The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 68 ORLA L. FRENCH. A picture of rare interest and beauty is that presented by the region surrounding Yakima in the fruit-bearing season. Hundreds of acres have been transformed into fine orchards or, brought under the plow, are producing large crops of various kinds. Actively identified with the work of tilling the soil -- a work which must precede all industrial or commercial activity -- Orla L. French has made for himself an enviable position in business circles. He was born at Flushing. Michigan, September 23, 1861, a son of G. A. and Harriet French. The father was also a native of Flushing, being the first white child born there, his natal year being 1840. He was a son of Henry H. French, who settled in Michigan in the '30s. After arriving at years of maturity G. A. French wedded Harriet Woodruff, a native of Ohio, and as the years passed he continuously and successfully devoted his attention to general farming. His death occurred in 1897 and his widow passed away in Yakima in 1906. After acquiring a high school education in his native state Orla L. French removed to Minnesota when twenty-three years of age and purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land. There he carried on farming until January 3, 1900, when he came to the Pacific northwest and for two years rented a stock farm in Yakima county. Upon his arrival in this state he also purchased sixty-six acres of land on the Ahtanum and has since given his attention to the raising of diversified crops, also hay, fruit and live stock. He has ten acres in orchards two miles southwest of Yakima, raising thereon fine apples, pears, peaches and grapes. The fruit produced is not only of splendid size but is equally fine in flavor and commands the highest market prices. The progressiveness of his methods, the systematic manner in which his work is carried on and the unfaltering industry and enterprise which he displays in the operation of his farm have made him one of the leading agriculturists and fruit growers of this section of the state. On the 2d of March, 1888, Mr. French was married to Miss Millie A. Lyman, a daughter of O. G. and Katherine (Wheeler) Lyman. They have become the parents of five children: Goldie, the wife of Charles Woerner, of Granger, Washington, by whom she has six children; Lera, who is the wife of Charles Peterson, of Yakima, and the mother of three children; Harold, a rancher on the Tieton; Esther, at home; and Milo, who is fourteen years of age. Mr. French is well known in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being a past noble grand of Yakima Lodge No. 22, of which he is now serving as a trustee. He is also overseer of the Grange and he is a loyal member of the Methodist church. In politics he is a republican where national questions and issues are involved, but at local elections casts an independent ballot. He served as township treasurer while in Minnesota but has never been a politician in the sense of office seeking, preferring to concentrate his efforts and attention upon his business affairs and thus provide a comfortable living for his family. He is a member of the Yakima County Horticultural Union and during the period of his residence in the northwest he has won an enviable place among the successful farmers and fruit raisers of his section. He has upon his place a plant for packing his fruit and his farm is thoroughly modern in its equipment in every respect. ******************************** Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.