The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 395

ELIJAH P. SANFORD.

Elijah P. Sanford is one of the best known and prominent representatives of
extensive ranching and stock raising interests in Yakima county. His business
activities have been most wisely directed and success in substantial measure
has crowned his labors. Mr. Sanford is a native of Cuyahoga county, Ohio, born
March 22, 1840. He is a son of Sylvester and Nancy (Cahoon) Sanford, who in the
year 1844 left the Buckeye state and removed to Walworth county, Wisconsin,
where their remaining days were passed.

Elijah P. Sanford acquired a meagre public school education and in 1858 he went
to Iowa, while later he became a resident of Illinois and of Minnesota. From the
latter state he crossed the plains in 1862, being with the first train to make
the trip north of the Missouri river. At length, after a long and arduous trip,
they reached the Pacific coast and spent the first winter in Oregon. Later he
removed to the Gallatin valley and there remained until 1869, after which he
returned to Wisconsin, where he spent another winter. He later removed to
Dekalb county, Missouri, and there lived for twenty-two years, being actively
engaged during that period in the live stock business. In 1893 Mr. Sanford
arrived in the Yakima valley and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land
three miles southeast of Yakima. Throughout the intervening period he has been
extensively and successfully engaged in the live stock business, handling sheep,
horses, cattle and hogs. He also has a fine ranch on the Moxee and he owns and
]cases several thousand acres of range land, on which he pastures his fine Red
Polled cattle. He has come to be recognized as an authority upon anything
relating to stock raising and is regarded as one of the leading stock men of the
valley. He has had long experience in this connection and has ever made it his
purpose to employ the most progressive methods in the care of his stock and in
the development of his herds.

In 1882 Mr. Sanford was united in marriage to Miss Grace Doughty, who was born
in Illinois but removed to Missouri, where their marriage was celebrated. They
have become the parents of four children: Clara, who is at home; Lucy, deceased;
Albert E., who is engaged in the live stock business with his father; and L. H.,
who is also at home and is the active assistant of his father in business. Mrs.
Sanford is a member of the Methodist church and a lady of many attractive
attributes of character. Mr. Sanford gives his political endorsement to the
republican party but has never sought or desired office, although he is ever
loyal to any cause which he espouses. Fraternally he is connected with the
Masons as a member of Yakima Lodge, No. 24, F. & A. M.; and Yakima Chapter, No.
23, R. A. M. In his work in the west he has displayed the same pioneering spirit
which took both his paternal and maternal grandparents from New York to Ohio
when that district was situated upon the western frontier and later to Wisconsin
when it was upon the far western border. Mr. Sanford sought the opportunities
offered in a new country and as the years have gone by his success has proven
the wisdom of his course, both as to the selection of a place of residence and
the selection of a business.

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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.