History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II, Part 92

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 92
USA > Washington > Kittitas County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II > Part 92
USA > Washington > Yakima County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II > Part 92

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Mr. Jenkins belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America and is also identified with the Grange. In politics he maintains an independent course nor has he ever been an office seeker. While living in Cowlitz county, Washington, however, in young manhood he served for seven years as school clerk. He prefers to give his undivided time and attention to his business affairs, which are wisely and carefully conducted and are bringing to him substantial success as the reward of his industry and perseveranee. He has always lived in the northwest and the spirit of western enterprise has actuated him in all that he has undertaken. His labors have been untiring and resultant and his property is yearly inereasing in value owing to the improvements which he puts thereon.

HERBERT G. McNEIL.

Herbert G. McNeil is numbered among the substantial citizens of the Kittitas valley, owning a valuable property near Ellensburg. A pioneer of this section of the state, he is widely and favorably known and all who come in close contact with him are agreed as to his high purpose. Not only has Mr. McNeil attained individual success but through his arduous labors has greatly helped in the upbuilding of his section, particularly along agricultural lines.

A native of Minnesota, he was born in Sherburne county, November 15, 1868. and is a son of Luther and Mary E. (Spencer) McNeil, the former a native of Kala- mazoo, Michigan, while the latter was born near Valparaiso, Indiana. Early in life they migrated to Minnesota, among the pioneers of which state the father was num- bered. He also had the distinction of having been a veteran of the Civil war, serving for three and a half years with Company M, Second Minnesota Cavalry. He par- ticipated in a number of important engagements and valiantly upheld the Union cause, putting aside all personal considerations when the call for troops was issued. The parents continued to make their home in Minnesota until 1902, when they came to Ellensburg, where the father lived retired to the time of his demise, in 1910, but the mother survives.

Herbert G. MeNeil was reared under the parental roof and grew to manhood amid farm surroundings, thus early becoming acquainted with efficient methods in tilling the soil and garnering the crops. In the acquirement of his education he attended public school in his native state and there continued after laying aside his textbooks until 1890, when he made his way to Seattle, Washington, being connected with the civil engineering department of the Northern Pacific Railroad. In 1897 he decided to try his fortune in the far north and went to the Klondike, where he remained for five years with one interruption. This was in 1898, when he returned to Kittitas county, where he bought a farm, but shortly thereafter he returned to the north. Interesting as well as exciting were his adventures while in that country and in those five years three trips in particular stand out as memorable when three times he went over the trail from Skagway to Dawson, a distance of six hundred miles. Mr. MeNeil hunted, mined and freighted as the opportunity offered, thus improving his fortunes to the best of his ability. In 1902, however, he returned to his Kittitas valley farm. He sold his first place and in 1906 bought one hundred acres three and a half miles south of Ellensburg, which has since remained his home farm. He also has nine hundred aeres of range land. Although he gives considerable attention to general farming he makes a specialty of raising cattle, particularly graded and pure blooded shorthorns, and also horses and hogs. He has his land under a good state of cultivation and has made many improvements upon the ranch, including excellent barns and other equipment, as well as building a hand-

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some residence. Everything about the place indicates the progressive methods which he has ever followed and that western spirit of conquest which guides him in all of his actions and which has led him into his present prosperous condition as one of the leading farmers of his neighborhood.

On the 2d of July, 1892, Mr. McNeil was united in marriage to Miss Eva G. Buck, of Grays Harbor, Washington, a daughter of John Buck, who was a native of Maine, and became one of the early pioneers of this state. Mr. and Mrs. McNeil have become the parents of five children: Edith, the wife of R. W. Waite, of Ellensburg, by whom she has a daughter; Laura, who married Fred Hanson, a prominent rancher of the Kittitas valley, who is mentioned on other pages of this work: G. H., a farmer of the Kittitas valley, who is married and has one child; Benjamin A., of Ellensburg, who is married and has a daughter; and Doris, fourteen years of age.

Mr. McNeil is a wideawake, public-spirited citizen, ever ready to give his sup- port to movements for the public good if he is convinced of their value. He is not a politician in the commonly accepted sense of the word and does not strictly adhere to party, preferring to give his support to the man best qualified for the office in ques- tion regardless of his party affiliation. For six years he served as a member of the board of county commissioners and did valuable work in that connection, bringing about many improvements which have been of great benefit to the county. For the past four years he has been chairman of the board, his selection for the office indi- cating the confidence which his fellow townsmen have in his ability. Fraternally he is a member of the Elks Lodge No. 1102, and has many friends in that organiza- tion.

RICHARD HENRY HAYDEN.

Richard Henry Hayden, of Yakima, who has been prominently identified with reclamation and irrigation projects and is now secretary of the Tieton Water Users' Association, making his home in Yakima, was born in Cheboygan, Michigan, on the 25th of July, 1882, a son of William and Bessie (Granger) Hayden. After acquiring his education in the schools of Michigan, he made his way to the west in 1905, when a young man of twenty-three years, establishing his home at Everett, Washington. In the fall of 1905, however, he came to Yakima and made his initial step in its business circles as clerk in a grocery store. In 1906 he entered the reclamation service and later became a member of the Midland Engineering Company, with which he was identified from 1908 until 1910 inclusive, in charge of its office work. He is now doing contract work in connection with irrigation. In 1910 he again entered the reclamation service as cost keeper on the Clear Creek dam and later was associated with the Sunnyside project on the Benton extension, having charge of the clerical work. 1n 1915 he became secretary of the Tieton Water Users' Association and has since acted in that capacity. His efforts in these various connections have contributed in marked measure to the reclamation, irrigation and development of the sections in which he has labored and he is now, in addition to his service as secre- tary of the Tieton Water Users' Association, the secretary of the Yakima-Tieton irrigation district. He is likewise the secretary of the Washington Irrigation Insti- tute and there is perhaps no man who is more largely familiar with irrigation projects and problems in this section of the state or is more capable of speaking with author- ity upon questions which have to do with the reclamation of the arid districts and the wise utilization of the water supply.

In 1910 Mr. Hayden was united in marriage to Miss Adah Shannon, of Prosser. Washington, and they have one son, Robert John. Mr. Hayden belongs to Yakima Lodge No. 24, F. & A. M .; Yakima Chapter No. 21, R. A. M .: Yakima Commandery No. 13, K. T., of which he was installed as eminent commander January 7, 1919; and Yakima Council No. 12, R. & S. M. He is also a member of Afifi Temple of the Mystic Shrine and an active member of the Eastern Star. His membership relations further extend to the Commercial Club and he is interested in every project put forth by that organization for the benefit and upbuilding of the city. In politics he is a republican and he attends the Methodist Episcopal church. He has a fine ranch

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on the Sunnyside project which is the visible evidence of his life of well directed energy and thrift. Thoroughness, characterizes everything that he undertakes and this has been a most valuable feature in promoting the irrigation and reclamation projects with which he has been associated. His work has been indeed of great value to the districts in which he has labored and Yakima justly accounts him one of her representative men.

EARL BAKER.

The last decade or two has constituted a period of marvelous development and prosperity in the northwest. The once arid lands of the Yakima valley have been converted into valuable ranch properties which are devoted exclusively to the raising of fruit. It has been a matter of marvel that the soil in this district is so splendidly adapted to the raising of all kinds of fruit and handsome competences and large for- tunes have been made in this way. Mr. Baker is among those who are now devoting their energies to the cultivation and development of apple orchards. He was born in Stromsburg, Nebraska, July 4, 1884, a son of J. E. and Ella (Stump) Baker. The father was born in the state of New York and in November, 1890, he brought his family to Washington, settling in Tacoma. In May, 1897, he removed with his wife and children to Yakima county and for a year rented land on Nob Hill. In 1900 he purchased seventy-six acres in the Selah valley, of which he has since planted twenty acres to fruit trees. He has converted it into a valuable orchard and upon his ranch he continued to reside until he retired from active business and took up his abode in Yakima.

Earl Baker, whose name introduces this review, acquired a public school edu- cation and when his textbooks were put aside became the active assistant of his father, with whom he carried on business until 1905. He then purchased thirty acres of land on Selah Heights and began the development of this tract, which at that time was all covered with sagebrush just as it had come from the hand of nature. He afterward sold ten acres of his purchase and now has a valuable place of twenty acres, of which eighteen acres is in orchard, ten acres being in bearing apple trees. Most of the place is seeded to alfalfa and the ranch is now a very productive one from which he annually ships large crops of fruit that return to him a gratifying income. In 1912 he built a fine home upon his place and it is now one of the pleasing features of the valley.

In 1908 Mr. Baker was married to Miss Jennie Bourdon, a daughter of Louis. Bourdon, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work. Their children are Maxine and Ray.

In his fraternal relations Mr. Baker is an Odd Fellow and his political belief is that of the republican party. He belongs to the Yakima County Horticultural Union and he is leading a busy and useful life. He does not dissipate his energies over a broad field but concentrates his efforts and attention upon the development of his property along progressive and scientific lines productive of excellent results.

ISAAC W. DURHAM.

A well bearing orchard comprising six acres of apples and pears, located near Granger, is the visible evidence of the prosperity of Isaac W. Durham. A native of Jefferson county, New York, he was born July 31, 1856, a son of George W. and Mary (Young) Durham, who in 1867 followed the general westward trend and removed to Rice county, Minnesota, where the father bought land. In the successful operation of that property he spent his remaining days and there both he and his wife passed away.

Isaac W. Durham was reared under the parental roof and began his education in Jefferson county, New York, continuing the same in Rice county, Minnesota, where he arrived with his parents when he was eleven years of age. After laying aside his

ISAAC W. DURHAM

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textbooks he assisted his father in the farm work, thus becoming thoroughly ac- quainted with the most efficient agricultural methods. At the age of twenty-one he decided to start out in life independently and bought land. This he later sold and for two years worked for others, at the end of which time he acquired title to land in Minnesota, which he farmed with good results until 1901. Having heard many favor- able reports in regard to the fruit raising business in the Yakima valley, he then sold out and bought ten acres four miles north of Granger, which was covered with sage- brush. He immediately began the task of setting out an orchard and he now has six acres in splendid bearing, raising apples and pears, while the balance of the land is under the plow. He has erected a good home and suitable buildings and every- thing about his place indicates progressive methods and painstaking care.

On November 10, 1881, Mr. Durham was united in marriage to Mary Gutchoff, a native of Wisconsin and a daughter of Joseph and Mary Gutchoff, Wisconsin pio- neers. In that state the mother passed away and the father subsequently removed to Minnesota, where death claimed him. To Mr. and Mrs. Durham were born the following children: Ida, who married Ed Kielsmeier, a prosperous orchardist, who lives near his father-in-law's place; Maude, the wife of Edmund Chenaur, a rancher near Zillah, by whom she has four children; Wilbur, who is married and is success- fully ranching on the Indian reservation; Edith, the widow of Homer Woodall, by whom she had one child; Cecil, who married Doffny Sandberg and who farms his father's place; Charles, at home; and Grace and Gladys, twins, the former now in high school and the latter deceased.

Since coming to Granger Mr. and Mrs. Durham and their family have made many friends, all of whom appreciate their worth. They are members of the Chris- tian church, in the work of which they are deeply interested, and in politics Mr. Dur- ham is independent, preferring to follow his own judgment when doing his duty at the ballot box. While a resident of Minnesota he served as constable and also was a member of his school board but he has not held any public positions since coming to Granger. He is a man of estimable qualities whom it is a pleasure to meet and as a citizen he is valuable as one of those progressive men who are ever ready to lend their aid to valuable public improvements.

ALBERT B. CUTLER.

Albert B. Cutler represents important fruit interests in the Yakima valley near Zillah, having not only for a number of years been closely connected with the devel- opment of fine orchards but also identified with fruit packing and distributing com- panies. At present he has three ranches, all of which are in good bearing, assuring him of a comfortable annual income. Mr. Cutler was born in Harrison county, Iowa, April 13, 1866, a son of William E. and Violet (Hall) Cutler, the former a native of Michigan and the latter of Ohio. They were among the early pioneers of Iowa, re- moving to that commonwealth when it was still wild prairie, about 1845, and in Iowa both parents passed away.

Albert B. Cutler grew up in that state amid pioneer conditions and early learned from his father practical methods in regard to agriculture. He received his education in the public schools and after laying aside his textbooks he farmed in Iowa until 1889, when he went to Tacoma, Washington, where he remained about two years, returning to lowa in 1891. There he again took up farm work and so continued until 1898, when he came to Yakima county. For four years he worked for wages and saving his carnings he was then enabled to rent land. Later he bought a tract which

he subsequently sold, but in 1902 he acquired title to twenty acres close to Cutler station, which was named in his honor. Of this land he sold six acres, while he still has title to the remainder. Six acres of the tract are planted to grapes and pears, while seven acres are in hay and one acre in plowed land. Upon this ranch he lived for a year and then, although he retained the same, he became foreman for the Thompson Fruit Company, subsequently for the Sanger Fruit Company and also the Olson Fruit Company and so continued until 1910. In that year Mr. Cutler bought ten acres one mile east of Buena, which is in apples, pcars, peaches and cherries,

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and upon this tract he has since lived. In the same year he also acquired title to fourteen acres near Parker Heights and this tract is also all in orchard, devoted to apples, peaches, pears, plums, prunes, apricots and cherries. Thus Mr. Cutler today owns three very valuable fruit ranches, to the improvement and development of which he gives his entire time and attention. As the years have passed he has prospered as he has closely studied the subject of fruit raising and has ever en- ployed the most modern methods. He has made many improvements upon his place, erecting suitable buildings and institnting modern equipment, and thus he has become a prosperons orchardist. Moreover, he is a stockholder and vice president of the Thompson Fruit Company, one of the large orcharding concerns of the valley.

On December 22, 1904, Mr. Cutler was united in marriage to Miss Phoebe A. Martin, a native of Whitman county, Washington, and a daughter of Frank M. and Rosaltha (Northrup) Martin, the latter a native of Walla Walla, Washington, and a daughter of J. C. Northrup, a pioneer of this state. In fact both parents of Mrs. Cutler were honored pioneers. Her father has passed away, while the mother makes her home in Yakima. Mr. and Mrs. Cutler have five children: Genevieve, Albert, Alicia, Wilma and Constance.

Mr. Cutler has greatly contributed toward the growth and development of the districts in which he owns ranches and in many ways he has furnished examples to others by instituting new and resultant methods in regard to horticulture. He is a public-spirited citizen, ever ready to give his support to worthy measures of a gen- eral nature, and in his political affiliation he is a republican. He is serving as school director of his district, thus giving evidence of his interest in educational progress.

JAMES N. PRICE.

James N. Price, county agricultural agent for Yakima county, was born in Grundy county, Missouri, December 26, 1879, a son of John W. and Mary E. (Rey- nolds) Price, who were early settlers of Missouri. The father, who has devoted his life to farming, is now living retired in Uniontown, Washington.

James N. Price was graduated from the agricultural department of the Univer- sity of Missouri with the class of 1905 and thus supplemented the preliminary train- ing which he had received in practical work upon the home farm during his boyhood days. He also was assistant in dairying at the University of Missouri for one year. The thoronghness of his training and the ability which he displayed in mastering the scientific branches to which he gave his attention brought him the position of head of the dairy department of the University of Tennessee, which position he occupied from 1906 until 1908. He then turned his attention to farming in Missouri and was thus engaged until 1911, when attracted by the opportunities of the west, he made his way to Bonner county, Idaho, where he carried on farming in connection with his brother, E. E. Price, who is still conducting the ranch. Mr. Price of this review next removed to Pullman, Washington, where he did work in the extension depart- ment, of the State Agricultural College. On the Ist of October, 1917, hc came to Yakima as county agricultural agent, employed hy the county and by the United

States government. He advises with the farmers on all of their problems in con- nection with the cultivation of the soil and the production of crops and also gives attention to marketing problems and in fact every question that has to do with the productivity and success of farming operations. He assisted in organizing the Granger Warehouse Company and is also active in the organization of cooperative elevators and of selling agencies. His efforts in behalf of scientific farming have carried him to all parts of the state of Washington, where he has lectured and where his teaching has been productive of excellent results.

In June, 1905, Mr. Price was united in marriage to Miss Cora Matheny, of Dun- lap, Missouri, and to them have been born three children: Frances Ellen, Katherine Elizabeth and Marion Esther.

Mr. and Mrs. Price are members of the Christian church and in politics Mr. Price maintains an independent course. He is a member of the Grange. His time, thought and attention are chiefly concentrated upon his important duties as connty agricul-

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tural agent. He has as an assistant Miss Elizabeth Jacobsen, who is home demon- stration agent, working with the women in their homes. The time has long since passed when the farmer was largely an isolated being, carrying on his work as best he might, for today in almost every section of the country are found men who are active in promoting a knowledge of scientific methods of farming, resulting in the careful study of the soil, its needs and the demands for further productivity. The training of Mr. Price for this work has been thorough and he seems to possess natural adaptability in training others. His labors have been most resultant and his efforts have brought him prominently to the front as an educator in this field. E. C. Scott is assistant county agent and boys' and girls' club work is maintained under the direction of William Wier.

JACOB FREDERICK.

Among the younger agriculturists of the Kittitas valley is Jacob Frederick, who devotes his attention to a farm of eighty acres which is in a high state of cultivation. He comes of one of the pioneer families of this section of the state, his parents being Henry and Anna (Gulling) Frederick, the former a native of Germany, while the latter was born in Ohio. They came to the Kittitas valley in 1876, the father taking up a homestead claim five miles west of Ellensburg. The following year he passed away, being survived by his widow until 1890. After his death she married again, her second union being with Patrick G. Carey, a rancher of the Kittitas valley, who died in 1908.

His son, Jacob Frederick, who was born in the Kittitas valley on the 26th of October, 1877, is one of those energetic young men whose whole life has been spent upon the western frontier. He was reared on the home farm, early becoming acquainted with the labors of the agriculturist, and in the acquirement of an educa- tion he attended the public schools. In 1915 he bought eighty acres of the old home farm, to the cultivation of which he has since given his close and resultant attention. He raises large crops, for which he receives adequate returns, has built a pleasant home and commodious barns, and everything about the place bespeaks the activities of the twentieth century agriculturist who is thoroughly conversant with modern ideas of farming. His land is devoted largely to hay and grain and he also gives some attention to stock raising.

On the 28th of October, 1908, Mr. Frederick was united in marriage to Miss Anna Lein, a native of Michigan and a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nels Lein. To this union were born two daughters: Dorothy, aged seven; and Ayleen A., who is a year old.

In his political affiliations Mr. Frederick is a republican, steadfastlý supporting the candidates of that party. Although he is interested in everything that pertains to the growth of his community and county, he has never been an aspirant for office but prefers to give his entire attention to his private affairs, which under his able guidance, have so developed that he is today considered one of the well-to-do farmers of his district. An energetic man, he is ever ready to learn and embrace new principles and methods and by his labors has contributed to the upbuilding of his section. He has many friends in the valley and in Ellensburg and all who know him speak highly of his qualities of character, which are representative of a loyal American citizen.

VANACE BEAUDRY.

Vanace Beaudry, who has resided in the Moxee valley since 1900, was born in Douglas, Massachusetts, May 24, 1864, a son of John T. and Philomena (Benoit) Beaudry, both of whom were natives of Quebec, Canada, to which country they re- turned in 1864 after living for a time in Massachusetts. At a subsequent date, how- ever, they again came to the United States, settling in Crookston, Minnesota, in

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1874, after which the father devoted his attention to farming in that locality. In 1900 he arrived in Yakima county and made his home with a son in the city of Yakima until his death, which occurred in 1910. For more than a decade he had sur- vived his wife, who passed away in 1899.

Vanace Beaudry was reared under the parental roof and his youthful experiences were those which usually fall to the lot of the farmbred boy. After reaching man's estate he began farming on his own account in Minnesota, where he owned a tract of land which he continued to further develop and improve until 1900, when the opportunities of the northwest attracted him and he made his way to the Moxee valley. Here he purchased thirty acres of wild land, on which he built a good resi- dence, substantial barns and other buildings. He afterward sold ten acres of this place.

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History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. II, Part 92

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