The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 273

JOHN DITTER.

The name of John Ditter is closely interwoven with the history of commercial
development in the Yakima valley, for he is today at the head of the oldest and
largest grocery store in this section of the state. Moreover, he has ever been
actuated by a notable spirit of enterprise that has never stopped short of the
successful fulfillment of his purpose and at all times his methods have been
such as would bear the closest investigation and scrutiny. He indeed deserves
mention among the leading and highly respected business men of the Yakima
valley.

Mr. Ditter was born in Hennepin county, Minnesota, in 1869, a son of Frank and
Regina (Butz) Ditter, both of whom were natives of Germany. The father was a son
of Armor Ditter, who in pioneer times in the development of Wisconsin hecame a
resident of Fond du Lac county, that state, and there spent his remaining days.
Frank Ditter removed to Minnesota and cast in his lot with the pioneers of that
section of the country. He devoted his life to farming and was also a country
merchant and the postmaster of his town. He continued a resident of Hennepin
county until he passed away and his wife also died in that locality.

Their son, John Ditter, acquired a public school education yet his opportunities
were somewhat limited, for he started out in life at an early age. When a youth
of eleven years he left home and went to Wisconsin. Later he became a resident
of Minnesota and the year 1888 witnessed his arrival in North Yakima, where he
followed the carpenter's trade for a year. He later spent two years in the
employ of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company in connection with the bridge
department and for one year was on the coast at Port Townsend, Washington, his
sojourn there covering the year 1890. In 1893 Mr. Ditter secured a clerkship in
the grocery store of C. W. Luther and from that time on has been almost
continuously connected with the grocery trade. He remained with Mr. Luther in
his Front street store for a year and then, in connection with John Mechtel,
purchased the business of his employer and formed the firm of Ditter & Mechtel.
They removed to Yakima avenue and their partnership continued most harmoniously
and profitably for seven and a half years. On the expiration of that period Mr.
Ditter established a bakery busintss and in 1899 his store was destroyed by
fire. He then again followed carpentering for a year, after which he became
identified with the Mulholland Grocery Company, with which he continued for two
years. He afterward established business on Yakima avenue and Third street and
admitted a partner under the firm style of Ditter & Bothwick, an association
that was maintained for five years, when he bought out his partner and continued
the business alone on Third street and Yakima avenue for four years. At the end
of that time a removal was made to Nos. 19 and 21 North Second street, where he
has been located since July, 1917, occupying a splendid business block with a
frontage of fifty feet and a depth of one hundred and forty feet. This is the
largest grocery store in the valley. Mr. Ditter has ever conducted this business
alone and in connection with it he owns and operates a large bakery. The store
is splendidly equipped. In fact it is one of the finest grocery houses in the
entire west and it furnishes employment to twelve people. One of the attractive
features of the establishment is a ladies' rest room. Mr. Fitter caters
exclusively to family trade and meets the wants of his customers with auto
delivery. He carries a most extensive line of staple and fancy groceries,
everything that the markets of the world afford, and his trade has assumed most
gratifying proportions.

On November 21, 1895, Mr. Ditter was married to Miss Gertrude Mechtel, a native
of Shakopee, Minnesota, and their children are: Genevieve, now the wife of Dr.
A. J. Lemioux, of Yakima: Gertrude, deceased: Francis and Margaret at home: and
Benitia, who has passed away.

The religious faith of the family is that of the Catholic church and they are
communicants in St. Joseph's parish. Mr. Ditter belongs to the Knights of
Columbus and to the Catholic Order of Foresters and he also holds membership
with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. He is president of the building
association of the Knights of Columbus. He is likewise a member of the
Commercial Club and in politics he maintains an independent course, preferring
to cast his ballot in support of the candidates whom he regards as best
qualified for office without considering party ties. There have been no
spectacular phases in his career, but his record is that of a most substantial
citizen, loyal to the best interests of his community and holding to high
standards in commercial activity and in private life. Ask any old-time resident
of Yakima concerning John Ditter and he will he spoken of in terms of warm
regard and of genuine respect.

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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.