Asel H. Burnap spent the period of his boyhood and youth largely in Oregon, where he acquired a public school education when not busy with work in the fields. He continued at home until he had attained his majority, after which he engaged in the live stock business on his own account. It was in 1911 that he purchased his present place of thirty acres on section 27, township 7 north, range 33 east. Here he has since resided and is extensively and successfully engaged in the raising of alfalfa, which furnishes excellent food for his stock. There is no finer tract to be found in the valley and Mr. Burnap is wisely and successfully directing his business affairs, so that prosperity is attending his labors. He is, moreover, the secretary and treasurer of the West Side Hawley Irrigation Corporation. He has not only closely studied the question of supplying water to the land but has taken up every phase of the business and knows exactly what can be accomplished in this section of the state along the line of profitable farming and stock raising.
In 1905 Mr. Burnap was united in marriage to Miss Evalina Cummins and to them have been born three children, Maud L., Leland G. and Melvina A. The wife and mother is a member of the Congregational church and Mr. Burnap holds membership in Trinity Lodge, No. 121, I. O. O. F., being a faithful follower of its principles. His political endorsement is given to the republican party, which he has supported since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. He is a progressive young business man, alert and enterprising, and well deserves mention among the substantial and worthy citizens of the Walla Walla valley.
J. C. WEATHERFORD.
One of the distinguished and honored citizens of Columbia county is J. C. Weatherford, a successful agriculturist, making a specialty of stock and wheat raising. He was born in this county on the 21st of May, 1882, and is a son of F. M. Weatherford, whose sketch appears on another page of this volume.
During his boyhood and youth J. C. Weatherford attended the common schools and completed his education by a course at Armstrong Commercial College, from which he was graduated. On putting aside his textbooks, he turned his attention to farming and purchased a tract of land which he has since operated with marked success. He is now the owner of five hundred acres of very valuable and productive land, most of which is devoted to wheat, and he gives considerable attention to the raising of stock.
In 1910 Mr. Weatherford married Miss Fleta Ward, also a native of Walla Walla county, and they have a little daughter, Antoinette, who was born November 19, 1916. Mrs. Weatherford is a member of the Episcopal church, and Mr. Weatherford's fraternal relations are with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of Pythias. The democratic party has found in him a stanch supporter of its principles and his fellow citizens recognizing his worth and ability elected him state senator in 1912. For four years he filled that responsible position with credit to himself and to the entire satisfaction of his constituents. He has also served as school director and has done much to promote the interests of his community along various lines.
F. A. JONAS.
An energetic and farsighted business man, F. A. Jonas is meeting with a substantial measure of success as a member of the Perrine-Jonas Company; general merchants and foremost business men of Waitsburg. He was born in Lewiston, Idaho, on the 27th of October, 1865, and is a son of Milton and Eliza (Gilman) Jonas, both of whom were natives of Iowa. They were married, however, in Florence, Idaho, having removed to that state in young manhood and womanhood. The father crossed the plains with an ox team to California in 1860 and there engaged in gold mining until the winter of 1861-2, when he removed to Walla Walla county, Washington. He then turned his attention to farming and stock raising and continued to make his home in Walla Walla county until 1875, when he took up his abode in Columbia county, where he continued to devote his energies to general agricultural pursuits throughout the remainder of his active business life. He was very successful as a farmer and he and his sons acquired between thirteen and fourteen hundred acres of land. His business affairs were carefully managed and his investments judiciously made, and as the result of his close application and persistency of purpose he won a substantial measure of success. His death occurred September 8, 1908, while his wife had passed away September 16, 1906.