The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 1041 

FRANK B. WOOD.

Richly bearing orchard one mile northeast of Buena represents the life work of
Frank B. Wood, a progressive horticulturist of that district. He was born in
Chenango county, New York, April 8, 1864, a son of Joshua and Abbie Jane
(Morgan) Wood, natives of Pennsylvania and Connecticut respectively. The father
was a gunsmith by trade and in 1867 the family took up their residence in Otoe
county, Nebraska. Joshua Wood conducted a gun shop at Nebraska City until 1877,
when he took up a homestead in Otoe county, and there he continued until 1898,
when he removed to Dundy county, Nebraska, and there bought a ranch, to the
further cultivation of which he gave his attention until his death, which
occurred February 10, 1916. His widow survives and is still a resident of that
locality.

Frank B. Wood received a public school education and in 1886, when twenty-two
years of age, took up a homestead claim in Dundy county, Nebraska. He became
quite successful as a rancher there but in the fall of 1898 removed to Gallatin
county, Montana, where he purchased a farm, which he operated for eleven years,
selling out in 1909. At that time he came to Yakima county, Washington, and
bought ten acres of land one mile northeast of Buena, five acres of which were
in orchard. He has since planted the remainder of the tract to apples, pears and
peaches and has built a good home and made other improvements, so that his fruit
ranch is now valuable, his annual profits being very gratifying.

On April 8, 1888, Mr. Wood was united in marriage to Miss Anna Alsbury, a native
of Missouri and a daughter of Thomas and Anna (Veath) Alsbury, natives of
Illinois, in which state they were born near Springfield. They became early
settlers of Missouri but in 1886 removed to Nebraska and in 1899 came to
Zillah, Washington, where the father owned part of the present town site of
Zillah, his tract comprising fifteen acres, which he transformed into a richly
hearing orchard, and there he lived until his demise. His wife passed away when
Mrs. Wood was but four years old and subsequently her father married Mrs.
Rosamond Mudd, who still resides in Zillah. Mr. and Mrs. Wood have ten children:
Nettie, who married William Frakes, of Yakima, by whom she has two children;
Burk, deceased, who is survived by a wife and one child; Elmer, a rancher of
Benton City, Washington, who is married and has one child; Myrtle, the wife of
Otto Hillbury, a rancher near Zillah, by whom she has a son; Bessie, who married
Charles Zurnstein, of Mullan, Idaho, by whom she has one child; and Leona,
Warren, Albert, Mary and Olive.

Fraternally Mr. Wood belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America and his wife is a
member of the Methodist church. While a resident of Nebraska he served on the
local school board and although he has held no public office since coming to
Yakima county he ever gives his aid and support to measures which he considers
of value in promoting the general welfare. He is now a prosperous orchardist of
his region, and his prosperity is well deserved as it is the result of his own
labors. He has participated in the upbuilding of the west not only in Nebraska
but also in Montana, whither the family, including five children, removed by
team, and later in the Yakima valley, where he now represents important
horticultural interests. Mr. Wood has many friends in Zillah and vicinity and
all see in him a loyal citizen, a reliable business man and a faithful friend.

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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.