Gilbert, Frank T. "Historic Sketches of Walla Walla, Whitman, Columbia and Garfield Counties, Washington Territory; and Umatilla County, Oregon." Portland, OR: Print & Lithographing House of A. G. Walling, 1882. p. a35. GEORGE STARRETT lives on a farm two miles south of Walla Walla City in Washington Territory. His occupation is that of a seed grower and dealer, having made this business a specialty since he first arrived in the Territory, in 1870. His business is assuming large proportions, having commenced sales in 1872 that have doubled each year since. That success should crown his efforts is not strange, when it is taken into consideration that seeds, to be the germ of greatest production must be acclimated; that is, seeds ripened in a certain class of soil and conditions of climate will produce most abundantly in a similar soil and climate, therefore, grass, garden, flour, tree, and hedge seeds raised at the base of the Blue mountains are better for the country east of the Cascade and west of the Rocky mountain ranges, than those imported from abroad. This fact becomes known each year more extensively and with the spread of this knowledge arises increased demand for his products. He has three small farms in the neighborhood that contain, all told, 152 acres of land; the object in having them separate being to prevent seeds getting mixed in growth. He lives on one of these farms, and a view of the homestead may be seen by reference to sketch of it in this work. All his land is fenced and under cultivation. Of his past we would say, in brief, that he is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he was born October 15, 1832. At nineteen years of age, he left home and commenced railroading, eventually becoming a passenger conductor on the Philadelphia and Columbia road. At twenty-two years of age, he was placed in charge of the experimental department of the Philadelphia gass works, where he remained nine years. He then tried operations in the oil regions of Ohio and Virginia, from where he went to Philadelphia and entered into the mercantile business, and in 1870 came to this Territory for the purpose of opening the business that now engages his attention. In 1853 he was married to Miss Harriett H. Groff, who died Aug. 5, 1866, leaving two children, named William G., and Mary J. In 1870 the son came to the Pacific coast with his father, and the daughter is living now in Maryland. May 17, 1870, Mr. Starrett was married to Mrs. Leah L. Keylor, a widow lady and sister of Philip Ritz, in Philadelphia Penn. Mrs. Keylor had one child a son named Howard R. Keylor, who is now a physician in Bayview Asylum, Baltimore, Maryland. * * * * Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in February 2007 by Diana Smith. Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the individual featured in the biographies.