The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 768 
A portrait of Isaac W. Durham appears in this publication.
 
ISSAC 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 textbooks he assisted his father in the farm work, thus becoming thoroughly
acquainted 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 favorable 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 sagebrush. 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 everything 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
pioneers. 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 successfully 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 Christian
church, in the work of which they are deeply interested, and in politics Mr.
Durham 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.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in January 2008 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.