The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 196
A portrait of Walter Arnold appears in this publication.
 
WALTER ARNOLD.

Among the leading orchardists of Washington is Walter Arnold, who is not only
widely known as an able business man in this state but has extensive interests
in South America. A far-seeing, energetic man. he has used his qualities toward
building up a career which lifts him out of the ordinary and places him among
those who are not only considered as substantial citizens but who have
contributed toward development wherever their activities have led them. A native
of London, England, Mr. Arnold was born August 9, 1855, and is a son of John and
Esther (Jones) Arnold, both deceased. The father throughout his life followed
contracting and was quite successful along that line.

Walter Arnold was reared amid the refining influences of an English home and
received his education in the public schools, but when thirteen years of age
joined the British navy, serving for one year. He made his advent into the
United States in 1870 and his first place of residence was North Adams,
Massachusetts, where he spent a year, after which a short stay was made in New
York. In 1873 we find him in Chicago, where he entered the stone-cutting trade.
Three years later, in 1876, Mr. Arnold removed to Toronto, Canada, and for five
years he made that city his home, going from there again to New York and later
to Chicago and thence to Minneapolis, Minnesota. During this time he was a stone
contractor and as such located at St. Cloud, Minnesota, doing contracting and
railroad work all over the northwest, with that city as his headquarters. Among
the prominent enterprises of that period with which he was connected was the
building of the Milwaukee Railroad. In 1909 Mr. Arnold organized the Yakima
Orchard Development Company, of which for three years he was president, having
over six hundred acres of orchard. The extent of their operations may be
inferred from the fact that during one spring ninety-seven thousand trees were
planted. This property is located at Parker Heights but in 1911 he sold his
interest in the company. In 1909 he also bought eighty acres on the upper
Naches, which he has since retained, and of this forty-seven acres are in
apples, pears and peaches. He has built a sheltering building and barns in order
to house his orchard interests and also has erected a fine residence, his
property now being one of the most valuable in the valley. Recently Mr. Arnold
has organized a syndicate which purchased a tract of a half million acres, all
in one body, in Brazil, the organization being known as The American Brazilian
Company, our subject being the secretary.

On the 14th of May, 1878, Mr. Arnold was united in marriage to Miss Eliza J.
Jones, a native of Canada and a daughter of Lewis and Maria (Richmond) Jones. To
this union the following children have been born: Walter, a ranches of Yakima
county; Lillian, the wife of A. L. Knouse, of Seattle, by whom she has two
children; Edward, who has mercantile interests at Naches, where he resides with
his wife and three children; Zella. the wife of Grover Hines, of Baker City,
Oregon; Alma, who married F. G. Johnson, foreman of Mr. Arnold's ranch; Ruth,
attending the State University; Esther, who married C. Philip Shank, of Seattle,
now a lieutenant with the United States army in France; and Mildred, who is also
attending the State University.

Mr. and Mrs. Arnold are welcome additions to the social life of their
neighborhood and have made many friends since coming here. Both have agreeable
qualities which make them very popular and they often entertain at their home.
As a business man and orchardist the reputation of Mr. Arnold is of the
highest. He has not only acquired an individual fortune but has introduced
valuable methods in fruit raising thus contributing to local development. His
religious faith is that of the Baptist church, while fraternally he belongs to
the blue lodge of Masons, the principles of that organization guiding him in
his relations with his fellowmen. His political affiliation is that of the
republican party but although well informed upon all questions of the day in
regard to local. state and national politics he has never desired public honors
for himself, preferring to concentrate his efforts upon his business affairs.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.