The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 1048 A. W. SEVERANCE. A. W. Severance, an orchardist living near Wapato, was born in Pierce county, Wisconsin, April 18, 1863, but dates his residence in this part of the country from 1889 and thus has been identified with the northwest through three decades. His parents were Joseph and Lydia F. (Weston) Severance, the former a native of Oldtown, Maine, while the latter was born in Skowhegan, Maine. They became pioneer residents of Wisconsin, where the father followed the occupation of farming until 1896, when he made his way to the Pacific coast, settling first in Oregon. He afterward came to the Yakima valley about 1900 and lived retired to the time of his death. He was a veteran of the Civil war, having loyally served in defense of the Union cause during that dark hour in America's history, and at all times he was loyal to the best interests of the country. Both he and his wife have passed away. Their son, A. W. Severance, having acquired a public school education, entered Carleton College at Northfield, Minnesota, and in due course of time was graduated from that institution. He afterward taught school for four years in the middle west and, attracted by the opportunities of the growing northwest, came to Washington in 1889, settling in Cowlitz county. He subsequently removed to Tillamook, Oregon, where he lived from 1890 until 1910 and during that period was engaged in the practice of law. In 1910 he opened a law office in Yakima, where he continued in active practice for two years. In 1905 he and his brother, E. W. Severance, had purchased twenty-one acres of sagebrush land on Parker Heights and the brother had occupied it from the beginning. They afterward divided their holdings, however, and in 1912 Mr. Severance of this review took up his abode on his portion of the tract. He has eleven acres, all planted to orchards, making a specialty of the raising of apples, pears, peaches and prunes. He has built a nice home upon his place and has all modern accessories and conveniences there. In orcharding, as in law practice, he is winning success. He has the thoroughness and energy which constitute the basis of all honorable and legitimate success and he is putting forth every effort to thoroughly familiarize himself with the best methods of raising fruit in the northwest. On the 11th of June, 1905, Mr. Severance was married to Miss Dora E. High, a native of Knoxville, Iowa, and a daughter of Solomon and Mary A. High. Their children are Ruth and Mildred. The parents are consistent members of the Presbyterian church and in social circles they occupy an enviable position, the hospitality of the best homes of their community being freely accorded them. Mr. Severance belongs to the Knights of Pythias fraternity and his political allegiance is given to the republican party. He served as chief clerk and as general clerk of the senate of Oregon when a resident of that state. He was also the first mayor of Tillamook, Oregon, and likewise filled the office of prosecuting attorney and city attorney for several terms, making a most excellent record in those positions. He was active on the school hoard and in all public affairs and has ever cooperated heartily in all plans and projects for the general good. While now residing upon his ranch and giving much attention to its further development. he still accepts some law cases and has been heard before the supreme court since establishing his home on the ranch. He is interested in everything pertaining to the development of the land and the promotion of agricultural and horticultural interests in this section and is now an active member of the hoard of directors for the t7nion Gap Irrigation District. He has one of the finest orchard tracts of the Yakima valley, clearing over four hundred dollars per acre on his place in 1918. The ranch is practically frostproof and he obtains fine crops when others lose their fruit through freezing. The life record of Mr. Severance would be incomplete were there failure to make reference to the military history of the family. His great-grandfather, George Severance, was one of the heroes of the Revolutionary war. His grandfather served in the War of 1812 and the father and seven uncles of Mr. Severance of this review were soldiers of the Civil war. His mother was a daughter of Edward Weston, also a veteran of the Civil war, while her grandfather served in the War of 1812 and was descended from Colonel Abel Weston, who fought for American independence in the Revolutionary war. In both the paternal and maternal lines the ancestry is connected with old colonial families and their descendants have ever worked and fought for the best interests of America. President Franklin Pierce was a cousin of the grandfather of A. W. Severance in the maternal line. But while the story of the military record of his ancestors is being given, one must not forget the splendid part which the two sons of Mr. Severance, born of his first marriage, have played in the recently concluded great European war. Warren, the elder son, born September 5, 1893, is now a member of the United States navy on the ship Shawmut, an oil-burning mine-laying vessel. During the past six months this vessel has made twenty thousand miles, including fourteen thousand miles in the North Sea, and has sunk eighteen submarines. The average life of a British vessel doing the same work has been seventeen days, but the Shawmut has been particularly fortunate. Now that the war is over and its crew safe from German treachery, they have every reason to be proud of the record which they have made. The younger son, Logan Severance, born February 9, 1896, is a member of the United States Marines, stationed on the island of Guam. Both boys, enlisted and the elder son had seen service on the Mexican border before enlisting for service in the war against Germany and its policy of worldwide militarism. Mr. Severance has every reason to be proud of the course of his two sons His own career has been marked by equal faithfulness to duties of citizenship and by a helpful interest in all that has pertained to the welfare and progress of the northwest during the long period of his residence in this section of the country. ******************************** Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in January 2008 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.