The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 818 
A portrait of Dennison F. Sanders appears in this publication.

DENNISON F. SANDERS.

The apple orchards and vineyards of Dennison F. Sanders indicate the
thoroughness of his work and the progressive spirit which has always guided him
in his business affairs. He is now the owner of an excellent property in the
Selah valley and its careful cultivation is bringing to him deserved success.
Mr. Sanders comes to the northwest from the far-off state of New York, his birth
having occurred there, in Cattaraugus county, on the 19th of December, 1842, so
that he has now passed the seventy-sixth milestone on life's journey. His
parents were James and Anna (Wildey) Sanders, the former a native of
Massachusetts, born at Salem, while the latter was born at Kinderhook, New York.
Removing westward in 1848, then settled in Waushara county, Wisconsin, and the
father purchased a soldier's claim on government land. He afterward removed to
Winnebago county, Wisconsin, where he became prominent not only as an
agriculturist and business man but as a public official, serving as treasurer of
the county for many years and proving a most faithful custodian of the public
funds. He was a very active and influential citizen of that district and left
the impress of his individuality for good upon public thought and opinion in
many ways. He died in November, 1888, having long survived his wife, who passed
away in 1866.

At the usual age Dennison F. Sanders became a pupil in the public schools of
Waushara county, Wisconsin, and, mastering the elementary branches of learning
there taught, eventually became a high school student. He afterward took up the
profession of teaching, which he followed for two terms, and later he
concentrated his efforts and attention upon farming and general merchandising,
becoming proprietor of a store in Wisconsin. He resided in that state until
1878, when he removed to Cherokee county, Iowa, and purchased land, devoting
three years to the development and improvement of that property. He next
established a hardware store at Balaton, Minnesota, and conducted it with profit
for eleven years, ranking with the leading and representative merchants of the
town. He afterward removed to Summit, South Dakota, where he again engaged in
the hardware business, and that he was a citizen of prominence and influence
there is indicated in the fact that he was elected to represent his district in
the state legislature on two different occasions. He gave thoughtful and
earnest consideration to the vital questions which came up for settlement in the
general assembly and was regarded as one of the able working members of the
house. In 1906 he removed to the west, making Yakima county his destination. On
reaching this section of the state he purchased thirty acres of land in
connection with C. L. Bradley and together they conducted a farm for some time
but eventually dissolved their interests. Mr. Sanders had previously been a
newspaper man in Minnesota for a few years and in all that he has undertaken he
has met with a fair measure of success. He now owns six and eighteenths acres of
land, all of which is planted to apples and grapes. He has built a fine home
upon his place, together with large and substantial barns, and the equipment of
his ranch is thoroughly modern and up-to-date in every respect.

On the 8th of October, 1867, Mr. Sanders was united in marriage to Miss Nettie
Carey, a daughter of Allen and Mary (Billings) Carey. In 1915 he was called upon
to mourn the loss of his wife, who passed away in May of that year, leaving two
children: Mattie, who is now the wife of Gus Randolph, a merchant of Excelsior,
Minnesota, by whom she has three children. and Millie, the wife of C. L.
Bradley, who is engaged in ranching on Selah Heights.

In his fraternal relations Mr. Sanders has been a loyal Mason since joining the
order in 1862, becoming a member of Lodge No. 248 of Wautoma, Wisconsin. He is
today one of the oldest Masons in Yakima county in years of continuous
connection with the order. In politics he has long been an earnest republican
and was an earnest worker in party ranks in his younger days, holding various
local and state offices in South Dakota. His wife was a member of the Baptist
church. Mr. Sanders is identified with various temperance societies and has
always been a strong opponent of the use and sale of intoxicants, in fact his
aid and influence have always been given on the side of right, justice, truth
and uplift, and his example and work have been a potent factor for good in every
community in which he has lived. He commands the highest respect and confidence
of all who know him and everywhere is spoken of in terms of warm regard.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in January 2008 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.