The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 992 EDWARD B. FITTS. Edward B. Fitts, who is engaged in ranching, his attention being given to the further development and improvement of forty acres of land a half mile west of Buena, was born in Hartford, Connecticut, March 31, 1852, a son of Daniel and Harriet (Screen) Fitts. The father died when the son was but seventeen months old, leaving his widow with three children. She never remarried but devoted her attention to her children, to whom she gave liberal educational advantages. She afterward lived in Minneapolis with her son Edward for a number of years but later returned to Hartford, Connecticut, where she passed away in 1914 at the advanced age of ninety-three years. Edward B. Fitts was reared by his mother and obtained a public school education in Hartford. He made his initial step in the business world in connection with the retail meat trade and in 1872 he left New England for Minneapolis, where he conducted a meat market until 1878. He then removed to Bismark, North Dakota, where he resided for five years. While upon the western frontier he drove stage, hunted buffaloes and went through all the experiences of pioneer life in North Dakota and Montana. In 1882, however, he returned to Minneapolis and was engaged in the meat business there for twenty-two years. In 1904 he came to Yakima county, Washington, and he conducted a meat market at Toppenish for a year and a half. He afterward spent nine months at Prosser, Washington. In the meantime, however, he had purchased ten acres of land near Buena, which he sold in 1917. He also took up a homestead six miles east of Zillah, which he likewise later sold. He opened the first meat market at Zillah and conducted the business there for four years, when he disposed of his interests in the town and engaged in butchering on his ranch on the hill for a year. He afterward removed to the ranch owned by his wife, comprising forty acres a half mile west of Buena. He now has one acre planted to fruit, while the remainder of the land is devoted to the raising of hay, corn and other general farm products. He likewise conducts a small dairy business. A fine home has been erected upon the farm and all modern improvements have been added to the place, making it a valuable property, from which he yearly gathers fine harvests. In 1882 Mr. Fitts was married to Miss Ida Hill, a native of Connecticut and a daughter of William and Phoebe Hill. Mrs. Fitts passed away in Minneapolis in 1902. There were two children of that marriage but the younger, Rosa, is deceased. The son, Joel Archer, is residing in Chicago, where he is employed as an electrical engineer. He is married and has two sons. On the 5th of December, 1911, Mr. Kitts of this review was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Lorena (Woods) Walker, who resided in the Yakima valley, having removed to the Pacific coast from Missouri. By her former marriage she had five children. Carl, who is ranching on the Yakima Indian reservation, is married and has two children; Mrs. E. W. Cox is married and resides near Buena; Captain Wesley W. Walker is now, with the United States marines in France; Claude, who served on the Mexican border, is now a corporal in the United States army in France; Lorene is at home. Mr. and Mrs. Fitts attend the Baptist church and in politics he maintains an independent course, voting for men and measures rather than party. He has led an active and useful life and his energy and determination have brought to him a substantial measure of success. Both he and his wife are highly esteemed in the Yakima valley, where they now reside, and the hospitality of the best homes in their section of the county is freely accorded them. ******************************** Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in January 2008 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.