The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 84

MRS. ANN E. SYKES.

Mrs. Ann E. Sykes is the first and only postmaster that Grandview has had. She
was appointed to the position with the founding of the town in 1906 and has
continuously served, making a most creditable record in the office. She is a
native of Keithsburg. Illinois, and a daughter of George and Eliza Jane (Osborn)
Pitman, the latter a daughter of Alexander Osborn, who was the third white
settler in Knox county, Illinois, and the first white man to be married in that
county. George Pitman, the father of Mrs. Sykes, was a native of Indiana and
cast in his lot with the pioneer settlers of Illinois, where he was married.
Thus two of the old families of the state were united. The maternal grandfather
served in the Black Hawk war, which occurred in 1832 and settled the question of
Indiana supremacy in that state. He lived there at the time when deer and other
wild animals haunted the forests and both the Osborn and Pitman families
participated in the work of reclaiming the region for the purposes of
civilization. George Pitman was a farmer and live stock dealer and his daughter
Ann was reared under the parental roof upon the old homestead farm in Illinois.

At Cadillac, Michigan, she became the wife of Noah Sykes, who was a millwright
and turner by trade. They removed from the Mississippi valley to Everett,
Washington, where Mr. Sykes operated the Everett Turning Works, continuing
active in the business there until 1904, when he met death by accident. He was a
leading member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and also a prominent and
influential member of the Congregational church, in which he served as deacon
and was also a tenor singer in the choir. He was a man of many admirable traits
of character and his sterling worth endeared him to all with whom he came in
contact. The best traits of his character, however, were reserved for his own
fireside and his loss came as a telling blow to the members of his household.

In 1906 Mrs. Sykes came to Grandview. The town was established in that year and
she became the first postmaster. She had had previous experience along this line
at Coledale, Illinois, where she and her husband conducted a country store and
had the postoffice for five years. She has remained continuously as postmaster
of Grandview, covering a period of more than twelve years, so that her
connection with postoffice affairs has extended over more than seventeen years.
She erected the building which is now occupied by the postoffice and she at
first had to carry the mail from Mabton. In order to supplement the postoffice
salary in the early days she took in roomers. She was supporting her mother, who
still lives with her at the advanced age of ninety-eight years. Mrs. Sykes
conducted the postoffice for two years before it paid anything and she did not
receive a salary for five years. The business of the office, however, has
continually grown with the development of the surrounding country. Mrs. Sykes
lived at Grandview for a year before a general store was established. She has
therefore witnessed the entire upbuilding of the town and has been deeply
interested in everything pertaining to its progress and development. She has
given her political support to the democratic party and her religious faith is
that of the Congregational church. She has been a brave, self-reliant woman,
capable and resourceful, and is very popular among the people of the community.

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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.