The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 67 JAMES J. WILEY. One of the foremost ranchers of Yakima county is James J. Wiley, who represents very important interests in that line, his property being located at what is now Wiley City. This town, named in honor of the family, was founded in 1910 on part of his land. James J. Wiley was born in Wabasha county, Minnesota, September 27, 1863, a son of Hugh and Mary Ann (Tufft) Wiley, the father a native of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and the mother of Quebec, Canada. The grandfather was James Wiley, of Pennsylvania, and his son, Hugh Wiley, father of our subject, became one of the pioneers of Minnesota, where he took up a homestead on the present site of the city of Plainview. It seems, however, that conditions in that state did not meet up with their expectations and in October, 1866, Mr. and Mrs. Wiley arrived in Oregon, having made the trip via New York and the isthmus of Panama. In 1868 they came by team to Yakima county and here the father took up a homestead on the Ahtanum, upon which James J. Wiley now lives. The Wileys were among the first few white families to settle in this valley. Hugh Wiley was thus closely connected with the history of the white race in this county from its beginning. He assisted in building the first schoolhouse and in order to assure the children of the settlers of some kind of an education paid two-thirds of the teacher's salary. He also assisted in organizing the first church in Yakima county. He was a strict member of the Presbyterian church, to which faith he was deeply devoted. Throughout the remainder of his life he gave his attention to ranching and to the live stock business and passed away January 1, 1884, being survived by his widow, who lives in Wiley City. It was Hugh Wiley who opened the first canon road to The Dalles, Oregon, and his name is in other connections identified with pioneer movements. Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Wiley were the parents of nine children: William, who is engaged in ranching on the Ahtanum; Wallace, who is closely associated with our subject in his ranching and live stock interests; James J., of this review; John, who also is ranching on the Ahtanum; Isabel, who married Norman Woodhouse, a retired farmer who now lives in Wiley City and is connected with the telephone business; Charles, who was married and is now deceased; Martha, who for seventeen years has been a missionary in China; Annie, the wife of W. F. Achelpohl, an attorney of St. Charles, Missouri; and George. James J. Wiley was reared amid pioneer conditions and after attending the rural schools took a course at the Columbia Commercial College at Portland in 1884. Having completed his education, he, with his brother Wallace, then gave their entire attention to the development of the home ranch and so continued until about 1892, when they organized the Wiley Land & Stock Company. Under this name they are now operating seven thousand acres of land, of which one thousand acres are in hay and grain, a very substantial income being derived therefrom, while the remainder is range land. Their cattle interests are of the greatest importance as annually a large number of shorthorns are made ready for the market. Moreover, they are large horse raisers, breeding standard and draft horses. It thus has come about that in the course of years Mr. Wiley has become one of the largest and most prosperous ranchers of the west. He and his brother Wallace still conduct their extensive interests together and their co-operation has proved of the greatest benefit to them individually. They are business men of rare acumen and, moreover, close students of local conditions, thus getting the best out of their land. Mr. Wiley is also thoroughly informed in regard to live stock and keeps in touch with the latest discoveries and methods in regard to that line. In 1911 he built a handsome new residence at Wiley City which is now the family home. On January 17, 1900, Mr. Wiley married Rosalie Ward, a daughter of B. F. and Eliza J. (Sartan) Ward, the former born near Boston, Massachusetts, and the latter near St. Louis, Missouri. In 1867 the parents made their way to Wyoming, of which state they became pioneers. Mrs. Rosalie Wiley was the first white child born at Lander, Wyoming. Mr. and Mrs. Wiley have five children, Malcolm, Madeline, Marguerite, Gordon and Clifford. Mr. and Mrs. Wiley are numbered among the most influential and respected people of their neighborhood, both taking part in all movements undertaken on behalf of the general welfare along material as well as moral and intellectual lines. Mrs. Wiley is a devoted member of the First Presbyterian church, in the work of which she is deeply interested. Her husband belongs to Yakima Lodge, No. 318, B. P. O. E., and in politics is a republican but not desirous of holding office, preferring to give his undivided attention to his large farming interests. Coming of one of the honored pioneer families of the district, he adds new laurels to a family name that has long been distinguished here for reliability, enterprise and loyalty to state and nation. ******************************** Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.