The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 661

A. J. GLADSON.

A. J. Gladson represents important commercial interests in Yakima as president
of the Valley Electric Supply Company, which he established in May, 1911, and
the business of which extends over a wide territory. Moreover, he has always
taken a helpful part in building up commercial activities in his city and
extending its trade relations, serving at the present time as president of the
Yakima Valley Business Men's Association. A native of Iowa, he was born in
Corning, July 11, 1879, and is a son of James Marion and Almira (Newcomb)
Gladson, the former of whom is yet living at the age of eighty-five years, while
the latter passed away in 1912. The father, who is a native of Indiana, removed
to Iowa during the primitive period in the development of that state, being one
of the pioneers of 1854. He is highly esteemed in his neighborhood and is
honored as the oldest living settler of Adams county, still residing on the farm
which he took up under government grant upon arriving in that state. In the
conduct of his business affairs he has always been honorable, careful and
successful and is numbered among the affluent agriculturists of his county. Mrs.
Gladson, a native of the Pine Tree state, came of an old family of Maine, the
original ancestor of which came to this country in the Mayflower. In her early
life she removed to Iowa and there she passed her remaining days.

A. J. Gladson was reared upon the home farm near Corning, Iowa, and underwent
the usual experiences of the farmbred boy. His parents, being desirous of giving
him a thorough education and thus well preparing him for life's arduous duties,
sent him, after the completion of a public school course to the high school of
Corning, which he attended until he entered the State University of Arkansas, of
which one of his brothers, Professor William N. Gladson, was at that time dean
and vice president. Mr. Gladson, of this review, graduated from Arkansas
University in 1901, having pursued an electrical engineering course. Being
impressed with the opportunities offered in the west, he then decided to cross
the prairies and mountains and in 1901 removed to Seattle, Washington, where
for some time he was connected with the engineering department of the Seattle
Electric Company. Later he secured a position with the Seattle-Tacoma Power
Company and continued in that connection until 1910, when he came to Yakima.
Looking over the field of business opportunities along his line, he in 1911
established the Valley Electric Supply Company, of which he has since been the
president and which under his guidance has become one of the most important
enterprises of its kind not only in the city of Yakima, but throughout the whole
section which is generally described as the Yakima valley. The business was
established in May, 1911, by A. J. Gladson and K. L. Wade, but in 1912 Mr. Wade
sold his interest to Mr. Gladson. The plant was located on North Second street
until 1915, when in order to gain more spacious and convenient quarters, removal
was made to No. 313 East Yakima avenue, where it occupies a space of twenty-five
by one hundred and forty feet with basement. The company carries a full line of
electric fixtures, also farm lighting plants, and acts as agent for Yakima and
Benton counties for the Lally light, which is largely used upon farms. Moreover,
they are agents for the Willard batteries, their territory comprising Yakima
county. Outside of carrying a large supply of electrical goods they have also
engaged in electrical contracting and construction work and among others have
equipped the five hundred thousand dollar Congdon residence with electricity. In
fact they have wired and installed electrical apparatus in about ninety per cent
of the leading buildings of the city, including both business blocks and
residences, among them being the Commercial Hotel, the Miller building and many
others. The success of the Valley Electric Supply Company must be largely
ascribed to the able management of Mr. Gladson, who is not only thoroughly
versed in commercial methods but has made a comprehensive study of the subject
of electricity and by his long connection with large companies has gained
experience which now proves of the utmost value to him. As the years have passed
his business has grown to large proportions and the income he derives therefrom
is most gratifying.

On the 30th of June, 1908, Mr. Gladson was married to Miss Edna Smart, a native
of Seattle, and to this union two sons have been born, Donald and Richard. The
family are prominent in the social circles of their city and their hospitable
home is often the gathering place of their many friends.

Mr. Gladson is a member of Yakima Lodge. No. 24, F. & A. M., and also belongs
to Afifi Temple of the Mystic Shrine, while, in the Scottish Rite he has
attained the thirty-second degree in Masonry. He is likewise a member of the
Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, a trustee of the Commercial Club and
president of the Yakima Valley Business Men's Association. In this executive
position he has done much toward promoting the objects and purposes of the
organization and many are the plans which he has inaugurated and carried through
that have contributed toward the commercial development of the valley and his
city. Mr. Gladson has always been interested in farming pursuits and outside of
his principal business interests leases a valuable fruit farm near Yakima, in
the cultivation of which he not only finds pleasure and recreation but also a
gratifying addition to his income. In his political views he is independent,
preferring to follow his own judgment in supporting measures and candidates and
is always giving his aid to those movements and projects which he considers of
the greatest benefit to the greatest number. An enterprising, progressive and
aggressive business man, he stands high in the commercial circles of his
community, where he is also respected as a patriotic and public-spirited citizen
and a man of high character, ever ready to cooperate in measures and movements
which contribute toward the general welfare and uplift.

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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.