The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 831 WILLIAM R. REEVES. William R. Reeves, a veteran of the Spanish-American war and a well known business man of Yakima county who has done much to aid in the development of Naches heights, where he is now engaged in ranching, was born in Utica, Livingston county, Missouri, May 2, 1871, a son of John D. and Nancy (Williams) Reeves. The father passed away in Missouri, where for many years he had followed farming. The mother afterward died in Oklahoma. William R. Reeves acquired a public school education and when thirteen years of age went to Leadville, Colorado, traveling overland with a mule team. He made the journey with a freighting outfit and after reaching Colorado turned his attention to mining, working his way steadily upward in that connection until he became a mine owner. He saved ten thousand dollars but lost it all in the failure of the Carbonit Bank of Leadville. Thus rendered penniless, he again went to work for wages and later he was with the Gurley Investment Company as a mining expert. In 1902 he started for British Columbia but stopped off in Yakima county and, being pleased with the district, decided to remain. He worked for the gas company of Yakima county for five years and helped lay the first gas mains in the city of Yakima. He was afterward for five years with the Consolidated Fuel Company, but ambitious to engage in business on his own account, in 1910 he bought eighty acres on Naches Heights all covered with sagebrush. To this place he removed in 1914 and thereon has since resided. He now has fifty-six acres under cultivation, bringing forth good crops, and he also has property in Fruitvale. His ranch on Naches Heights is a fine one, and the products gathered therefrom annually bring to him a substantial income. On the 15th of September, 1907, Mr. Reeves was married to Miss Maggie Jones, who was born in Whitman county, Washington, a daughter of John D. Jones, a pioneer of this state, who lived for a time at Colton, Washington. Both he and his wife are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Reeves have two sons, Raymond and Dean. Mr. Reeves is a member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Yakima Lodge No. 24, F. & A. M., and to Yakima Chapter No. 21, R. & A. M. His wife attends the Presbyterian church. In politics Mr. Reeves maintains an independent course, voting according to the dictates of his judgment. He is a veteran of the Spanish-American war, having served as a member of Company C in the Seventh United States Infantry. His regiment was the second to land at Cuba and he participated in the battle of San Juan Hill. He remained with the army for three years. His has been an interesting and varied experience, covering his military record, his life as a miner in Colorado and his business activity in the northwest. He is now far on the highroad to success and is classed with the representative ranchmen of the Yakima valley. ******************************** Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in January 2008 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.