conducts a fine dairy, keep- ing high-grade cattle for this purpose. All branches of his business are proving a gratifying source of income, for he is practical in anything that he undertakes and his progressiveness has also led to the acquirement of desired results.

In 1886 Mr. Verstrate was united in marriage to Miss Nellie De Kraker, of Michigan, who is a native of the Netherlands. To them have been born eight chil- dren, namely: John, who is a member of the United States army; Kate, who is the wife of George Currey, of Yakima; Joseph, who is also in the United States army; and Herman, James, Kathryn, Chris and Jeannette, all at home.

Mr. and Mrs. Verstrate are members of the First Reformed church and are people of genuine worth who enjoy the warm regard of those with whom they have been brought in contact, while the hospitality of the best homes of the neighborhood is freely accorded them. Mr. Verstrate's persistency of purpose and unflagging in- dustry have been the salient features in the attainment of his success.

HARVEY HUSS.

It was in 1885 that Harvey Huss, a native of Ohio, came to the Kittitas valley, where he has now been successfully engaged in farming for thirty-four years. He owns a valuable ranch of two hundred and forty acres about twelve miles northeast of Ellensburg which is principally devoted to hay and grain. A native of the Buckeye state, he was born in 1840 and is therefore now seventy-nine years of age. He is a son of Elisha and Elizabeth (Zook) Huss, natives of Pennsylvania, whence they removed to Ohio among the pioneers of that state in 1838. Later the family went to Missouri and there both Mr. and Mrs. Elisha Huss passed away.

Harvey Huss accompanied his parents from Ohio to Missouri, receiving his edu- cation in both states, and in the latter he grew to manhood upon his father's farm. The opportunities of the west beckoning to him in 1865 after the close of the Civil war, he decided to take advantage of them and went to Idaho, which state remained his home for several years, but in 1869 he removed to the Willamette valley of Ore- gon. He took up his residence in Grant county, Oregon, in 1872, but not being quite contented there, he came to the Kittitas valley in 1885, arriving at his present loca- tion on the 2d of June and bringing with him a valuable herd of cattle. He bought two hundred and forty acres of land about twelve miles northeast of Ellensburg and to its cultivation he immediately turned his attention. As the years have passed and his means have permitted he has made valuable improvements and installed modern equipment, so that his property is numbered among the best of the neighborhood. His land is devoted to hay and grain, of which he raises large crops. Not only has Mr. Huss been successful as a farmer but also as a business man, always studying market conditions, and he has therefore always sold his crops at most advantageous prices. The farm home which he built is substantial and modern, proclaiming the prosperity of its owner. He now rents his farm and is practically living retired.

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History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II, Part 54

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