The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 1032 JAMES W. ADKISON. James W. Adkison, well known as a real estate dealer of Yakima, was born in Mason City, Illinois, March 13, 1864. a son of George W. and Euphrasia Jane (Gardner) Adkison, both of whom were natives of Ohio but removed westward to Illinois in 1856. The father there devoted his life to the occupation of farming until 1869, when he removed with his family to Kansas. There he took up government land and in 1879 he went to Colorado, settling at Leadville. However, he afterward returned to Kansas, where his last days were spent, and his wife later passed away in Oklahoma. James W. Adkison acquired a public school education in Girard. Kansas, where he completed the high school course. He accompanied his parents to Colorado and afterward located near what is now Glenwood, in that state. There he took up three hundred and twenty acres of land and he put in the first irrigation project in Garfield county, Colorado. He was one of the pioneer settlers of that district and his daughter, Euphrasia Jane, was the first white child born in the county. It was in 1882 that Mr. Adkison located there, after which he carefully developed his ranch and for about twelve years was successfully engaged in raising horses in that district. In fact, he bought and sold horses all over the west. About 1896 he removed to Noble county, Oklahoma, where he took up government land, being in the famous race for land when all the settlers started at a gunshot for choice tracts. Mr. Adkison was the first in the race and therefore had his choice. He obtained a fine quarter section and developed an excellent ranch property, remaining thereon for six years. He then sold his interests in Oklahoma and made his way to the northwest, arriving in Yakima on the 10th of August, 1902. He purchased property in the town and entered the real estate and insurance business the following year. His office was first located in the Ditter block, but in 1906 he removed his office to the west side of the railway tracks on West Yakima avenue and later went to Fourth avenue, while in 1916 a removal took him to 317 West Yakima avenue. He has done much to improve the west side of the city and has witnessed its entire growth and development on that side of the tracks. His work has been of great importance in furthering Yakima's growth and at the same time his labors have brought to him substantial returns on his investment. On the 26th of July, 1881, Mr. Adkison was married to Miss Sarah Emma Baldwin, of Garfield county, Colorado, theirs being the first marriage celebrated in that county. She was a daughter of Fred A. and Sarah Baldwin, who located in Colorado during early pioneer times. Mrs. Adkison passed away on the 16th of April, 1899, and in 1907 Mr. Adkison was again married, his second union being with Myrtle M. Fullbright of Yakima, a daughter of James L. Fullbright, who became a resident of this city in 1900 and took up the business of ranching. Mr. Adkison's children are: Euphrasia Jane, who became the wife of Dave Clark, a Yakima pioneer, by whom she has one child, Renna; Lanora, who married Emmet R. Zerkle, a farmer of the Yakima valley, by whom she has one son, Ralph; and William W., who is a baker of Seattle. He is married and has one child, Robert. In politics Mr. Adkison is an independent democrat, for while he usually votes with the party he does not consider himself bound by party ties. Coming to Yakima at an early day, he has done a most important part in promoting its interests, and the worth of his work is widely acknowledged. he has social qualities which render him popular and the circle of his friends has constantly broadened as the circle of his acquaintance has been extended with the passing years. ******************************** Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in January 2008 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.