The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 564 REUBEN HARTLEY. Sixty acres of highly developed land two miles north of Granger bespeak the prosperity of Reuben Hartley and there he raises hay, corn and potatoes and also has valuable dairy interests. His success is to be ascribed entirely to his industry, energy and close observation, for he has ever studied agricultural methods and by applying the right principles has succeeded in business. A native of Watauga county, North Carolina, Mr. Hartley was born July 20, 1868, and is a son of Harrison H. and Margaret (Isaacs) Hartley, also natives of that state. The father successfully followed agricultural pursuits. In 1870 the family removed to Missouri but not finding conditions there to their liking, they returned to North Carolina in 1871. The year 1872 marked their arrival in Coos county, Oregon, and there Mr. Hartley, Sr., rented land for six years. Another removal brought him to Whitman county, Washington, where he took up a preemption and also a homestead claim, the two comprising one hundred and sixty acres. This ranch he improved to a considerable extent but later sold out and returned to Coos county, Oregon, where he bought a farm which he successfully conducted until 1918, in which year he divided the farm among his children. He now lives retired in California in the enjoyment of a fair competence. His wife passed away in 1914. Reuben Hartley made the various removals with his parents and was largely reared amid the surroundings of the farm. He received his public school education in the states of Washington and Oregon and remained with his parents until twenty-two years of age, when he started out for himself. He at first took up a homestead and preemption claim in Coos county, Oregon, which comprised two hundred and eighty acres, but after proving up sold out and bought forty acres of bottom land. This property he greatly improved and thereon built a good house and barns but again sold to advantage because he had decided to make another change. Having heard many favorable reports in regard to the Yakima valley, he came to Yakima county on the 10th of September, 1910, and bought twenty acres of land three miles northeast of Granger, which was partly improved. He added to the improvements and installed modern equipment, remaining there for about seven years and selling in December, 1917, when he bought sixty acres two miles north of Granger, which is all under cultivation. Ever ready to embrace new ideas and wisely utilizing his past experience, he is a successful agriculturist in the best sense of the word, not only deriving a large income from his labors but also setting an example to others and thus contributing toward general development. He raises hay, corn, and potatoes and also has dairy interests. On October 17, 1900, Mr. Hartley was united in marriage to Miss Annie Arnold, a native of Pueblo, Colorado, and a daughter of A. M. and Catherine (Dolan) Arnold, who later settled in Kittitas county, Washington, and thence removed to Coos county, Oregon. Her father was a successful rancher. To Mr. and Mrs. Hartley were born six children, Inez, Almys, Elmer, Leslie, Robert and Helen. In his political affiliation Mr. Hartley has ever followed the democratic standard and is well informed in regard to the issues of the day as far as local, state and national politics are concerned. While a resident of Oregon he served on the school board and also was a member of the town council at Myrtle Point, that state. Mr. Hartley is a man of high character, energetic and industrious, who has attained to a prosperous condition in life entirely through his own efforts. ******************************** Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.