The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 913 

ALBERT S. CONGDON.

Many tangible evidences of the public spirit and the business ability of Albert
S. Congdon have been cited. These two qualities are inseparable in his makeup
and his efforts have been a most valuable element in the development and
improvement of the Yakima valley as well as in the promotion of his individual
fortunes. He holds large property interests, including fruit lands, and he is
still president of the Yakima Valley Canal but to a considerable extent has
retired from active business.

Mr. Congdon was born in Rochester, New York. December 4, 1857, a son of
Sylvester L. and Laura (Adgate) Congdon. The father, a minister of the Methodist
Episcopal church, passed away in 1868, while the mother survived until 1901.
They had a family of six children, of whom three died in infancy. Of the others
Chester, who was born June 12, 1853, departed this life November 21, 1916, and
Laura is the wife of George Hebard, living in San Gabriel, California.

The other member of the family is Albert S. Congdon of this review, who after
acquiring a high school education entered Syracuse University of New York, from
which both he and his brother were graduated. The brother, Chester Congdon, was
a prominent attorney of St. Paul and Duluth, Minnesota, and became a
multimillionaire through operations in the iron and copper fields. In 1889 the
two brothers came to Yakima and Chester Congdon assisted in the survey for the
Sunnyside Canal but did not build it. He was, however, the builder of the Yakima
Valley Canal in 1889 and both Chester and Albert S. Congdon purchased large
amounts of land, the former making investments until he had acquired over nine
hundred acres of highly developed land, while Albert S. Congdon also became the
owner of several hundred acres. The latter owned a large part of the land that
is now the site of the city of Yakima. They together platted what is now the
Capitol addition and their efforts have been greatly resultant in the
development of the city and the valley. In 1914-15 Chester Congdon built what
is known as Congdon's Castle of over eighty rooms. It is built of native Yakima
stone quarried within a few miles of Yakima, near the Painted Rocks, and is one
of the most beautiful structures of the west. Albert S. Congdon is still
president of the Yakima Valley Canal and is the owner of large fruit interests
in the valley, together with a most beautiful residence in Yakima. His
investments in this section of the state are very large and important. He is one
of the directors of the Ontario Land Company, of which he is the local manager,
and he owns large tracts of land in the valley besides much valuable city
property.

In 1893 Mr. Congdon was married to Miss Winifred Newcombe, of Traverse City,
Michigan, and their children are Shirley and Dorothy. Mr. Congdon belongs to the
Masonic fraternity and has taken the degrees of the Lodge of Perfection and has
attained the eighteenth degree in the Rose Croix Chapter and the thirty-second
degree in Oriental Consistory at Spokane. He belongs to the Commercial Club and
to the Country Club and is appreciative of the social amenities of life. His
political allegiance is given to the republican party, but while thoroughly
interested in the political situation and keeping thoroughly informed concerning
the questions and issues of the day he has never been an aspirant for office.
His business interests of growing importance have made full claim upon his time
and attention and the management of his affairs has brought to him a measure of
success that places him among Yakima's most substantial citizens. Moreover, his
work has been of a character that has contributed in marked measure to the
development and progress of the valley, so that he is numbered among its most
valued citizens.

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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.