The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 483

ROBERT McCORMICK.

A tract of twenty-five acres of sagebrush land was acquired by Robert McCormick
in 1903. The way in which he has occupied his time since then is evidenced in
the appearance of his place at the present. The gray sage has been replaced by
fine orchards and crops of various kinds, in the midst of which stand an
attractive residence and substantial barns that he has built. In a word, all
modern equipment and accessories of the model ranch property of the northwest
are found upon his place and are indicative of his enterprise and progressive
spirit. Mr. McCormick is a native of Ontario, Canada. He was born October 20,
1868, a son of John and Ellen (Keley) McCormick, who were also natives of
Canada. The father was a carpenter and contractor, following that pursuit to the
time of his death.

Robert McCormick acquired a public school education and when twenty-one years of
age went to Buffalo, New York, where he worked for wages on a dairy farm. He
afterward removed to Michigan, where he was employed in the lumber camps. and
subsequently he worked in the lumber woods of Minnesota for a period of three
years. It was on the expiration of that period that he sought the opportunities
of the Pacific northwest and made his way to Yakima county, where he arrived in
February, 1900. Still his financial resources at this time were not sufficient
to enable him to engage in business on his own account and he again sought
employment, working for wages through the succeeding three years. During that
time he carefully saved his earnings until his industry and economy had brought
him sufficient capital to purchase property and be acquired a twenty-five acre
ranch two and a half miles northwest of Zillah, which he has since owned and
occupied. He surveyed the tract with prescience of what could be accomplished in
his mind and he saw in prospect the sagebrush uprooted and supplanted by bearing
fruit trees. He at once began making this vision a tangible one and today he has
fifteen acres in orchard, growing fine apples, pears and peaches. He has built
thereon a commodious and attractive residence with large barns to furnish ample
shelter for grain and stock. He also has a portion of his land planted to hay,
corn and potatoes, of which he annually gathers good crops.

In April, 1903, Mr. McCormick was married to Miss Rachel Furman, a native of
Minnesota and a daughter of C. H. and Ella (Hopkins) Furman. Her father is a
resident of Zillah but her mother died in August, 1918. Mr. and Mrs. McCormick
have three children: Robert John, Rachel and Blanche.

The religious faith of the family is that of the Catholic church and Mr.
McCormick is identified with the Knights of Columbus. He votes with the
republican party, which he has supported since becoming an American citizen, but
his interest and attention center upon his business affairs and the thoroughness
with which he does his work has been a basic element of his growing success,
gaining him place among the leading orchardists in the vicinity of Zillah.

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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.