The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 824

JOHN W. SWOPE.

John W. Swope, who has lived in the northwest for more than a third of a
century and has been successfully engaged in horticultural pursuits in Yakima
county since 1906, owns ten and a half acres of land on the lower Naches which
he has planted to apples and pears. His birth occurred in Dixon, Lee county,
Illinois, on the 4th of January, 1858, his parents being John and Susan (Warner)
Swope, the former a native of Germany, while the latter was born in Scotland.
They were brought to the United States in childhood and John Swope was
identified with farming interests throughout his active business career. On
leaving Illinois he removed with his family to the vicinity of Newton, Iowa, and
subsequently established his home in Guthrie Center, that state, where he
continued to reside until called to his final rest.

John W. Swope, whose name introduces this review, acquired a public school
education in his youth and when seventeen years of age began working for wages
at Des Moines, Iowa, remaining in the employ of others until 1884. He then made
his way westward to Butte, Montana, where he continued for five years, while
subsequently he spent six years in Idaho. On the expiration of that period he
removed to Walla Walla, Washington, and was there identified with railway work
for six years. In 1904 he came to the Yakima valley and two years later
purchased ten and a half acres of land on the lower Naches, where he has since
developed an excellent apple and pear orchard which yields him a gratifying
annual income. He has erected an attractive residence on the place and has
become widely recognized as one of the successful and enterprising
horticulturists of Yakima county.

In 1877 Mr. Swope was united in marriage to Miss Maude Huntley, of Des Moines,
Iowa, who passed away in 1898, leaving five children, as follows: Charles, who
is engaged in ranching on the lower Naches; George, who is married and is now
with the United States Army in France; Clinton, who is married and has one
child, Sybil; Mabel, at home; and Pearl, who is the wife of Arthur Fulbright, of
Fruitvale, Washington. In 1902 Mr. Swope was again married, his second union
being with Miss Georgia McPherson, of Des Moines, Iowa, who departed this life
in June, 1911.

Mr. Swope gives his political allegiance to the republican party and is a most
loyal and public-spirited citizen whose aid and cooperation are ever found on
the side of advancement and upbuilding. His life has been straightforward and
honorable in every relation, commanding the confidence, esteem and regard of
those with whom he has been associated.

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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.