The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 1050 LEANDER EDWARD LAWRENCE. Leander Edward Lawrence, a successful orchardist near Zillah, was born at New Point, Indiana, April 16, 1859, a son of Daniel P. and Sarah A. (Coen) Lawrence. The father was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, and the mother in Indiana, in which state her parents had located in early pioneer times. Mrs. Lawrence passed away when her son Leander was but three months old and the father afterward wedded Mary Ann Gerard. In 1876 he removed with his family to Nebraska, settling in Harvard, and later resided near Hastings, where both he and his wife passed away. L. E. Lawrence spent his youthful days in his native state and acquired his public school education there. When a youth of eighteen he started out in the business world to provide for his own support. He worked for wages for about three years and on attaining his majority took up government land in Kansas. He afterward returned to Nebraska, however, and there remained until 1899, when he came to the Yakima valley and turned his attention to general merchandising and the undertaking business in Zillah. Recognizing the opportunities for successful fruit growing in this section, in 1908, he bought fifty-seven acres of land a mile and a quarter north of Zillah, which at that time was covered with a native growth of sagebrush. He sold his store in 1910 in order to concentrate his efforts and attention upon the development and improvement of his ranch, upon which he took up his abode, building there a fine residence. He now has fifty acres of land planted to fruit. Of his orchards thirty-five acres are in apples, ten acres in pears and the balance in prunes and peaches. This is one of the largest private orchards in his part of the county. He has a substantial packing house and every facility for handling and shipping the fruit and he has followed the most progressive methods in the care of his orchards. He is continually studying everything that bears upon horticultural development in the northwest and his broad experience and his success enable him to speak with authority upon questions relative to fruit raising in this section. In 1879 Mr. Lawrence was united in marriage to Miss Rose Hans, of Nebraska, who passed away in 1889, leaving two children: Bertha, the wife of George Elliott, a resident of Salem, Oregon, by whom she has five children; and Charles, who died at the age of eighteen years. Having lost his first wife, Mr. Lawrence afterward married Miss Martha J. Diamond, of Nebraska, and they became parents of three children: Harry, who is living in Aberdeen, Washington; Claude S., who died in January, 1918, at the age of sixteen years: and Lenora, at home. In 1908 Mr. Lawrence wedded Mary Ellen Drake, of Outlook, Washington, but formerly of South Dakota. Mr. Lawrence is identified with the Modern Woodmen of America and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He and his family are consistent members of the Christian church, taking an active interest in its work and doing all in their power to promote its growth and extend its influence. In politics he is a republican and for ten years he served as constable. He is interested in all that pertains to the welfare and upbuilding of the community in which he makes his home and is a public-spirited citizen. His plans of life have ever been well formulated and promptly executed and from each experience he has gleaned the lessons therein contained. Starting out on his own account at the age of eighteen years, he has worked persistently and energetically. and ever seeking broader opportunities, he has come at length to rank with the successful orchardists of the Yakima valley. ******************************** Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in January 2008 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.