The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 304

FRED W. MAY.

Modern scientific attainment has contributed much to the development of the
natural resources of the Yakima valley. Advanced knowledge concerning fruit
raising and the development of nursery stock constitutes an important element
in the success of the Yakima & Columbia River Nursery Company, of which Fred W.
May is one of the officers, and in this connection he is contributing in
substantial measure to the improvement of his and other sections of the
northwest through the production of nursery stock specially adapted to soil and
climatic conditions in this section of the country.

Mr. May is a native of Ontario, Canada. He was born November 29, 1877, and is a
son of Silas and Emma (Thomas) May. In young manhood he went to St. Paul,
Minnesota, with an uncle and there remained for sixteen years, during which time
he was active in the nursery business in connection with his uncle, L. L. May.
The year 1909 witnessed his arrival in Yakima, where he established business
under the name of the Yakima & Columbia River Nursery Company, in which
undertaking he was associated with I. H. Dills. The company grows a general line
of nursery stock, including fruit and ornamental trees, and their place is
located near Parker, Washington. It is a tract of forty acres and includes ten
acres of orchard. This is today one of the oldest as well as one of the most
flourishing nurseries in the valley. The company enjoys a large local trade,
their sales extending over the northwest and into California. They also ship to
Montana and British Columbia. The business has steadily grown in volume and
importance and they employ from eight to twenty-five people according to the
season a fact indicative of the liberal patronage which is now theirs.

In 1912 Mr. May was united in marriage to Miss Inez Clay, of Tacoma.
Fraternally he is identified with the Masons, belonging to Yakima Lodge, No.
24, F. & A. M., and he is likewise a member of the Benevolent Protective Order
of Elks.

Mr. May gives his political allegiance to the democratic party. He belongs to
the Commercial Club and is well known as a representative citizen who heartily
cooperates with every movement of that organization to upbuild the interests of
the city, extend its business connections and stimulate those agencies which
promote civic virtue, civic improvement and civic pride.

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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.