History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II, Part 90

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 90
USA > Washington > Kittitas County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II > Part 90
USA > Washington > Yakima County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II > Part 90

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John B. Lachance acquired a public school education and through vacation periods worked with his father upon the home farm. After his textbooks were put aside he concentrated his efforts and attention upon the work of the old homestead until he reached the age of twenty-three years, when he secured employment in the lumber woods of Wisconsin and there spent several years. He next took up government land near Crookston, Minnesota, but afterward sold that property and removed to Ashland, Wisconsin, where he followed carpentering for a time. Later he became a resident of Duluth, Minnesota, and subsequently established his home at Red Lake Falls, Minnesota. Through this entire period he was leading a most active life and whatever success he achieved and enjoyed was attributable entirely to his own labors and determination. In the fall of 1901 he came to Yakima county and, settling in the city of Yakima, there took up carpentering and contract work. He has since made his home in the city, where he has a very wide and favorable acquaintance. In June, 1916, he purchased ten acres of land on the Moxee and has since remodeled the house and improved the property. In addition to cultivating his land he does carpenter work in his locality. He also raises hay, potatoes, beets and other crops well adapted to soil and climatic conditions here.

On the 7th of January, 1884, Mr. Lachance was united in marriage to Miss Odile Tessier, who was born June 17, 1863, at Georgian Bay, Canada, a daughter of Xavier and Celina (Deroche) Tessier. The father died in Canada and the mother afterward removed with the family to Red Lake Falls, Minnesota, in 1880. She is now living at Moxee with her son. To Mr. and Mrs. Lachance have been born the following named. Rose is the wife of Ildedge Beaudry, a merchant of Yakima, by whom she had three children, one of whom has passed away. Delia married E. F. Benoit, a resident of Cle Elum, Washington, and they have six children. Harvey, who is mar- ried, is now in the United States army as a member of the Aviation Corps. Arad is a member of the United States navy. Elsie is at home and Walter and Leo com- plete the family.

Mr. Lachance and his family are communicants of the Holy Rosary Catholic church at Moxee City. Fraternally he is connected with the Modern Woodmen of America. In politics he is a republican where national issues and questions are involved but at local elections casts an independent ballot. He has never been an aspirant for office but has concentrated his efforts and attention upon his business affairs, and the success which he has achieved is the direct result of his persistent and earnest labors.

LESTER M. HOLT.

Lester M. Holt, supervising engineer for the Indian irrigation service, with headquarters at Yakima, was born in Rock county, Wisconsin, February 25, 1877, a son of Lester C. and Sarah E. (Snyder) Holt, the former a native of Connecticut, while the latter was born in New York. The ancestral line can be traced back to Sir John Holt, of England, who flourished there about 1640 and was a well known attorney. The Holt family was established on American soil in early colonial days and the great-grandfather of Lester M. Holt was a soldier of the Revolutionary war, valiantly aiding the colonies in their struggle, which resulted in the establish- ment of American independence. Lester C. Holt became a resident of Wisconsin in the early '60s and there resided for many years, passing away May 23, 1916. For only a few months had he survived his wife, who died on the 23d of July, 1915.

Lester M. Holt was graduated from the high school of Evansville, Wisconsin, taking his examinations while working in the treasury department at Washington, D. C. He was afterward graduated from Columbian University (now George Wash- ington University) with the Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering in 1900 and subsequently took post graduate work there, pursuing a course, which he com- pleted in 1902. He made a specialty of the subjects bearing upon water power and

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irrigation. In 1902 when the irrigation bill was passed Mr. Holt became the first appointee of the service and was assigned to duty in connection with the geological survey, the gauging of streams and the acquiring of data necessary for the de- velopment of the work. He was afterward sent to Colorado as irrigation assistant on the Grand Valley project and later served in connection with the Uncompahgre project in Colorado. His next work was in Oklahoma, where he was connected with the irrigation survey, and later he had charge of the construction of the waterworks of the city of Lawton, Oklahoma, and was assistant engineer on the construction of sewers, bridges, courthouses, schools, jails and other public works in Oklahoma. On leaving that state he became identified with the Truckee-Carson project as assistant engineer in charge of designs and surveys and was later transferred to the Indian service in 1908 as engineer in charge of the Tongue River project in Montana, on which he worked for two years. On the expiration of that period he went to Wash- ington, D. C., where he was in charge of the irrigation section of the Indian service for two and a half years and was then appointed superintendent of irrigation for the district comprising Washington, Oregon, northern California and northern Idaho. In August, 1912, he arrived in Yakima, where he established his headquarters in connection with this work, and here he has since remained. The largest project is on the Yakima Indian reservation including one hundred and twenty thousand aeres. Dur- ing the period from 1912 to 1918 the irrigated area has increased from thirty-two thousand acres to sixty-two thousand acres, the greatest increase being made during the two seasons the nation was at war. The total irrigation possibilities on that reservation include one hundred and eighty thousand acres of Indian land. For twenty- two years Mr. Holt has been with the service, or for a longer period than any other man, having been the first appointee after the irrigation system was established by the United States government. There is no question as to his ability and fidelity. These are indicated by his long identification with the work and there are few who equal him in comprehensive knowledge of irrigation interests in all branches.

On the 29th of November, 1904, Mr. Holt was married to Miss Clara V. Trow, of Washington, D. C., and to them were born three children: Gordon T., aged twelve years; Walter Morton, a youth of nine; and Harriet Elizabeth, a little maiden of seven summers. The wife and mother passed away October 13, 1916, her death being deeply regretted by the many friends whom she had made in Yakima during the period of their residence here.

Mr. Holt is independent in his political views, nor has he ever been an office seeker. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and his thought and study have been largely concentrated upon his professional interests and ac- tivities. He is continually broadening his knowledge and promoting his skill through reading and experience and speaks with authority upon all questions having to do with the irrigation interests not only of the northwest but of many other sections of the country:

OTIS A. REYNOLDS.

Otis A. Reynolds is engaged in the further cultivation and development of seventy acres of land in Yakima county, of which he owns thirty acres on the Tie- ton. He is largely engaged in orcharding and raises some of the finest apples pro- duced in this section of the northwest. Much of his life has been passed in the Pacific coast country although he is a native of Illinois. His birth occurred in Wood- ford county, that state, on the 29th of August, 1880, his parents being Albert and Betsy Madeline (Lawrence) Reynolds. The father died in Illinois in 1883, after which the mother became the wife of W. B. Shannon, of Oregon, and they are now residents of Sherman county, that state.

Otis A. Reynolds was but three years of age at the time of his father's death. He was reared by his mother and stepfather in their Oregon home and the public schools afforded him his educational opportunities. A spirit of patriotism prompted his enlistment for service as a member of Company A. Second Oregon United States Volunteer Infantry, during the Spanish-American war. He joined that command on

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the 28th of April, 1898, almost as soon as war was declared, and served throughout the period of hostilities between the two countries. He was on active duty in the Philippines and was mustered out at the Presidio in California on the 7th of August, 1899.

Mr. Reynolds then went to Seattle, where he engaged in blacksmithing, and later was employed in the navy yard at Bremerton, where he engaged in mechanical work. On the 5th of March, 1908, he came to Yakima county and purchased nine and six- tenths acres of land on Selah Heights. This he further developed and improved for a decade and in 1918 sold that property, which he had converted into fine orchards. In August, 1918, he purchased thirty acres of land on the Tieton, of which ten acres is in orchard. He also rents his father-in-law's place of forty acres, of which twenty- seven acres is in apples. His business affairs are most wisely and carefully conducted. He is working most persistently and energetically for the further development of his orchards and displays scientific care of his trees and the handling of the fruit.

On the 22d of July, 1914, Mr. Reynolds was married to Miss Nina E. Hersom, a daughter of E. B. and Evaline E. Hersom. They now have one child, Madeline Darling. In his political views Mr. Reynolds is a republican but the honors and emoluments of office have no attraction for him, for he prefers to concentrate his time and energies upon his business affairs, which are wisely directed and are bring- ing to him substantial success.

ROBERT C. RUESCHAW.

Robert C. Rueschaw is identified with the business interests of the Yakima valley as one of the owners of the Ruebow ranch. In the middle west he is prominently known in connection with automobile manufacturing, being the vice-president of the Mitchell Motor Company of Racine, Wisconsin. He was born in Chicago in 1865, and supplemented a public school education by a course in a business college. He started out in life as an employe of the Featherstone Company, baby carriage manufacturers of Chicago, and thoroughly mastered the business, faithfully perform- ing every duty intrusted to him. Later he was with the Pope-Toledo Company and afterward the Pope-Hartford Automobile Manufacturing Company as a salesman and from that time to the present has been closely and prominently connected with the motor car trade. On leaving the Pope-Hartford people he went with the Reo Auto- mobile Company as general sales manager and occupied that position for thirteen years. He next became vice president of the Mitchell Motor Company of Racine and is now bending his efforts to administrative direction and executive control in con- nection with one of the large motor car manufacturing interests of the country, its output being sent to all sections of the United States.

Mr. Rueschaw was united in marriage to Miss Mary Bowes and they have four children. Mr. Rueschaw is a member of the Masonic fraternity and is an active sportsman. He is very fond of the Yakima valley, which he visits every year, and here he owns a fine fruit ranch which is conducted on shares by his brother-in-law, William E. Bowes.

JOSEPH A. WERNER.

Joseph A. Werner is an orchardist of the lower Naches valley, largely engaged in the raising of Delicious apples, so rightly named. He was born in Lake City, Minnesota, August 17, 1873, a son of Andrew Anderson and Edla M. (Edholm) Werner, both of whom were born in Sweden, whence they came to the United States in the '60s. The father was a pioneer of Minnesota and died in that state. after which the mother made her home with her son, Joseph A., until her demise.

Mr. Werner of this review acquired a high school education in Minnesota and after his textbooks were put aside entered the telephone business and built and owned the third independent telephone plant in Minnesota, at Lake City. Subsequently

ROBERT C. RUESCHAW

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

he sold the business and became connected with the Bell Telephone Company, being made division superintendent at Redwood Falls, in which capacity he continued to serve for five years. In 1909 he came to Yakima county, Washington, and purchased fifteen acres on the lower Naches. He has seven acres of this planted to Delicious apples and annually makes large shipments. The remainder of his land is plowed and is used for the cultivation of various vegetables and cereals best adapted to soil and climatic conditions here. The fruit which he raises is of the highest grade and has been on exhibition in twenty leading cities of the United States in 1917, being placed there by the Northern Pacific Railway. He holds to the highest possible standards in the care of his orchards and in the development of his fruit and the results attained are indicated in the fact that he was chosen to be one of the exhibi- tors in the Northern Pacific Railway display of the products of the northwest.

On the 16th of October, 1907, Mr. Werner was married to Miss Ellen Marie Rhode, a native of Minneapolis and a daughter of Erick and Cecelia (Mortonson) Rhode, the father a leading contractor of that city. The children of this marriage are Joseph R. and Morton A.

Mr. Werner is a member of the Foresters and in politics he is a republican where national issues are involved but otherwise casts an independent ballot. He served as appraiser on the Federal Farm Loan during 1918 and he is now a member of the Farm Loan Association. He is interested in all that has to do with the progress and prosperity of the community in which he makes his home and as a public- spirited citizen cooperates in many plans and measures for the general good.

FRANK L. TRAPP.

Frank L. Trapp, who owns ten acres of valuable land on the Tieton, has been successfully engaged in the raising of hay and potatoes there since the spring of 1912. His birth occurred in Dodge county, Minnesota, on the 30th of April, 1857, his parents being David and Margaret (Long) Trapp, both of whom were natives of Indiana. They became pioneer settlers of Minnesota and in 1869 removed to Cerro Gordo county, lowa, where they spent the remainder of their lives, the father de- voting his attention to general agricultural pursuits.

Frank L. Trapp acquired a public school education in his youth and was twelve years of age when the family home was established in Cerro Gordo county, Iowa. After putting aside his textbooks he became actively identified with farming inter- ests and also engaged in drilling wells throughout the section of the state in which he resided. Subsequently he made his way to Palo Alto county, Iowa, and later to Emmet county, that state, while his next removal took him to Havana, North Dakota. In these various places his time and energies were given to agriculture and success attended his undertakings. In 1905 he came west to Washington and spent one year in Seattle, while for seven years he remained a resident of Snohomish. He had pur- chased ten acres of land on the Tieton in 1910 and in the spring of 1912 took up his abode thereon, planting the tract to hay and potatoes. He erected an attractive residence on the place and has been continuously engaged in its cultivation to the present time with excellent results. In 1918 he raised ninety-four one-hundred-pound sacks of potatoes from a half acre of land. Progressive, enterprising and industrious, his efforts have been rewarded with well merited success and he has become widely recognized as one of the substantial and representative farmers of Yakima county.

On the 4th of April, 1883, Mr. Trapp was united in marriage to Miss Lucelia Angell, a native of Lafayette county, Wisconsin, and a daughter of Henry and Martha Piersol Angell, who were born in New York and Ohio respectively. They removed to Wisconsin in pioneer times and later went to Iowa, while subsequently they established their home in Kansas. Returning to lowa, however, they remained residents of the Hawkeye state until called to their final rest. Throughout his active business career Mr. Angell devoted his attention to general · agricultural pursuits. Mr. and Mrs. Trapp became the parents of five children, as follows: Ernest, who has passd away; Earl, who died leaving a wife and two sons: Iva; Ray; and Mabel, who passed away at the age of fifteen years.

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Mr. Trapp gives his political allegiance to the republican party where national questions and issnes are involved but at local elections casts an independent ballot. Fraternally he is identified with the Modern Woodmen of America. His life has ever been characterized by high and honorable principles and he has therefore won the warm regard and esteem of those with whom he has been associated.

FRED NELSON.

Fred Nelson has been the owner of his present farm property for more than a decade and has resided thereon for a more extended period. He was born in Kent, Washington, October 31, 1873, a son of Halvor and Julianna Nelson, who are natives of Norway and became pioneer settlers of Nebraska. After being identified with that state through the epoch of its frontier development they continued their west- ward journey and became residents of Washington, arriving in the Kittitas valley in 1878. The father purchased eighty acres of land four miles west of Ellensburg and later bought eighty acres more. He has since been identified with farming inter- ests in this locality but has sold all of the land to his boys. However, he is the owner of a ranch in, a nearby canyon.

Fred Nelson acquired a public school education and was reared to the occupa- tion of farming, which he followed in connection with his father until 1906. He then rented a part of his father's place and lived thereon until 1908, when he purchased forty acres of the old homestead. He has converted this into a valuable and well improved farm. He has built thereon a new house, good barns and outbuildings and in fact has all of the equipments of the model farm of the twentieth century. He is engaged in raising hay and grain and his business affairs are wisely and care- fully directed, bringing to him therefore a substantial measure of prosperity.

On the 23d of December, 1908, Mr. Nelson was united in marriage to Miss Ger- trude Evans, a native of Tacoma, Washington, and a daughter of Morris Evans, who is now a retired rancher living in Prosser, this state. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have an adopted daughter, Marguerite, who is a year and a half old. Mr. Nelson never seeks to figure in any public light, content to concentrate his efforts and attention upon his business affairs, and his close application and energy are the basic principles of his growing success.

RALPH CHAMBERS.

A highly cultivated farm near Cowiche stands as the visible evidence of the in- dustry, enterprise and progressiveness of Ralph Chambers, one of the young agri -. culturists of Yakima county. He also has given considerable attention to orchard- ing, having five acres in fruit. A native of Washington, he was born in Thurston county, June 25, 1886, and is a son of George and Alla (Waddel) Chambers, also natives of Washington. The family is among the honored pioneers of this state, their fate and fortune being closely connected with the growth and development of the commonwealth as out of a wilderness a great and rich state has arisen. The grandfather of our subject, David Chambers, was born in Ireland and came to this country in order to profit by the opportunities presented here. Making his way to the west, he became connected with early frontier life in Washington. George Cham- bers, the father, and his family came to Yakima county about 1903 and here he bought ranch property on the Cowiche, giving his close attention to the cultivation of that land, which he later sold, and in 1913 removed to White Bluffs, Washington, where he is now engaged in farming, having become one of the prominent agricul- turists of that district.

Ralph Chambers was reared under the parental roof and from his parents rc- ceived his first lessons in regard to life's conduct. In the acquirement of his educa- tion he attended the rural schools and in 1903, at the age of seventeen, he came with his parents to Yakima county. Being old enough to begin his independent career,

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he worked for wages in the employ of David Longmirc for two years. After this he farmed his father's ranch for two years as a renter and then in 1906 bought a ranch on the Cowiche. Later he disposed of that property and acquired a farm on the south fork of the Cowiche, comprising thirteen hundred and sixty acres, of which ninety acres are in hay, grain, corn and potatoes. Mr. Chambers has important live stock interests, raising horses, mules and cattle. In 1914 he bought a twenty-five acre tract near Cowiche Station, of which five acres are in orchard, and removed to that place in order to be nearer the schools which his children attend. The rest of this tract is in hay. He has always followed modern and progressive methods and upon his property has made many up-to-date improvements, including a nice home and good barns, so that his ranch today is a most valuable one.

On the 10th of February, 1906, Mr. Chambers was united in marriage to Katie Livengood, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ira Livengood, who are more extensively mentioned on another page of this work. To this union were born three children: Ella Letitia, Viola May and Farrell John. The family are very prominent in their neighborhood, where they have many friends, all of whom are agreed as to their high qualities of character. In their home they often entertain and their hospitality is famed throughout the countryside.

Fraternally Mr. Chambers is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and belongs to the Elks Lodge No. 318, of Yakima. In politics he gives his alle- giance to the democratic party and while not a politician in the commonly accepted sense of the word, he is thoroughly informed in regard to public questions, particu- larly as pertaining to his locality. Not only has he assisted in bringing about agri- cultural progress in his district through his activities but he is a progressive and en- terprising man, interested in upbuilding along many lines, and is therefore to be considered one of the valued citizens of Yakima county.

WALLACE WILEY.

Wallace Wiley, one of the extensive landowners and prominent stockmen of the Yakima valley, making his home in the city of Yakima since 1868, was born in Plain- view, Minnesota, April 21, 1861, a son of Hugh and Mary A. Wiley, who in the year 1868 arrived in what is now Wiley City, Washington. On leaving Minnesota they went to New York and thence came by way of the water route to the Pacific coast, crossing the Isthmus of Panama. Mr. Wiley brought with him his wife and four children. They started in 1866 and were two years in reaching their destination, making their journey by team from Salem, Oregon. The father homesteaded where Wiley City now stands and there continued to reside until called to his final rest on the 1st of January, 1884. His widow survives and is yet living at Wiley City.

Wallace Wiley pursued his education in the Pacific University of Oregon but upon the death of his father returned to the home farm and with his brother James took charge of the place and has since continued its operation. In 1902 they in- corporated the Wiley Land & Stock Company, which indicates the nature of their business. They own six thousand acres of range land and seven hundred acres of farm land under a high state of cultivation. They raise graded cattle and also have a large number of horses upon their place. The ranch is situated about eighteen miles from Yakima and includes Wiley City, which has a population of three hun- dred, with a good store. Wallace Wiley is familiar with every phase of ranch life and his broad experience has enabled him to wisely and carefully direct his ener- gies, resulting in the substantial measure of success which is today his.

In October, 1903, Mr. Wiley was married to Miss Annette Wingard, of C'en- tralia, Washington, a daughter of Isaac Wingard, one of the pioneer settlers of the state. To them have been horn five children: Lenora. Hugh, James, Marion and Robert.

Fraternally Mr. Wiley is connected with Yakima Lodge No. 24. F. & A. M., and has also taken the degrees of capitular Masonry in Yakima Chapter No. 21, R. A. M., while his wife is a member of the Eastern Star and the Baptist church. In his political views Mr. Wiley is a republican, stanchly supporting the party, yet has

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History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II, Part 90

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