The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 573 FRED A. SHADBOLT. The reclamation of the once arid west for the purposes of cultivation has constituted one of the wonders of the business development of this country. There were many who believed that the great broad stretches of land covered with sagebrush could never produce anything else, but men recognized that the one need was water and proceeded to apply this by bringing from hills and streams into the arid regions the needed supply. Then began the cultivation of great crops of hay and grain and the raising of immense crops of fruit as well. It is to the orcharding interests of the northwest that Fred A. Shadbolt has largely given his attention. He was born in Oakland county, Michigan, September 6, 1872, a son of Alvin D. and Selina (Milligan) Shadbolt, the former a native of Dutchess county, New York, while the latter was born in Pennsylvania. They became pioneer residents of Michigan. The father had previously operated a tugboat on the Erie canal and it was in New York state that he was married. Soon afterward he took his wife to Michigan and both spent their remaining days in that state where the father, who was a wagonmaker by trade, turned his attention to farming and the live stock business, becoming one of the successful stock buyers of the state. Fred A. Shadbolt supplemented a public school education with a business course and started upon his active business career as an employee of the American Express Company, with which he remained for eleven years. He was afterward with the International Harvester Company as a salesman for two years and subsequently spent one year with the National Cash Register Company as a salesman. He was likewise a salesman for the National Biscuit Company for a year and a half and on the 17th of March, 1907, he came to Yakima. Soon after he went to Wapato and opened a warehouse, which he conducted for five years as a partnership concern with Ed Carver. He sold his interest, however, in 1911 and went to Auburn, Washington, where he was proprietor of a hardware and furniture business until June, 1913. He then again disposed of his commercial interests and turned his attention to orcharding, purchasing forty acres of land two miles west of Zillah. This was an improved farm and he now has thirty-three acres in orchard, thirteen acres being planted to apples, thirteen acres to pears, three acres to prunes and four acres to peaches. He also has fifteen acres in hop vineyards and the remainder of his land, aside from that occupied by his home with its surrounding lawn, is in barn lots. He has substantial barns upon his place and fine packing sheds. Both the house and barn are supplied with electric lights and hot and cold water and his is one of the best developed ranches of the valley, none of the accessories and conveniences of the model ranch property of the northwest being lacking upon his place. In its improvements he has shown a most progressive spirit and that his labors are of a practical character is manifest in the excellent results achieved. On the 25th of August, 1902, Mr. Shadbolt was united in marriage to Mrs. Frances N. Lake, nee Sams, who was born in Big Rapids, Michigan a daughter of George W. and Eliza A. (Adams) Sams. By her former marriage Mrs. Shadbolt had two children: Wenonah, now the wife of Ed O. Stingle, living in Wapato, and Hugh R. Lake, who is a volunteer of Company E, One Hundred and Forty-sixth Field Artillery, which was organized at Walla Walla. He enlisted in 1917, was made a corporal, then advanced to the rank of sergeant and with his command in France participated in the decisive battle of Chateau Thierry, which is acknowledged to have been the turning point of the war Then it yeas that the Germans recognized that there were troops in the field who were not afraid of their advance and who, when told to retreat, made the immortal reply: "Retreat, Hell! The American flag never retreats." After his active service in France Hugh R. Lake was sent back as instructor and toured the southern states as a lecturer for the Fourth Liberty Loan. He has now received an honorable discharge and with a most creditable military record has returned to his home and is active in the work of the ranch. Fraternally Mr. Shadbolt is connected with the Masons and with the Modern Woodmen of America, while his political endorsement is given to the republican party. What he has undertaken he has accomplished. He is a man of resolute spirit, who in business affairs has readily discriminated between the essential and the non-essential, and wisely choosing the former, has so directed his efforts that he has gained a place among the prosperous orchardists in the vicinity of Zillah and has contributed in material manner to the development of that section. ******************************** Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.