Lockley, Fred.  "History of the Columbia River Valley, From The Dalles to the
Sea." Vol. 2.  S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1928.  p. 790.
Includes portrait
	
FLOYD D. NUNAMAKER

Nunamaker is one of the best known names in connection with the fruit growing
interests of the famed Hood River valley, for the Nunamaker brothers, Don and
Floyd D., own the most extensive and best kept orchards in this section of the
state and take a justifiable pride in the superior quality of the fruit which
they send to the markets of the country. Floyd D. Nunamaker was born at Heppner,
Moro county, Oregon, on the 29th of April, 1893, and is a son of James R. and
Mary Ellen (Morgan) Nunamaker, both of whom were born in Pennsylvania, and are
now deceased, the father dying in July, 1927. James R. Nunamaker came to Oregon
in 1881 and took up a homestead near Heppner, to which he added other land by
purchase, and there he ran a large sheep ranch until 1905, when he sold out
and, coming the Hood River valley, bought thirty-five acres of land two and a
half miles west of Hood River, it being a part of the old Armstrong homestead.
Ten acres of the place were planted to apples, the remainder being in meadow.
The latter he planted to cherries and pears, and had one block of twelve acres
in. Anjou pears, which is regarded as the finest pear orchard in the valley. In
1916 Mr. Nunamaker bought forty acres of land on the Loop highway, five miles
south of Hood River, in Pine Grove district. This land was planted to apples,
which he later took out and replaced with pears, and still later he bought one
hundred and sixty acres more in the same district, which he planted largely to
pears. In 1926 he and his sons, who rank as the most extensive orchardists in
the Hood River valley, packed and shipped over one hundred thousand boxes of
fruit, consisting of apples, pears and cherries. Mr. Nunamaker was a forceful,
progressive and energetic business man, having gone into the fruit business
because he believed it to be permanent and dependable and he located in the Hood
River valley because he regarded it as the best section of the Northwest for
the successful growing of high grade fruit. The results of his efforts proved
the accuracy of his judgment and he realized a splendid measure of material
success. He was a member and director of the Hood River Apple Growers
Association, was a persistent advocate of good schools and improved highways,
and belonged to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks at Hood River. Because
of his business ability, sterling character and fine public spirit, he commanded
to marked degree the confidence and esteem of his fellowmen. To him and his
wife were born four children, namely: Don, who was born in Moro county, Oregon,
is now associated with his brother in the operation of the orchards, and lives
on the Pine Grove tract; Floyd D., of this review; Mrs. Ellen McGuire, who lives
at Klamath Falls, Oregon; and Neal, who is engaged in the fruit business at
Phoenix, Arizona. There are also three half-brothers, J.T. Downing, M.O.
Downing and Neil Nunamaker who resides in San Francisco, California.

Floyd D. Nunamaker attended the district schools of Moro county, and had two
years in the Oregon Agricultural College, at Corvallis, where he took the course
in horticulture. He became associated with his father and brothers in the fruit
industry, and since the father's death the brothers are carrying the business
on together. They also lease and operate two hundred acres of orchard on Willow
Flat, in the Hood River valley, which they cultivate with tractors and mules.
The Nunamaker Cherry orchards are famous throughout this section of the country
for the quality of the fruit, as well as its high yield per acre, and their
cherries are shipped to the principal cities of the country.

On November 19, 1916, Floyd D. Nunamaker was united in marriage to Miss Calla
Berry, who was born in Yakima, Washington, and is a daughter of Theodore and
Alice A. Berry, both of whom are now living on their fine orchard ranch near
Hood River. Mr. and Mrs. Nunamaker are the parents of two children, Barbara, who
is nine years of age, and Allan Dale, four years old. Mr. Nunamaker and M.O..
Downing are members of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons at Hood River, and
his brother Don belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks at that
place. They are numbered among the valley's leading citizens, standing for all
that is best in the life of the community and are deservedly popular among their
acquaintances.

 
*******************

Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in November 2006 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.