The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 750 

LESTER M. HOLT.

Lester M. Holt, supervising engineer for the Indian irrigation service, with
headquarters at Yakima, was born in Rock county, Wisconsin, February 25, 1877, a
son of Lester C. and Sarah E. (Snyder) Holt, the former a native of Connecticut,
while the latter was born in New York. The ancestral line can be traced back to
Sir John Holt, of England, who flourished there about 1640 and was a well known
attorney. The Holt family was established on American soil in early colonial
days and the great-grandfather of Lester M. Holt was a soldier of the
Revolutionary war, valiantly aiding the colonies in their struggle, which
resulted in the establishment of American independence. Lester C. Holt became a
resident of Wisconsin in the early '60s and there resided for many years,
passing away May 23, 1916. For only a few months had he survived his wife, who
died on the 23d of July, 1915.

Lester M. Holt was graduated from the high school of Evansville, Wisconsin,
taking his examinations while working in the treasury department at Washington,
D. C. He was afterward graduated from Columbian University (now George
Washington University) with the Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering
in 1900 and subsequently took post graduate work there, pursuing a course, which
he completed in 1902. He made a specialty of the subjects bearing upon water
power and irrigation. 

In 1902 when the irrigation bill was passed Mr. Holt became the first appointee
of the service and was assigned to duty in connection with the geological
survey, the gauging of streams and the acquiring of data necessary for the
development of the work. He was afterward sent to Colorado as irrigation
assistant on the Grand Valley project and later served in connection with the
Uncompahgre project in Colorado. His next work was in Oklahoma, where he was
connected with the irrigation survey, and later he had charge of the
construction of the waterworks of the city of Lawton, Oklahoma, and was
assistant engineer on the construction of sewers, bridges, courthouses, schools,
jails and other public works in Oklahoma. On leaving that state he became
identified with the Truckee-Carson project as assistant engineer in charge of
designs and surveys and was later transferred to the Indian service in 1908 as
engineer in charge of the Tongue River project in Montana, on which he worked
for two years. On the expiration of that period he went to Washington, D. C.,
where he was in charge of the irrigation section of the Indian service for two
and a half years and was then appointed superintendent of irrigation for the
district comprising Washington. Oregon, northern California and northern Idaho.
In August, 1912, he arrived in Yakima, where he established his headquarters in
connection with this work, and here he has since remained. The largest project
is on the Yakima Indian reservation including one hundred and twenty thousand
acres. During the period from 1912 to 1918 the irrigated area has increased from
thirty-two thousand acres to sixty-two thousand acres, the greatest increase
being made during the two seasons the nation was at war. The total irrigation
possibilities on that reservation include one hundred and eighty thousand acres
of Indian land. For twenty-two years Mr. Holt has been with the service, or for
a longer period than any other man, having been the first appointee after the
irrigation system was established by the United States government. There is no
question as to his ability and fidelity. These are indicated by his long
identification with the work and there are few who equal him in comprehensive
knowledge of irrigation interests in all branches.

On the 29th of November, 1904, Mr. Molt was married to Miss Clara V. Trow, of
Washington, D. C., and to them were born three children: Gordon T., aged twelve
years; Walter Morton, a youth of nine; and Harriet Elizabeth, a little maiden of
seven summers. The wife and mother passed away October 13, 1916, her death being
deeply regretted by the many friends whom she had made in Yakima during the
period of their residence here.

Mr. Holt is independent in his political views, nor has he ever been an office
seeker. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and his
thought and study have been largely concentrated upon his professional interests
and activities. He is continually broadening his knowledge and promoting his
skill through reading and experience and speaks with authority upon all
questions having to do with the irrigation interests not only of the northwest
but of many other sections of the country.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in January 2008 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.