History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II, Part 64

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 64
USA > Washington > Kittitas County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II > Part 64
USA > Washington > Yakima County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II > Part 64

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FRANK E. MOREAU.

Frank E. Moreau, numbered among the pioneer farmers in the vicinity of Ellens- burg, was born near Brussels, Belgium, on the 4th of January, 1855, a son of Alex- ander and Susie Moreau, who in 1861 removed to Luxemburg, where they spent their remaining days, the father there devoting his attention to farming. In 1882, when a young man of about twenty-seven years, Frank E. Moreau came to the United States. He made his way to St. Louis, Missouri, where he lived for a few months and later spent two years in Rice county, Minnesota. In 1884 he arrived in the Kittitas valley and took up a homestead near Sprague, Washington, but soon after- (20)

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ward sold that place. He next purchased eighty acres of land in the Kittitas valley, becoming owner of that tract in 1898. In the meantime he had worked for two years for the Northern Pacific Railroad during the construction of the line through this district and afterward continued in the employ of the corporation for a period. His original investment in land was followed by the purchase of two hundred acres more, which he has since sold to his two eldest sons. He is engaged in raising hay, grain and stock, handling both cattle and horses. His fields are carefully and systematically cultivated and in all of his farm work he is practical and progressive.

On the 13th of January, 1896, Mr. Moreau was united in marriage to Miss Angela Bieren, a native of Scott county, Minnesota, and their children are: Marie, who is now a teacher; Alfred, who is engaged in ranching in the Kittitas valley; George, eighteen years of age, also a rancher of the valley; and Roy, at home.

Mr. Moreau and his family are members of St. Andrew's Catholic church. In poli- tics he maintains an independent course, voting for men and measures rather than party. As one of the pioneer farmers of this section of the state he has witnessed its entire development and progress and in considerable measure has contributed to its upbuilding.

H. A. SHAW.

H. A. Shaw, manager of the undertaking business of Shaw & Sons at Yakima, was born on the 23d of February, 1883, in the city where he still makes his home, his parents being A. J. and Alice (Hawkins) Shaw. The latter, a native of Wash- ington, was born near Vancouver. The father was born in Oregon, a son of William Shaw, of southern Illinois, who crossed the plains in 1853 and located in Oregon. He and his family suffered many hardships incident to the settlement of the frontier. At one time, while crossing the plains, they nearly died from a lack of water and it was only after suffering extreme privations and enduring almost untold hardships that they reached their destination. The grandfather moved into the Yakima valley in the later '70s and took up government land. The family built the Shaw ditch in an early day, this being one of the first irrigation projects of the section. Outside of business A. J. Shaw was prominent in public affairs. He served as sheriff of Yakima county in 1897 and 1898 and later filled the position of mayor of the city. He did much to promote progressive movements during that period, resulting to the benefit and upbuilding of the community. He is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and of the Modern Woodmen of America. One of the pioneers of the valley, he has done much to develop its interests and promote its growth in many ways. His father and three of his brothers, as well as himself, took up a homestead about four miles west from the present site of Yakima and now owned by the Congdon estate; and there they became pioneers in the reclamation of the district for the purposes of civilization.

H. A. Shaw. whose name introduces this review, acquired a public school edu- cation and after his graduation from the high school of Yakima attended a business college at Seattle. He also spent two years in the State University as a student of civil engineering and then joined his father in business. The firm of Shaw & Sons, undertakers, was established in 1905 as successors to the North Yakima Furn- iture Company, which was established in 1899 by Andrew Jackson Shaw at No. 15 East Yakima avenue, who there opened a general furniture and undertaking busi- ness. Later a removal was made to the corner of Third street and East Yakima avenue and the next location of the firm was at Nos. 16 to 20 North Second street, where they continued until 1914. In that year the business was removed to Second and B streets. In 1908 the firm closed out the furniture department and concen- trated upon the undertaking business, for the conduct of which they utilize a large corner residence in the midst of beautiful grounds. Their place contains a chapel with a seating capacity for one hundred and fifty and they have operating rooms on the ground floor, with display rooms on the second floor. The firm has an auto hearse, an ambulance and touring cars for use at funerals. The father, A. J. Shaw, who was the founder of the business, retired in 1908 and is now living in Top-

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

penish, Washington. He was succeeded in the management by H. A. Shaw, who has since continued at the head. He is thoroughly familiar with every branch of the business and utilizes the most scientific methods in the care of the dead. Those who know him, and he has many friends, esteem him as a man of genuine worth and one whose enterprise has brought him steadily to the front in the line of his chosen en- deavor.

In 1907, H. A. Shaw was united in marriage to Miss Dora Bradfield, of Tacoma, and to them have been born four children; Stanley, Elizabeth, Gilbert and Herbert A., Jr. The personnel of the firm of Shaw & Sons is as follows: Mrs. Alice Shaw, mother of H. A. Shaw; and Lester S. Shaw, in connection with the subject of this review. Lester S. Shaw is now in the quartermaster's department of the United States army. He was graduated from the Yakima high school and has been with the business since a boy. In addition to his other business interests H. A. Shaw has a fine fruit and hay ranch, which is carefully developed and cultivated and brings to him a good income annually.

Mr. Shaw is a Royal Arch Mason, belonging to the Yakima lodge and chapter. He is also connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Knights of Pythias lodge, in which he is a past chancellor commander, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He likewise belongs to the Country Club and the Commercial Club, while his political allegiance is given to the democratic party. As a represen- tative of one of the pioneer families of this section of the state he deserves mention, but more than that is entitled to representation in this volume as one of the pro- gressive business men and loyal citizens. He is interested in all that has to do with public welfare and belongs to that class of men whose substantial worth is manifest not in any spectacular phase but in the daily performance of duty and in the con- stant and reliable support of men and measures that are seeking to bring about the public good.

J. HOWARD WRIGHT.

J. Howard Wright, prominently identified with horticultural interests at Yakima, is the president and manager of the Wright Fruit Company, extensive buyers and shippers, and at the same time is largely engaged in fruit production, having forty acres of land planted to orchards. He came to the northwest when a youth of sixteen years and has since been a resident of the valley. His birth occurred in Freeport, Illinois, December 21, 1878, his parents being Mr. and Mrs. William L. Wright, who are mentioned at length on another page of this work. He acquired a public school education, which was begun in his native state and continued in Yakima following the removal of the family to the northwest. He was graduated in the second class of the Yakima high school and in 1898, when a young man of twenty years, he responded to the country's call for military aid and became a member of Company E of the First Washington Infantry Regiment of Volunteers for active service against Spain. He was with the army for eighteen month in all, spending one year of that time in active service in the Philippines. From the time of his enlistment to the close he served as sergeant.

When the country no longer needed his aid Mr. Wright returned to Yakima and became the assistant of his father in the propagation and care of orchards which have made the name of Wright well known in connection with the fruit raising inter- ests of the Yakima valley. He also purchased ten acres of wild land and took up the arduous task of developing it for the purposes of raising fruit. Succeeding in this initial venture, he afterward purchased ten acres more and in addition he rents twenty acres of his aunt. He has the entire forty-acre tract in fruit, mostly in apples. He has built upon his place a pleasant residence and substantial barns and there are no equipments of the model fruit ranch that are not found upon his property. He also joined his father in organizing the Wright Fruit Company, of which he is the president and manager. They have a large warehouse, two stories in height and basement ninety by ninety feet. They both buy and sell fruit and their shipments reach from one hundred and fifty to two hundred car loads annually. The most progressive

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methods are followed by Mr. Wright in the development of his orchards, which show the most thorough and systematic care and which are producing fruit unsurpassed in size, flavor and beauty in the northwest.

On the 16th of July, 1904, Mr. Wright was married to Miss Hulda Mann, who was born in Michigan, a daughter of J. H. and Amelia Mann. They now have one son, William H., who was born July 1, 1909, and is thereore ten years of age.

In his political views J. Howard Wright has always been a republican since at- taining his majority and in 1916 he was made the nominee of his party for the state legislature. He is interested in all matters of public concern and gives his aid and support on the side of every plan and project calculated for the general benefit, yet the major part of his time and attention is concentrated upon his business affairs and through well directed effort he has gained a position as one of the leading orchard- ists of the Yakima valley.

ALLEN N. BROWN.

For three decades Allen N. Brown has been a resident of the northwest, living at various points in Washington, while at the present time he makes his home near Grandview, where he is successfully engaged in orcharding. He was born in Wash- ington county, Wisconsin, May 24, 1864, a son of Charles Darwin and Lucy (North) Brown, both of whom were natives of New England. They became pioneer settlers of Wisconsin, where they arrived in 1843, there remaining until called to their final rest.

Allen N. Brown acquired a public school education and took up farming in con- nection with his father. He came to Washington on the 19th of April, 1889, arriv- ing at Centralia, where he remained for a year. He afterward lived near Rochester. Washington, and proved up on a homestead in that locality. After converting much of the land into a cultivable and productive tract he sold the property and later worked in the lumber camps. In 1907 he bought twenty acres of land near Grand- view and is still the owner of this property, upon which he is engaged in raising hay and corn. He also conducts a small dairy business but the greater part of his land is successfully cultivated in the production of the crops indicated.

On the 30th of September, 1912, Mr. Brown was married to Miss Mina Butler, who was born in Wisconsin and is a daughter of James Butler. Fraternally Mr. Brown is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, while his political opinions accord with the teachings and the platform of the republican party and therefore he gives to it stalwart support. During thirty years residence in the north- west he has largely witnessed the growth and development of this state and at all times has been much interested in its progress, cooperating heartily in all move- ments for the benefit of the locality in which he lives.

J. MARTIN BORGERSON.

Among the successful merchants of Sunnyside is J. Martin Borgerson, who con- ducts a variety store in which he carries the most modern lines of goods, having always a great assortment on hand in order to meet practically any taste of the public. His carefulness and close attention in catering to his customers has greatly added toward making his business the first class establishment that it is today. He was born in Faribault, Minnesota, January 12, 1886, a son of Sophus and Amelia Borger- son, natives of Norway, who in early life crossed the ocean and settled in Minnesota. The father passed away in 1894 and is still survived by his widow, who makes her home in Egeland, North Dakota.

J. Martin Borgerson received a public school education in his native state and at the early age of thirteen years set out upon his business career, clerking in various establishments in Faribault. In 1902 he proceeded to North Dakota and there re- mained for five and a half years, at the end of which period he removed to Montana.

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That state remained his residence until 1912, in which year he came to Sunnyside, where for two years he was a salesman. On August 15, 1914, he opened a variety store, which he has ever since conducted with growing success. His place is twenty- five by one hundred and forty feet, in dimensions, giving ample room for the display of his goods. He carries complete lines of the various articles found in an establish- ment of this character and is nearly always able to meet the wants of his customers. The greatest courtesy toward them is observed and he always bears in mind the saying that a customer once pleased is always a customer.

On January 18, 1911, Mr. Borgerson was married to Della M. Sheaben, of Grand- view. Washington, who was born in South Dakota and is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Sheaben. To Mr. and Mrs. Borgerson have been born two daughters, Juanita and Florence. The family attend the Methodist church.

Politically Mr. Borgerson is a republican and, always interested in local progress and advancement, readily gives his services as a member of the city council in order to promulgate measures for the improvement of Sunnyside. In the Commercial Club of the city he is also very active and has been secretary of the organization. Fraternally he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. From the fore- going it may be seen that Mr. Borgerson is one of the valued citizens of his com- munity, a man who has not only made a success of his business but who is ever ready to give of his time and means in order to serve the general public.

HENRY W. NELSON.

Henry W. Nelson, who since 1905 has represented the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company, having charge of their yards at various points in the state, has during the past four years acted as manager of the yard at Kennewick. He was born in Moor- head, Minnesota, on the 18th of September, 1883, his parents being John A. and Anna Nelson, who have resided in Yakima since 1907 and are well known and highly esteemed throughout the community.

Henry W. Nelson supplemented his early educational training by a course in a business college. After attaining his majority, in the spring of 1905, he made his way westward to Washington, settling at Yakima, where he entered the service of the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Company, with which he has been connected continu- ously to the present time. His ability soon won recognition and during the year 1907 he acted as relief manager of their yards at Prosser, Alfalfa, Mabton, Kennewick and Yakima. From May, 1908, until March 1, 1914, he served as manager of the yard at Finley, Washington, and on the latter date was transferred to Kennewick, where he has since remained, wisely and ably conducting the interests of the company at this point. He also owns a fine fruit ranch at Yakima and has won a substantial measure of success by reason of well directed industry, sound judgment and enter- prise.

On the 24th of February, 1909, Mr. Nelson was united in marriage to Miss Edith A. Kingsley, of Wheatland, North Dakota. Politically he is an independent republican and fraternally is identified with the Odd Fellows and the Rebekahs. He also be- longs to the Kennewick Commercial Club and his aid and cooperation can ever be counted upon to support movements and measures instituted for the benefit and upbuilding of the community. All who know him speak of him in terms of warm regard, while the circle of his friends is constantly broadening.

OWEN B. CRONKHITE.

The fine home of Owen B. Cronkhite was built in 1917 and stands on an excellent ranch property of twenty acres which he purchased ten years before. Through the intervening period he has concentrated his efforts and attention upon the further de- velopment of his property and now has excellent orchards which bring forth large crops. Mr. Cronkhite cames to the northwest from Iowa, for he was born in Jones

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county, that state, November 26, 1870, a son of Levi G. and Ellen (Cronkhite) Cronk- hite, both of whom were natives of Indiana. The father was a veteran of the Civil war and after faithfully serving his country in defense of the Union he removed to Iowa about 1866 and there purchased land. Later he sold that property and es- tablished his home in Marshall county, Minnesota, in 1880. He again became identi- fied with farming and was busily engaged in tilling the soil until death terminated his labors in 1903. His widow survived him for about six years, passing away in 1909.

Owen B. Cronkhite acquired a business college education after completing his public school course and through vacation periods he worked with his father on the old homestead and continued to assist him until he attained his majority. He was then ambitious to engage in business on his own account and purchased a farm of four hundred and eighty acres which he planted to wheat, having one of the valu- able farms of that character in his section of Minnesota. He continued to make his home in that state until 1907, when he sold his interests there and came to Yakima county, Washington. Here his investment in land made him owner of twenty acres in the Selah valley, of which ten acres was already planted to orchards. He now has the entire tract in fruit and is successfully raising apples, pears, prunes and other fruits. Nearly the entire tract is also seeded to alfalfa. He has greatly improved the property since taking possession thereof, adding good buildings and fences. In 1915 he erected a fine barn and this was folowed in 1917 by the erection of his at- tractive modern residence.

On the 9th of April, 1891, Mr. Cronkhite was married to Miss Minnie E. Sanders, a native of Minnesota and a daughter of William H. Sanders. Their children are: Earl, who resides on his father's ranch and has a wife and four children; Emma, the wife of Horace Hall, of Seattle; LeRoy, who is a lieutenant of the One Hundred and Sixty-first Regiment now in France; Leone, living in Seattle; Edwin and Ray, at home; and Donald, four and a half years of age, who completes the family.

The religious faith of Mr. and Mrs. Cronkhite is that of the Methodist church and fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In politics, however, he maintains an independent course, voting for men and measures rather than party. His activities are directed along business lines with the result that success in substantial measure is attending his labors.

WILLIAM WALTER SCOTT.

The life history of William Walter Scott is a most interesting one, for it is the story of earnest purpose crowned with successful achievement. He has done much that is worthy of note and his name is perhaps most widely known by reason of the fact that he is the originator of the Rainier apple, which has been characterized by the United States government as the best grown in the United States. He is most successfully engaged in horticultural pursuits and his business ability and pro- gressive spirit have won him a place among the foremost orchardists of the Yakima valley.

Mr. Scott was born at Blackjack, Hopkins county, Texas. July 12, 1849, a son of R. H. and Mary E. (Smith) Scott. The father was born in New Madrid, Mis- souri, while the mother's birth occurred in Maysville, Kentucky, and they were married in Texas. R. H. Scott was a pioneer physician of Texas, going to that state in the early '40s. In the Civil war he was very active in support of the Union cause and in 1863 he was threatened with hanging on account of his support of the federal government. In fact the plans were all perfected for his execution, but a woman warned him and he left home the day before the plans were to be carried out. He traveled on horseback a distance of four hundred miles to Little Rock, Arkansas, where he hid in the garret of the home of Conway Scott, a planter who lived about fourteen miles from Little Rock. While there he forged a pass that carried him beyond the Confederate lines and also a lot of letters to indicate that he was in the Confederate army. He afterward sent these letters to his wife, who used them to

WILLIAM W. SCOTT

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get out of Texas. She left that state with a hack and horses, and two yoke of oxen and drove four hundred miles overland to Mr. Conway Scott's place in Arkansas. Her food supply gave out and in going through Arkansas she found that the people were very poor, living largely on corn ground from hand mills, and on wild game and wild hogs. There was no coffee, tea or sugar to be had. After the family reached Little Rock they started from that place to Memphis, whither it was supposed Doctor Scott had gone. They made their way through miles of swamps and met many hard- ships and privations, for they were out of food. Coming across a man with some corn and bacon, they bought four pounds of bacon and a peck of corn. This saved them from starvation as they-mother and six children-were making the trip. Finally on the 4th of July, 1863, they reached Hopefield, across the Mississippi river from Memphis, but the town was all burned. Mrs. Scott was carrying the letters to show that her husband was a dead Confederate soldier. The federal army was at that time in Memphis and the commander sent some of them with a boat across the river to get the family and took them to Memphis. The general in command of the Union forces then had them taken to the best hotel in the city, recognizing the sacrifices they had made, for the family had given up everything for the Union cause. When Mrs. Scott and her children reached Memphis there was no word from her husband and they thought he was dead. They therefore prepared to return to Texas but about two weeks after them arrived the provost marshal and informed Mrs. Scott that he knew where her husband was, saying that he was at Mount Carmel, Illinois. The family were in a pitiable condition. Some of the children could not walk on account of fever and the starvation conditions which they had been through. From Memphis they took the steamer Colonel Anderson for the north. The boat was loaded with wounded soldiers. They had cabin passage and William W. Scott of this review, on account of overcrowding, slept in the ladies' cabin. During the night the boat caught fire and he was the first to notice it. He called the watchman and thus saved the boat, for quick assistance was summoned and the flames were extinguished. At length the family landed at Cairo, Illinois, and thence proceeded by train to Sumner, Illinois, twenty-five miles from Mount Carmel. At that point William W. Scott took a horse and started to find his father at the latter town. He succeeded in his mission, at length reaching the father, who did not know that the family had left Texas. They then both went back to Sumner, Illinois, the next day and it was a most happy reunion of parents and children after all the hardships and dangers through which they had passed. Six months later they removed to Cen- tralia, Illinois, and there Mr. and Mrs. Scott spent their remaining days, the father reaching the age of sixty-five years, while the mother was sixty-six years at the time of her death. Mr. Scott's instructions to his sons upon his deathbed were, "Be loyal to the flag of the country," and "Believe in a future life."

William Walter Scott acquired a public school education in Centralia, Illinois, and in his youthful days was employed as a farm hand and as a clerk in stores. He afterward turned his attention to the cultivation of strawberries, having one hun- dred acres planted to that fruit. At a later date he opened a fine grocery store and he also bought and sold fruit. He subsequently became a partner in the ownership and conduct of a department store at Centralia, Illinois, and in 1907 he disposed of his business interests in that part of the country and made his way to the Yakima valley. Here he purchased eleven and three-quarters acres of land in Fruitvale and now has splendid orchards of apples, pears and peaches. He has done notable work in the propagation, development and improvement of the fruit, studying the question from every possible standpoint, and he made a distinct and valuable contribution when he originated the Rainier apple, which is unsurpassed by anything produced in the United States, according to government report. His fruit is of such size, quality and flavor that it commands the highest price paid in the valley. He is today recog- nized as one of the prominent and well known ranchers of his section of the state.

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History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II, Part 64

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