The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 218
A portrait of Archie M. Prior appears in this publication.

ARCHIE M. PRIOR.

Archie M. Prior has for a number of years been numbered among the most prominent
stockmen of the northwest. He is now largely living retired, his investments in
property and stock being heavy. He makes his home in Yakima and the fruits of
his former toil are providing him with all of the comforts and many of the
luxuries of life.

Mr. Prior is a native of Kingston, Missouri. He was born on the 7th of August,
1882, a son of George Prior, mentioned elsewhere in this work. The family home
was established in Washington in 1895, at which time settlement was made in
Klickitat county, where they remained for a year and then came to Yakima
county.

Archie M. Prior attended the public schools of Missouri until thirteen years of
age and afterward became a student in a business college at Yakima which he
attended for two terms. His father became identified with the sheep industry in
Washington and Mr. Prior of this review was his active assistant until 1915,
thus gaining broad experience concerning the best methods of caring for sheep in
the northwest. He afterward became associated with Robert Herron in the care of
eighteen hundred head of sheep and they are now the owners of thirty-six hundred
ewes and twenty-one hundred wethers. They run sheep on the Colville reservation.
Mr. Prior has leased a range in Horse Heaven and has been very successful in
sheep raising. There is no one more able to speak with authority upon the
industry in any of its phases or branches, for long experience has given him
most practical knowledge and at all times he has followed the most progressive
methods in the care and marketing of his sheep. Throughout the entire period of
his close connection with the industry he has made his home in Yakima and now
owns and occupies a beautiful residence on West Yakima avenue.

In October, 1905, Mr. Prior was united in marriage to Miss Martha Beck, a
daughter of Ross and Martha (Frederick) Beck, who were pioneer residents of the
Yakima valley and have now passed away. Her grandmother, Mrs. Martha Beck,
taught the first school in Yakima county, and Edna Beck, a cousin of Mrs. Prior,
was the first female child born in Yakima. Mr. and Mrs. Prior have become the
parents of four children: George, Dorothy, Donald and Catherine, The religious
faith of the family is that of the Presbyterian church, to the teachings of
which Mr. and Mrs. Prior loyally adhere. His political allegiance is given to
the republican party but he has no thought of nor desire for public office. He
belongs to the Commercial Club and is in hearty sympathy with its purposes to
upbuild the city and country, extend its trade relations and advance its civic
interests. Practically his entire life has been passed in Washington and he is a
most enthusiastic champion of the state and its opportunities, while at all
times he has borne his full share in the work of general progress and
improvement.

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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.