The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 174 A portrait of George I. Clithero appears in this publication. GEORGE I. CLITHERO. George I. Clithero acquired a public school education and subsequently attended was born in Cloud county, Kansas, May 8, 1873, a son of James and Nancy (McEckron) Clithero, the former a native of England, while the latter was born in New York. The year 1869 witnessed their arrival in Kansas, where the father took up the occupation of farming. Later in life, however, he turned his attention to merchandising, but both he and his wife have now passed away. George I. Clithero, a well known representative of hotel interests in Yakima, Campbell University at Holton, Kansas. In early manhood he took up the profession of teaching, which he followed in the Sunflower state with marked success for seven years, but believing that broader opportunities were furnished in other lines of business, he then left the schoolroom to enter the mercantile field and carried on commercial pursuits in Kansas until March, 1908, when he removed to Yakima. Here he purchased the Cadwell Hotel, now known as the Merit Hotel, and cone ducted it for seven years. In 1911 he opened the Warfield Hotel of twenty-four rooms and also the Butler Hotel, containing twenty-eight rooms, but in 1917 he sold the Warfield. In January, 1914, he purchased the Rinker Hotel of twenty-six rooms, and of this is still proprietor. In January, 1917, he purchased the Lessard Hotel, of twenty-six rooms, in July, 1917, the Empire Hotel of eighty-five rooms, and on October 1, 1918, the Pacific Hotel of sixty rooms, which latter is now connected with the Empire Hotel by a ten-foot bridge. They are all outside rooms and the two hotels are thoroughly modern in construction, equipment and appointments. Formerly Mr. Clithero was proprietor of six hotels and is now conducting five, which, together, contain two hundred and twenty rooms. He is well known as a progressive hotel man, actuated by a spirit of enterprise in all that he undertakes. On the 26th of May. 1898, Mr. Clithero was united in marriage to Miss Myrtle Linville, a native of Missouri and a daughter of Augustus J. Linville, who was in turn a descendant of Benjamin Linville, one of the pioneers of Pennsylvania. To Mr. and Mrs. Clithero have been born eleven children. Russell L. Clithero, eighteen years of age, was first with Company B of the Thirtieth Engineers of the United States army, and is now in France. At the time of signing the armistice he had been a member for two months of Company B, First Regiment, Gas Infantry, and he was at the front for a period of ten months. He is a graduate of the high school, and, although so young, is actuated by a spirit of loyalty so sincere that it prompted him to join the colors. Raymond is now a high school student. Margaret, Laura, Dorothy, Ruth, lrving, Lois, Florence, James and Albert are all at home. Irving and Lois are twins. Mr. Clithero and his wife are members of the First Presbyterian church and he i1olds membership also with the Knights and Ladies of Security and with the Commercial Club. In politics he is a republican and he is a very active temperance man. No bars have been conducted in connection with his hotels and he holds to the highest standards as to the patronage which he accepts and the service which he renders in connection with hotel management. His home is a fine modern residence of eleven rooms on North Third street and its hospitality is enjoyed by many friends of the family, for the Clitheros are well known and highly respected in Yakima. Mrs. Clithero's father was one of the pioneers of the northwest, having crossed the plains in 1852, at which time he took up a homestead where Olympia, Washington, now stands. He was a personal friend of Isaac I. Stevens, the first territorial governor of Washington. Mr. Linville returned to Ohio in 1857 and there resided for some years but again made his way to Washington and settled in Yakima, where he passed away in 1911. His widow is still living in Yakima at the age of eighty years. Mr. Clithero came to Yakima without capital. In fact he borrowed the money with which he embarked in the hotel business and since that time he has won success. He has reason to he proud of the fact that he has ever conducted clean, moral hotels and Yakima is to he congratulated that such a man has cast in his lot with hers and is seeking thus to elevate the interests of the city. His prosperity has been honorably won and his record proves that enterprise and progressiveness are yet dominant elements in the attainment of success. ******************************** Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.