The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 80
A portrait of George Biehn appears in this publication.

GEORGE BIEHN.

Substantial equipment for fruit raising. combined with sound judgment and keen
discrimination in the management of his business affairs, has won for George
Biehn a most gratifying measure of success as an orchardist. He was born in
Kenosha county, Wisconsin, November 26, 1856, a son of Henry and Margaret
(Meyers) Biehn, both of whom were natives of Germany but came to the new world
in childhood and were here married. The father was a farmer by occupation and
followed that pursuit for many years in Wisconsin, where his death occurred. The
mother survives and is now living in Racine, Wisconsin.

George Biehn, mastering the branches of study taught in the public schools of
his native state, completed a course in the high school at Kenosha, Wisconsin,
after which he concentrated his efforts and attention upon farming to the age of
nineteen years. He then started out in commercial circles, securing a clerkship
in a store, and afterward he engaged in the conduct of a general store and
grocery business of his own at Racine, where he remained until February, 1890.
He then removed to the northwest and for a few years was a resident of Tacoma,
Washington, during which time he was connected with the house of A. S. Johnson &
Company, dealers in paints. In 1894 he removed to Yakima and opened a branch
store for A. S. Johnson & Company. In the same year he purchased ten acres of
land in the Selah valley and he was the first to use water under the
Selah-Naches ditch. There were only four or five houses in the valley at that
time. At a subsequent period Mr. Biehn purchased forty acres additional and
later he sold a part of this land but still retains twentyeight acres. He took
up his abode upon the ranch in 1896 and has nearly the entire tract planted to
orchard, raising apples, pears, peaches and prunes. He built a fine hop house
that is now used for a fruit packing house and everything about his place is
indicative of his care and supervision and his progressive spirit. In 1909 he
erected one of the fine homes of the district and is now most pleasantly
situated. In 1885 Mr. Biehn was married to Miss Mary L. Johnson, a daughter of
Samuel and Amelia Johnson, of Racine, Wisconsin, who were pioneer settlers of
the northwest. Mr. and Mrs. Biehn have the following children: Edward, who is
with the Yakiina Valley Fruit Growers Association and makes his home in Yakima;
Georgia, at home; Jerome, who is a member of the United States army; Byron, who
is with the United States navy on the transport Leviathan; Gertrude, at home;
Thelma, at home; and Stanley, thirteen years of age.

Mrs. Biehn is a member of the Episcopal church but Mr. Biehn was reared in the
Lutheran faith. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and to the
Woodmen of the World. In politics he maintains an independent course. He has
served as postmaster of Selah for a year and was school clerk for eight years
but has had little time or inclination for public office as his developing
business affairs have made constant demand upon his energy. He has been keenly
interested in everything pertaining to fruit raising interests in this section
and for four years he wac a director of the Selah Irrigation District. He was
also one of the organizers of the Yakima County Fruit Growers Association and
assisted in organizing the Selah Fruit Products Company. What he has undertaken
he has carried forward to successful completion and has for more than two
decades been numbered among the representative farmers and orchardists of this
part of the state.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.