The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 28 JOHN ANDISON BALMER. John Andison Balmer has for two years been mayor of Cle Elum and his administration of public affairs has been most beneficial to the town. He is perhaps even more widely known as a florist, for his reputation in this connection has brought him an extensive acquaintance throughout the northwest. He has the distinction of being the only florist devoting his attention exclusively to roses in Washington. A native of Northumberland county, England, he was born on the loth of April, 1856, a son of Thomas and Margaret (Andison) Balmer, both of whom passed away in England, where the father had carried on business as a horticulturist. John A. Balmer acquired a grammar school education in his native country and in 1879, when twenty-three years of age, came to the new world, settling at South Amboy, New Jersey, where he became orchid grower for George Such, owner of the finest orchids, palms and flowering plants in America at that time. In November, 1879, Mr. Balmer removed to Watertown, New York, where he became manager for Charles Hart, florist. In 1881 he established his home in Pekin, Illinois, where he began business on his own account as a florist, but the enterprise did not prove profitable. He then returned to England and while in that country was married. Not long afterward he once more made his way to the new world and took up his abode in Danville, Illinois, where he conducted business as a florist for a year and a half. Later he went to Paris, Illinois, where he again engaged in business as a florist, and a year later he removed to Vincennes, Indiana, where he resided for eight and a half years, continuing in the same line. At the end of that time he was offered the position of horticulturist at the Washington State College and accepted in May, 1894. He held that position until February, 1900, when he removed to Cle Elum and established a big rose hothouse. He has forty thousand square feet of glass, with eighteen thousand square feet of actually planted area. His plants include eighteen thousand rose bushes under glass. He burns over eight hundred tons of coal per year to keep his greenhouses at an even temperature. He is the only exclusive rose grower in Washington and is the second largest producer of this "queen of flowers" in the state. He ships extensively to Butte, Spokane, Seattle, Tacoma, Grays Harbor and all intermediate points, making daily shipments and selling almost exclusively to the wholesale trade. He employs four men constantly besides having additional help from time to time. He has closely studied everything that has to do with the successful propagation and growing of beautiful roses and his business is conducted along the most scientific lines. In 1919, owing to a disease of roses, he temporarily changed to the raising of hothouse tomatoes and expects to place forty thousand pounds on the market. On the 28th of October, 1882, Mr. Balmer was united in marriage to Miss Alice Jane Atkinson, a daughter of John and Margaret (Scarth) Atkinson, both of whom have passed away. To Mr. and Mrs. Balmer have been born five children. John Atkinson, who is residing in Tacoma, where he is employed in the shipyards, is married and has four sons. The next three children of the family died in infancy. Jesmond Dean is a lieutenant with the artillery forces in France, having been a student in the University of Washington up to the time of his enlistment for service with the American army. He is still in Germany and has been in several engagements, being gassed twice. Mr. Balmer and his family are members of the Episcopal church and his political allegiance is given to the republican party, which elected him to the office of mayor of Cle Elum in 1916. In this connection he has done most important work. He has cleaned up the police department and has instituted various needed reforms and improvements which have resulted greatly to the benefit of the city. He has also served on the school board and was very active in promoting the interests of the schools He has been a very successful man in business, a most creditable public official and is a man of interesting personality whose genuine worth commands for him the respect, confidence and admiration of all with whom he has been brought in contact. ******************************** Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.