The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 688

ALVA E. GOODWIN.

Alva E. Goodwin is the owner of an excellent ranch property of twenty acres on
the Parker Bottoms, which he acquired by purchase in 1893. He was also
identified in former years with contracting interests in the Yakima valley,
being active in the building of roads, ditches and railways. His life therefore
has been characterized by energy, enterprise and industry and has brought him a
substantial measure of success, Mr. Goodwin is a native son of the Yakima
valley, born January 5, 1870, his father being John W. Goodwin, who is mentioned
elsewhere in this work. In the acquirement of his education he attended the
public schools and when his textbooks were put aside he began working for wages,
but he was ambitious to engage in business on his own account and eventually
rented land. He also rode the range in the stock business and in time acquired
horses and cattle of his own. The steps in his orderly progression are easily
discernible. As his industry brought him sufficient capital he made investment
along business lines and in 1893 purchased twenty acres of land on the Parker
Bottoms. Annually he gathers a large hay crop and a considerable amount of
fruit, for he is always busily engaged in the development of his ranch, keeping
it up to a high standard of productiveness. Twelve years of his life were
devoted to contracting in the Yakima valley, during which time he assisted
largely in building roads, ditches and railways and thus contributed to the
substantial development of the section.

On the 3d of November, 1891, Mr. Goodwin was married to Miss Mattie E.
Alexander, a native of Oregon and a daughter of G. W. and Mary F. Alexander, who
removed to the Yakima valley in 1890, after devoting some years to ranching in
Oregon. The father has now passed away, but the mother is still living. Mr. and
Mrs. Goodwin have one son, Chester E., at home.

In his political views Mr. Goodwin is a democrat but office holding has never
had any attraction for him, as he has always preferred to give his attention to
his business affairs. His cooperation, however, can always be counted upon in
matters of progressive citizenship and he is deeply interested in everything
that pertains to the welfare and progress of the county in which his entire life
has been passed.

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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.