Hawthorne, Julian, Ed.  History of Washington the Evergreen State: 
From Early Dawn to Daylight.  Vol. 2.  New York: American 
Historical Publishing Co., 1893.  p. 672.

YORK, W. Z., a harness-maker, one of the early settlers in Yakima City, 
was born in Illinois in 1832, being eighth in a family of nine children 
born to Zadoc and Melvina (De Witt) York, both natives of Kentucky.  He 
began life as a blacksmith, served his time, and came to California in 
1849, being then but seventeen years of age.  After engaging in various 
occupations until 1863, he removed to The Dalles, Ore., and from thence 
to Canyon City, where he engaged in mining.  The next year he returned to 
The Dalles, and from there moved to his present home in the Yakima 
Valley.  He was one of the earliest to enter into business at Yakima City.  
He has now in a measure retired from active pursuits; is the owner of 
several buildings and other valuable property.  His life has had its spice 
of adventure, including several hot skirmishes with the Indians, of whose 
bitter hostility and barbarous massacres he possesses several rather ghastly 
relics, having the tomahawk and pipe combined with which the treacherous 
savage killed Marcus Whitman.  Mr. York paid $45 for this weapon.

Submitted by: Jenny Tenlen

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Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project.  Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.