The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 971 CHARLES R. PADDOCK. As one visits the splendid orchards of Washington, with their immense yield, it is almost impossible to realize that only a few short years ago it was believed that fruit could not be successfully raised in the Yakima valley or in this part of the state. With the development of the fruit growing interests many prominent and progressive businessmen have come to the front. Among this number is Charles R. Paddock, now a wholesale fruit dealer of Yakima, who has developed interests of large extent and importance. He is winning well merited success and his position as a representative business man of Yakima is indeed an enviable one. Mr. Paddock is a native of Colby, Clark county, Wisconsin. He was born in 1880, of the marriage of Chester and Mary (Russell) Paddock, who in the year 1882 removed with their family to South Dakota and settled at Volga, where the father took up the occupation of farming. There he continued to reside until 1902, when he came to the northwest, establishing his home in Seattle. He died in Yakima, while his wife departed this life in Tacoma. Charles R. Paddock, after acquiring a public school education in South Dakota, came to Washington in 1901 and for a year was employed in a sawmill in Seattle. He afterward became associated with J. P. Warner & Company in the fruit business and still later was with the American Produce Company. In 1906 he arrived in Yakima and entered the employ of the Yakima County Horticultural Union in the capacity of bookkeeper. His fidelity and capability in that connection led to his promotion to the position of manager in 1909 and he so continued to serve until the early part of 1912. Ambitious to engage in business on his own account, he then entered the brokerage field, organizing the firm of C. R. Paddock & Company in 1914. This was incorporated on the 1st of July, 1918, and offices which were originally established in the Yakima Trust building were removed in 1917 to 13 South First avenue, where the company has a warehouse fifty by one hundred and fifty feet, together with commodious office space. They do a brokerage and shipping business in fruit and produce and have built up a patronage of gratifying proportions. In 1910 Mr. Paddock was married to Miss Pearl L. Kelly, of Yakima, a daughter of William and Martha (Strickland) Kelly. Mrs. Paddock was born in Oregon and her people were pioneer residents of that state, whence they removed to Yakima in 1906. To Mr. and Mrs. Paddock has been born one son, who is affectionately called Billy. Mr. Paddock is a well known Mason, belonging to Yakima Lodge, No. 24, F. & A. M., also to the Lodge of Perfection up to the Consistory, which is the thirtieth degree. He likewise has membership in Elks Lodge, No. 318, of Yakima and is enrolled among the representatives of the Yakima Country Club and the Yakima Commercial Club. In politics he maintains an independent course and his religious views as indicated in his attendance at the Presbyterian church. He is a member of the Young Men's Christian Association and also of the Home Guard and he is intensely interested in everything that is truly and patriotically American. He cooperates heartily and willingly in every effort to promote public progress and improvement and to raise the standards of citizenship. At the same time he has been a progressive, wide-awake and alert business man who has accomplished his purposes and won a position among the successful merchants of the west. He is a man of determined purpose who never stops short of the successful accomplishment of his plans. He has ever recognized that if one avenue of opportunity is closed he can carve out other paths whereby to reach the desired goal, and his determination and energy have carried him over many obstacles and difficulties. ******************************** Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in January 2008 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.