The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 470

ALFRED S. HILLYER.

The Sunnyside Sun, of which Alfred S. Hillyer is editor and manager and also
part owner, is one of the best, biggest and most popular newspapers of this
section of the state. In the success of the publication Mr. Hillyer has had a
leading part and has thereby readily demonstrated his ability as a newspaper man
and publisher. He was born in Portsmouth, England, January 15, 1884, a son of
Alfred S. and Marie (Pettit) Hillyer, both of whom are deceased. The father held
a prominent position under the British government as an engineer for many years,
his work being in connection with the construction of dock-yards, torpedoes,
submarines, etc.

Alfred S. Hillyer received his education in his native land, where he attended
the public schools to the age of thirteen and a half years, when he began to
learn the printer's trade and served until the age of twenty-one. He was
employed by Wyman & Sons, the well known railroad and government printers and
the largest firm of its kind in England, and remained with there until 1907. In
that year he crossed the Atlantic in order to join his brother, Jones G.
Hillyer, in Toppenish, Washington, where the former had located in 1897 and had
become a well known fruit buyer of the Yakima valley. Mr. Hillyer of this review
remained in the fruit business for a year and then returned to his trade,
joining the force of the Toppenish Review, with which he remained for eighteen
months. At the end of that time, on July 1, 1910, he established the Zillah Free
Press, a weekly, of which he was editor and proprietor. This proved quite a
success under the able management of its owner and received a well merited
patronage, Mr. Hillyer continuing to conduct it until March, 1918, when he sold
out and acquired an interest in the Sunnyside Sun, of which he is now editor and
manager. This paper was established in 1901 by William Hitchcock and is the
foremost weekly of the valley. It comprises eight pages of home print and its
equipment is the biggest, most modern and best selected in the valley. They also
give considerable attention to general printing and the latest machinery is to
be found in their establishment in order to facilitate the work, even folding
machines being used in their binding department. The newspaper is ably
conducted by Mr. Hillyer, who by his editorials, which are trenchant and to the
point, has greatly contributed toward the development of this section, while his
criticisms have been equally important in eradicating evil or spurring on
measures of value. The local news is always written in an interesting style and
is eagerly read by the subscribers, who comprise the greater part of the
population of the locality. It is therefore but natural that the circulation is
considerable and that the Sunnyside Sun has become a valuable advertising medium
as well, patronized by all farseeing merchants and business men of the section.
In fact it is conceded by all that the Sun has the largest paid-in-advance
circulation of any weekly in Yakima county, its subscribers exceeding one
thousand, which means that the paper goes to the homes of one thousand of the
best families in the valley. Mr. Hillyer has not only demonstrated his ability
as a newspaper man and as a practical printer but also as able business manager.
Only a high class of printing is done and the excellent equipment of the shop
permits him to turn out all kinds of printed matter.

On the 29th of November, 1912, Mr. Hillyer was united in marriage to Miss Olive
Frakes, who was born in Joseph, Oregon, and is a daughter of J. G. and Helen
Frakes well known and honored pioneers of that state and also of Washington. To
this union have been born two children: Charles Edwin, now five years of age;
and Virgil Alfred, two years old. Mr. and Mrs. Hillyer are numbered among the
popular young people of the valley and their entrance into the best homes is
assured. They are met in circles where intellectual and pleasant intercourse are
the passports to good society and the friends they have made in Sunnyside are
many.

In 1914 Mr. Hillyer assisted in organizing the Yakima and Benton Counties Press
Association, which consists of fifteen weekly newspapers, and for the past two
years he has served as president of this organization. He also served as police
judge at Zillah and in that office always discharged his duties fairly and
impartially, receiving the commendation of the public. Fraternally he is
connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Woodmen and also is
a member of the Ancient Order of Druids. His religious faith is that of the
Episcopal church and in his political affiliations he is a republican,
steadfastly supporting its principles and candidates. He is a member of the
Sunnyside Commercial Club, with whose aims and purposes he is in hearty accord,
and ably sustains the organization through the columns of his paper. Mr. Hillyer
does not in the least regret the step he took in crossing the ocean to seek a
home in the western part of America and in Sunnyside has found a field which not
only brings to him a gratifying income but which has gained for him the esteem
and respect of his fellow citizens.

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