The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 449

MARTIN A. SANDVIG.

Martin A. Sandvig, whose time and attention are given to the further
development and care of tine apple, pear and prune orchards which are the
principal feature of his home ranch near Zillah, was born in Crookston,
Minnesota, May 15, 1883, a son of Mads R. and Anna Sandvig, who were natives of
Norway. They were married there and came to the United States in 1874, at which
time they took up their abode near Crookston, Minnesota, where the father
devoted his attention to the occupation of farming until 1894. He then succumbed
to the lure of the northwest and made his way to Great Falls, Montana, where he
again followed farming. His next removal took him to Kalispell, Montana, and
thence he made his way to Spokane, Washington, after which he came to the Yakima
valley in 1899. Here he purchased twenty acres of land a mile and a half
northwest of Zillah. It was covered with sagebrush when it came into his
possession but the earnest labor which he spent upon the place soon wrought a
marked transformation, inasmuch as his labors were supplemented by the energy
and determination of his sons. The father died in the year 1900, after which
Martin A. and his brother, Robert Sandvig, continued the work of clearing the
farm and built thereon a fine home. The death of Robert Sandvig occurred in
1907, since which time Martin Sandvig has carried on the work of the place. He
has also rented one hundred and sixty- acres of land on the Yakima Indian
reservation and is devoting that tract to the raising of grain and stock. The
home farm is nearly all planted to orchard, particularly apples, pears and
prunes.

In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Mads R. Sandvig were ten children: Robert,
mentioned above; Martin A., of this review; Olaf, who is now with the medical
department of the United States army in France and who was graduated from the
law department of the University of Washington and was practicing in Yakima at
the time he joined the colors; Adolph, who was in an automobile school at Kansas
City but who recently returned and will work at Yakima; Josephine, at home; and
five who have passed away. The parents were members of the Lutheran church and
were ever regarded as people of the highest respectability and worth in the
various communities in which they lived.

Martin A. Sandvig has always maintained an independent course in politics,
voting for the candidates whom he regards as best qualified for office. He has
never been ambitious to serve in political positions, for his time and energies
have been fully occupied by his business affairs. He was a youth of sixteen when
he came to the Yakima valley and with his father's death the following year the
responsibility of caring for and developing the home ranch largely fell upon
him. In the intervening years he has proven his right to be classed with the
progressive and successful orchardists and ranchmen of the northwest.

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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.