The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 188 

DAVID ADAMS RAY.

The beautiful home of David Adams Ray, situated on Nob Hill, just outside of
Yakima, is one of the most attractive in the valley and the most progressive and
scientific methods are utilized by him in the conduct of his horticultural
interests. Mr. Ray comes to the northwest from Scotland. He was born in the
land of hills and heather on the 22d of September, 1855, a son of Robert and
Deborah (Barnes) Ray, who spent their entire lives in Scotland, where the father
was a landowner and farmer.

David A. Ray, bidding adieu to friends and native country when fifteen years of
age, crossed the Atlantic to the new world and made his way into the interior of
the country, settling near Monmouth, Illinois. Later he removed to North Dakota,
where he lived with a brother for a time and then located near Crookston,
Minnesota. He became a prominent merchant and banker there and won a position
among the capitalists of that section of the country. Throughout his business
career he has ever been watchful of opportunities pointing to success and has
never hesitated to take a forward step. Moreover, he has readily discriminated
between the essential and non-essential in all business transactions and his
investments have been wisely placed and his interests most carefully and
judiciously managed. In 1910 he came to Yakima county but has not disposed of
his valuable property holdings in Minnesota, where he still has fifteen hundred
acres of fine land. On reaching the northwest he purchased a beautiful mansion
on Nob Hill, for which he paid thirty thousand dollars. It stands in the midst
of five acres of land set out in orchards and his is one of the finest homes in
the valley. He raises apples, pears and cherries and he is greatly interested in
all that pertains to the further development and progress of the section in
which he lives.

In early manhood Mr. Ray was united in marriage to Miss Elsie Weslie, of
Minnesota, by whom he had eight children, as follows: Esther, at home;
Elizabeth, who is also at home and is a teacher by profession; Emily, who passed
away at the age of twenty-five years; Henry, who died in infancy; Robert, who
resides in Yakima and who is married and has one child; Crawford, who owns a
fruit ranch and who is also married and has one child; Francis, who is in the
United States army; and Dora, a student in the University of Washington.

Mr. Ray and his family attend the Presbyterian church and are loyal adherents of
its teachings. In politics Mr. Ray maintains an independent course, voting
according to the dictates of his judgment without regard to party ties. He has
ever been actuated by a spirit of progress and improvement and his life has at
all times measured up to high standards. His course has been such as would bear
the closest investigation and scrutiny and his sterling traits of character are
such as commend him to the confidence and high regard of all.

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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.