The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 11

GEORGE DONALD.

It was the consensus of public opinion that the death of George Donald “marked
the passing of one of the best known and most substantial citizens of Yakima."
He was prominently known in business circles as a bank president, rancher and
railroad and ditch builder and through the extent and breadth of his activities
and interests contributed in most marked measure to the development, upbuilding
and progress of Yakima and central Washington. He had been closely associated
with the management of the Yakima National Bank since 1892 and aided in its
organization four years prior to that time. He was born in Canada in 1859, a
son of John and Jane Donald, who were natives of Scotland but who crossed the
Atlantic to Canada when young people. The father died in the year 1870, but the
mother survives and is now living in Yakima.

George Donald was indebted to the public school system of his native country for
the educational opportunities which he enjoyed. He was a youth of nineteen years
when he crossed the border into the United States, becoming a resident of
Chicago in 1878, at which time he was employed by the Grand Trunk Railway
Company.

In 1881 he started westward by stage from Bismarck, South Dakota, and after
traveling eleven days and nine nights finally reached Montana, where he was
with the Northern Pacific Railway Company, following the building of its line to
Yakima in 1884. He was afterward engaged in railway contracting and was closely
identified with the development of railway systems in the west to the time of
his demise. He built the Lewiston extension, also the Farmington branch, two
coal roads on the western slope, and he built the North Yakima & Valley
Railroad, making his home all during this period in Yakima. He also built the
Zillah, Moxee, White Swan, Naches and Cowiche branches and in fact all the
branch lines in the Yakima valley. He likewise built the first large irrigation
ditch in the valley in 1889, known as the Kiona canal, and was later connected
with the construction of the Sunnyside canal besides furthering many other
irrigation projects. He developed several ranches and thus contributed in marked
measure to the progress and upbuilding of his section of the state.

Mr. Donald's connection with the banking interests of Yakima dated from May
1888. when he became one of the organizers of the Yakima National Bank, of which
H. S. Rowe was elected president, A. B. Weed vice president and Mr. Donald the
cashier. The bank was located on Yakima avenue, between First and Second
streets. In 1892 Mr. Donald was elected to the presidency and Mr. Weed and Mr.
Rowe retired. J. D. Cornett then served as cashier from 1892 until 1908, or for
a period of sixteen years, when he was succeeded by Frank Bartholet, who has
since occupied that position. L. L. Thorp is vice president of the bank, and
George E. Stacy and Edwin D. Clark assistant cashiers. The directors of the bank
were George Donald, J. D. Cornett, L. L. Thorp, W. I. Lince, C. F. Myer, P. A.
Bounds, Mary M. Donald, Frank Bartholet and A. H. Sinclair, In 1894 the bank's
statement showed deposits of one hundred and eighteen thousand five hundred and
eighty-two dollars. Ten years later, or in March, 1904, the deposits had
increased to six hundred and two thousand nine hundred and fifty-one dollars and
the bank's statement of 1917 shows deposits amounting to two million, three
hundred and forty-two thousand four hundred and forty-six dollars. The bank was
originally capitalized for fifty thousand dollars but this was increased to one
hundred thousand dollars in 1917 and the institution has a surplus of more than
one hundred thousand dollars, while its capital and surplus amounts to two
hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars. The bank has been continuously under
the same management. In 1903 the present building at First street and Yakima
avenue was completed-a two-story structure seventy-five by one hundred and
thirty feet, the building including the hardware store which adjoins the bank.
President of the institution for more than a quarter of a century, Mr. Donald
was the chief factor in establishing its policy, directing its activities and
promoting its success.

On the 17th of September, 1885, Mr. Donald was united in marriage to Miss Clara
Burch and to them was born a son, George, now living in Tacoma, where he is
employed in a bank. On the 14th of September, 1904, Mr. Donald wedded Miss Mary
Ditmars and they had four children: Jessie Mary, now twelve years of age; Jean,
ten; Allen, eight; and Remsen, two.

Fraternally Mr. Donald was connected with the Masons and attained the Knight
Templar degree. He was also a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks
and he was one of the organizers of the Yakima Commercial Club, of which he
twice served as president. A republican in politics, he was a delegate to the
national convention at Chicago in 1904 and he put forth every possible effort
not only to promote the success of his party but to advance the welfare and
progress of the community in which he lived. He was keenly interested in war
activities and the governor appointed him a member of the State Council of
Defense, making him chairman of the transportation department. He rendered
valuable aid in that connection and suggestions which he made in his official
capacity pertaining to the unification of the railroads of the northwest were
considered and to some extent acted upon by the highest authority. All through
the period of the war he was alert to the issues of the times and he was one of
the first Yakima citizens to take an active part in organizing the war drives,
giving himself unsparingly to the work of the State Council of Defense. He was
also greatly interested in the campaign to induce thrift among the American
people and was county chairman for the War Savings Stamps drive and organized
the campaign to put the war stamps into every home. His own personal
subscriptions to the Liberty Loan and stamp drives were very large. All who knew
Mr. Donald bear testimony to his sterling worth and progressiveness in business
and his many admirable qualities. He did not have the extended circle of friends
that many claim, but his friends were very close to him and at all times he held
friendship inviolable. His demise occurred on the 4th of March, 1919.

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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.