The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 352
A portrait of L. B. Kinyon appears in this publication.

L. B. KINYON.

General farming as well as horticultural interests are prominently represented
by the activities of L. B. Kinyon, a prosperous orchardist of the Naches
district, in the Yakima valley. A native of St. Clair county, Illinois, he was
born February 27, 1855, a son of John and Alvira ( Reed) Kinyon, the former a
native of the state of South Carolina and the latter of Illinois. The
Grandfather of our subject in the paternal line was a pioneer of Illinois,
goring there before statehood was perfected in 1818. John Kinyon, the father,
was not only successful as an agriculturist, but was also a devoted minister of
the Baptist denomination. He passed away in 1896 and his wife died in 1869.

L. B. Kinyon of this review was reared under the parental roof and grew to
manhood amid the refining influences of a good home. In the acquirement of his
education he attended the public schools, subsequently taking a course at a
business college, at the end of which time he turned his attention to
agricultural pursuits in Illinois, there continuing until 1882, when, at the
age of twenty-seven, he made removal to Oregon, settling at Eugene, where he
remained for one year. The next year and a half he spent at Walla Walla,
Washington, but in the winter of 1884 he came to Yakima county, acquiring title
to a farm in the Moxee valley. To its cultivation he devoted a number of years,
making this a valuable property, but in 1893 sold out and then rented the
Redmond ranch near Yakima, which he cultivated for about ten years. He then
lived in Yakima City for three years. In 1907 Mr. Kinyon bought ninety acres of
rich and valuable land on the upper Naches and here he is now extensively
engaged in orcharding, leaving twenty acres in apples, pears, cherries and
peaches. Following progressive methods and readily adopting modern ideas in
regard to fruit raising, he has been very successful in his enterprise. Of the
remainder of his land part is under the plow, part is in pasture, while a
portion is devoted to the raising of hay. He has built a handsome residence
since coming into possession of this property and has also erected suitable
modern barns, thus transforming his place into an up-to-date fruit farm.

Mr. Kinyon has the reputation of being one of the foremost orchardists not only
of the state but of the entire country. He grew the largest apple ever produced
anywhere in the world and this apple was on exhibition at the World's Fair in
St. Louis and an American flag was presented to him in recognition of it. The
apple was over five inches in diameter and weighed forty-eight ounces and was of
the variety known as Spokane Beauty. At Seattle on the 18th of January, 1907, he
won a handsome cup, which was awarded by the Northwestern Fruit Growers
Association for the best display of apples. At the St. Louis World's Fair he
also won first award for a general display of apples, this award consisting of a
gold medal. At the Portland World's Fair in 1905 he won the first award (gold
medal) for a general display of apples and also won the first award, consisting
of a gold medal, at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition held at Seattle in 1909.
Five times he made up the Yakima county exhibits at the Washington State Fair
and every time he won the blue ribbon for this display; in fact he has never
failed to win the highest award when he exhibited. Not only is he thoroughly
trained in regard to fruit raising, having practical experience as well as
theoretical knowledge, but he has evolved many new methods which have led to
success. He is therefore today considered one of the leading horticulturists of
the state and nation. He produces only a very high grade of fruit, growing in
the line of apples Arkansas Blacks, Spitzenbergs, Jonathans, Rome Beauties and
Winesaps, while in the line of pears he raises the Bartlett and Winter Nellis.

On the 16th of August, 1883, Mr. Kinyon was united in marriage to Isabel Brown,
a native of New York and a daughter of John and Sarah (Simmons) Brown, both
natives of England, who upon coming to this country, followed agricultural
pursuits, and both have now passed away. Mr. and Mrs. Kinyon have become the
parents of three children: Florence, who married Dr. Lloyd Moffett, who is in
the United States army and by whom she has a son; Arthur, a rancher in the
Naches district, who married Martha Bamford, by whom he has two children; and
Elmer, a dairyman of Issaquah, Washington, who is married and has three
children.

Mr. Kinyon has always taken a most laudable interest in progress and
advancement, particularly as regards Yakima county, and thoroughly appreciating
the importance of irrigation, has served as trustee of the Fowler ditch and
also the Moxee, which he assisted in building. He is a warm champion of the
cause of education and he has for many years served on the school board, having
been connected with the board since he took up his residence here. The movement
for building the handsome new Nob Hill school was largely started by him.
Fraternally he is a Yeoman and also belongs to the Grange. Moreover, he is a
charter member and an ex-trustee of the Yakima County Horticultural Union and in
this connection it may be of interest to mention that he invented the trays
which are now generally used for exhibiting fruit. He and his wife are devoted
members of the Baptist church, in the work of which they are helpfully
interested. Mr. Kinyon gives his political support to the republican party, in
whose principles he firmly believes. As one of the prominent fruit raisers of
the state and especially Yakima county and as one of its pioneers there is
great credit due him for what he has achieved not only for himself but in the
interests of others, who have greatly profited through his labors.

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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.