The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 830 

LUCIEN M. COX.

One of the finest orchards in the Yakima valley is that situated near Buena
belonging to Lucien M. Cox, a native of Arkansas. He was born September 13,
1871, a son of J. K. Cox, who is mentioned at greater length on other pages of
this work.

Lucien M. Cox attended the public school of Arkansas but in 1901 removed to Big
Bend, Washington, having heard many favorable reports in regard to the
opportunities awaiting a young man in this district. In March, 1902, he came to
Yakima county, where he continued to teach school, having followed that
profession while a resident of Big Bend. He was well fitted for this work as he
had attended the Kirksville Normal School of Missouri. He taught school in
Yakima county for eight years, during two years of which period he was a teacher
in the tenth grade in Zillah. He also was principal of the Springdale school for
five years.

In 1902 Lucien M. Cox and his brother, Ernest V., bought a forty-acre tract one
mile east of Buena, paying nineteen hundred dollars as the purchase price, and a
few months later their father paid the same sum for an adjoining tract of twenty
acres, while a little later Ernest V. Cox paid nineteen hundred dollars for ten
acres adjoining, these figures plainly indicating how rapidly fruit lands have
advanced in this district. In fact in the last three years the land has nearly
quadrupled in value. In 1903 Mr. Cox of this review bought his brother's
interest in the forty acres but later, in 1907, he sold the whole tract for
eighty-five hundred dollars. He then acquired title to ten acres a half mile
east of Buena and there he has built a fine home and has planted his ranch
largely to apples, prunes and cherries. At the time he acquired the land he paid
three hundred dollars per acre but it netted Mr. Cox over five thousand dollars
above running expenses, including his own wages. In 1918 he refused a cash offer
of ten thousand dollars for it. It is one of the finest ten-acre orchards in the
Yakima valley with good roads, good drainage and good air drainage. From the
ranch a beautiful view of Mounts Adams and Rainier may be had, while the
residence is thoroughly modern and has electric lights. hot and cold water and
all conveniences which can be found in the best city homes.

On August 10, 1904, Mr. Cox was united in marriage to Miss Bertha Kendrick, a
native of Canton, Missouri, and a daughter of James H. and Delia Kendrick. Mr.
and Mrs. Cox have had three children: James K., Edgar C., and Dorothy who died
in infancy.

In politics Mr. Cox is an independent democrat who generally gives his support
to that party, particularly as far as national politics are concerned, but at
local elections supports the candidate whom he considers best qualified to fill
the office to which he aspires without taking into consideration party issues.
Everything that has to do with the development and growth of the valley is of
interest to him and he readily lends his aid and influence toward worthy
movements for the moral and intellectual growth. Through the development of one
of the finest fruit ranches in his district he has largely contributed toward
the wealth of his part of the county and while his labors have directly
benefited himself, they have been of value in promoting the fruit raising
industry in the Yakima valley.

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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.