The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 138
A portrait of William H. Harrison appears in this publication.
 
WILLIAM H. HARRISON.

One of the foremost factors in promoting the interests of a community is real
estate dealing and William H. Harrison, president and manager of the Sunnyside
Land & Investment Company, is therefore one who has greatly contributed toward
the upbuilding of his district. The business was organized by C. E. Woods and
Elza Dean, who later sold out to A. G. Flemming and E. B. Jones. Subsequently it
was acquired by M. G. Duncan and Oliver Dean, after which George Irish purchased
if. In September, 1908, William H. Harrison became president and manager; A. G.
Flemming, vice-president, and H. L. Miller secretary and treasurer, the latter
buying into the business in April, 1909. The Sunnyside Land & Investment
Company, as its name indicates, buys and sells land, including not only farming
properties but also city plats, and is largely engaged in loaning money, mostly
upon real estate security. This part of the business is very important and in
this way the company has assisted many agriculturists of the neighborhood to
successfully tide over hard times. Its principles are of the highest and its
methods are exemplary.

William H. Harrison was born in Marion, Iowa, in 1878, his parents being Thomas
and Sarah (Waters) Harrison. The family removed to Sunnyside, Washington, in
March, 1900, buying wild land and also taking up a homestead claim near
Sunnyside. This property the father developed and there continued to make his
home until he passed away.

Mr. Harrison of this review had a public school and business college education
and in the fall of 1899 came to Sunnyside, preceding the family and taking up a
homestead on the 30th of October, 1899. He greatly improved this place, which
he sold in 1908, at which time he became head of the Sunnyside Land & Investment
Company, but also continued in farming until 1917, in which year he sold his
ranch. On the 14th of August, 1912, Mr. Harrison was united in marriage to Miss
Genevieve Persis Searle, of Minnesota, and to this union has been born a son,
William H., Jr. In his political views Mr. Harrison is a republican, while
fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In the
financial life of the town he also has a part, being a director of the Sunnyside
Bank. He also belongs to the Sunnyside Commercial Club, in whose progressive
movements he takes an active part. All projects for the upbuilding of his
locality and the welfare of the public receive his hearty support and he is ever
ready to aid in furthering the material, moral and intellectual development of
the district.

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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.