The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 826 A portrait of William H. Strausz appears in this publication. WILLIAM H. STRAUSZ. Those who early traveled to the Yakima Valley and saw the stretches of and land surrounding what is now, the beautiful and enterprising city of Yakima would scarcely have dreamed that the district ever would he converted into a rich horticultural section, but the labors of wide-awake, alert and energetic men have brought about this result and today substantial fortunes are being won in the development of fine orchards. To this work William H. Strausz is giving his attention, having resided in this section for almost two decades. he was born in Shelby county, Illinois. January 28, 1863, a son of Michael and Mary (Fritz) Strausz, who were farming people. On leaving Illinois they removed to Barton county. Missouri, in 1876 and there remained until 1900, when they made their way to the northwest with Yakima county as their destination. They are now living retired in Yakima, the father at the age of eighty-three years and the mother at the age of eighty. They have traveled life's journey together as husband and wife for sixty-one years. William H. Strausz, after putting aside his textbooks, through which he had become familiar with the usual branches of learning taught in the public schools, began farming with his father and was thus active in business until nearly thirty years of age. He then desired to start out independently and purchased one hundred acres of land in Missouri, which he owned and cultivated successfully until 1899. He then resolved to become a resident of the northwest and removed to Washington, at which time he purchased sixteen and a quarter acres of wild land on Nob Hill. At once he began the development and improvement of the property. After a time he sold eleven acres of that tract but later purchased twenty-five acres two miles west of the city of Yakima and has planted this, together with the remaining five and a quarter acres of his first purchase, to fruit, having large orchards of apples, pears and cherries which annually produce extensive crops, owing to the very thorough, systematic and scientific manner in which he improves his orchards and cares for his trees. He belongs to the Yakima County Horticultural Union and is widely recognized as one of the leading farmers of the valley. On the 22nd of February, 1888, Mr. Strausz was united in marriage to Miss Emma C. Yates, a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Jones) Yates, the former being a relative of ex-Governor Yates. They were numbered among the pioneer settlers of Illinois, making their home near Roodhouse, and later removed to Missouri, in which state was celebrated the marriage of William H. Strausz and Emma C. Yates. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Yates subsequently took up their abode in South Dakota and in that state spent their remaining days. Mr. and Mrs. Strausz have become the parents of three children, as follows: Alva L., who married Olive Turner and is now acting as state horticulturist of Montana; Verla Gladys, who is now a student in Pullman College, entering that institution after her graduation from the high school; and Herbert Glen, who is attending school. The religious faith of the family is that of the Methodist church, while in politics Dr. Strausz is a stanch republican. There were only three houses on the Summit View road when be established his home in the Yakima valley and he has been an interested witness of the growth and development which have since occurred and in which he has aided materially through his active support of all movements and measures promoted to advance the interests of this section. ******************************** Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in January 2008 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.