The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 727 

JERRY M. WHEELER.

Jerry M, Wheeler, proprietor of a country store situated ten miles up the Naches
valley from Yakima, is there conducting a profitable and growing business owing
to the enterprising spirit that underlies all that he attempts. He was born in
Independence, Iowa, December 10, 1863, a son of John P. and Elizabeth
(Middleton) Wheeler. The father was one of the first settlers of Independence,
where he established a lumberyard which he conducted successfully for sixteen
years and then removed to Kansas in 1879. He was engaged in ranching in the
Sunflower state until 1885, in which year he came to Washington, settling at
Grays Harbor, where he resided until 1888. He then became a resident of Yakima
county and purchased a small ranch near the city of Yakima, upon which he
continued to reside until the time of his death, which occurred in 1893. His
widow survived him for a number of years, passing away in 1908.

Jerry M. Wheeler is indebted to the public school system of Iowa for his
educational opportunities. He went with his father to Kansas and assisted in
the development of the home place there until he began ranching on his own
account in that state. He afterward came to Yakima county, bringing his father
with him, and worked in various ways in the northwest. He was the first express
delivery agent in Yakima, acting in that capacity for two years. Later he
cultivated a tract of rented land for eight years and in 1906 he opened a
general store ten miles from Yakima up the Naches valley and has since
successfully conducted it. He carries a large and carefully selected line of
groceries, hardware, dry goods and shoes, having an excellent country store. He
studies the wishes and needs of the surrounding population and is thus ready to
meet their demands. Moreover, the integrity of his business methods and the
enterprise which governs the conduct of his business have been salient elements
in the attainment of his prosperity.

On the 10th of December, 1885, Mr. Wheeler was married to Miss Amelia Koehn, a
native of Illinois. Their children are four in number: Edith, the wife of George
Coverdale, a rancher of Naches; Clara, deceased; Alvina and Caroline, both at
home.

Fraternally Mr. Wheeler is connected with the Loyal Order of Moose, the Royal
Neighbors and is a charter member of the Modern Woodmen camp at Yakima. In
politics he is a republican where national questions and issues are involved but
at local elections votes independent of party ties. He has served on the school
board and the cause of education finds in him a stalwart champion. He is the
pioneer merchant of the Naches valley and as a representative business man and
reliable citizen is highly esteemed in the community.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in January 2008 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.