The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 269 WILL G. LAUDERDALE. Will G. Lauderdale, who is at the head of an attractive and leading dry goods establishment of Ellensburg, ranks with the representative merchants and business men of Kittitas county and in all that he does is actuated by a spirit of progress and advancement. He was born in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, January 17, 1875, a son of J. H. and Zelia M. (Gibson) Lauderdale. The father died in Wisconsin in the year 1895, but the mother survives and is now making her home with her son in Ellensburg. J. H. Lauderdale also devoted his life to merchandising. He became one of the pioneer settlers of Wisconsin, as did his wife, and in that state they were married. Will G. Lauderdale, passing through consecutive grades in the public schools, pursued a high school course and then entered upon his business career as a clerk in which capacity he was employed until 1910. He had come to the northwest in 1903, at which date he took up his abode in Everett, Washington, there residing until 1905, when he removed to Ellensburg. Step by step he advanced in his commercial career, gaining valuable knowledge and experience as the years passed, and in 1910 he purchased the dry goods store of A. C. Spalding. He has since greatly improved the establishment and now carries a very high grade stock, his being one of the leading dry goods stores of Ellensburg and this part of the state. He occupies a corner building with a fifty foot frontage and employs seven people. He carries an extensive and well selected line of dry goods and ladies' ready-to wear clothing, and his patronage has grown year by year. He is most careful and maintains the highest standards in the personnel of the house, in the treatment accorded patrons and in the business methods pursued, and his earnest desire to please his customers, combined with his integrity and enterprise, have been the dominant characteristics in the attainment of his present day success. On the 12th of February, 1908, Mr. Lauderdale was married to Miss Pauline Burcham, of Indiana, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Burcham, who came to the northwest in pioneer times, settling in Salem, Oregon. Mr. and Mrs. Lauderdale have two children, James Burcham and William Arlet. Fraternally Mr. Lauderdale is a Mason of high rank, belonging to lodge, chapter, commandery and Mystic Shrine. He is also identified with the Elks Lodge, No. 1102, of Ellensburg and he attends the Presbyterian church. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and he keeps well informed concerning the questions and issues of the day but does not seek nor desire office, his attention and energies being fully occupied by his business affairs. His strict attention to his commercial interests and his progressive spirit have made him one of the successful merchants of Ellensburg, and all with whom he has come in contact speak of him in terms of high regard. ******************************** Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.