The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 673

RUFUS H. BONE.

Rufus H. Bone is the owner of one of the finest ranches of Yakima county,
splendidly developed and equipped with all modern accessories and conveniences.
Moreover, he has always recognized the fact that industry is the basis of all
honorable success and industry early became the beacon light of his life. Mr.
Bone comes to the northwest from Iowa, his birth having occurred in Mineral
Ridge, that state, on the 23d of February, 1859. His parents, Joseph and Rachel
(Bryan) Bone, were both natives of Xenia, Ohio, and the latter was a daughter of
Alanson Bryan, a native of Ireland and a cousin of the father of William
Jennings Bryan, so that Mrs. Rachel Bone was a relative of the Nebraska
statesman. Joseph Bone became a pioneer miller on the Boone river in Iowa and
for many years remained a resident of that state but about 1890 removed westward
to Vancouver, Washington, where he resided to the time of his death. He owned a
farm in that locality but lived retired, leaving its cultivation to others.

Rufus H. Bone acquired a common school education and after his textbooks were
put aside learned the blacksmith's trade, which he followed in Iowa until 1898.
That year witnessed his arrival in Washington. For several years he retrained in
Tacoma and was employed by the United States government in connection with the
Indian department. He taught blacksmithing and steam engineering at the Indian
school at Puyallup, Washington, being thus engaged for several years. In 1902 he
purchased four hundred and eighty acres of land and also took tip a homestead of
one hundred and sixty acres. He has since purchased forty acres more and now has
six hundred and eighty acres in all. His place is situated three and a half
miles southeast of Grandview and five and a half miles from Prosser. He located
upon his ranch in 1903. It was all wild land covered with sagebrush. He had few
neighbors, for scarcely any one had at that time settled in the district. He
built a small house upon his land and brought his family to their new home,
where they arrived in the midst of an awful dust storm, conditions being most
desolate and discouraging. He had to haul water from the river and it was
necessary for the children to go five and a half miles to school. They were
never home in daylight in the winter. Notwithstanding the disadvantages of
securing an education under such conditions they made good progress in their
studies and later one of them gained the first prize in oratory in Tacoma. Mr.
Bone made the best possible use of his talents and powers and carried on the
work of improving his ranch as the years went on. He has since given twenty
acres of irrigated ranch property to each of his six children. His place is one
of the finest ranches in Yakima county. He built a beautiful residence thereon,
also erected large and substantial barns, doing most of the work himself. He
possesses marked mechanical skill and ingenuity and not only erected the
buildings upon his own place but has also built many for his neighbors and has
put in many cisterns. His attention is given to the raising of hay, corn,
potatoes and apples. He likewise successfully engages in raising stock and
conducts a small dairy. Everything about his place is systematically and
methodically done and the results achieved are most satisfactory and gratifying.

On the 28th of July, 1886, Mr. Bone was united in marriage to Miss Alice Wilson,
who was born in Webster City, Iowa, a daughter of W. R. and Sarah Ann (Higby)
Wilson, who were pioneer settlers of that state. Her father was born in England,
while her mother was a native of Canada. Mr. Wilson is now deceased but the
mother survives and is living in Iowa at the advanced age of eighty-two years.
To Mr. and Mrs. Bone have been born six children: Claude, who is married and
resides in Vancouver, Washington; Florence, the wife of John Cartledge, a
rancher of Benton county, by whom she has one child, Verna; Myrtle, the wife of
Fred Tull, a rancher of Benton county, by whom she has three sons, Homer, Ed and
Bob; Ferne, the wife of Harold Wilkins, a farmer of Ortonville, Minnesota, by
whom she has one child, Claire; Bryan, who follows ranching near his father's
place and married Edith Fordyce, by whom he has a son, Leroy; and Wilson, who
is twelve years of age.

Mrs. Bone is a member of the Christian church. Fraternally Mr. Bone is
connected with the Knights of Pythias. He also belongs to the Grange and he is
interested in everything that has to do with the welfare and progress of
community, county and commonwealth. In politics he maintains an independent
course but has ever been an active supporter of the principles in which he
believes. He has served as road supervisor and has also been a school director.
He has likewise been a member of the board of trustees of the Sunnyside Water
Users Association for a period of eight years and has done most important work
in this connection. He has closely studied irrigation interests and
opportunities and in the office indicated has clone important work in behalf of
all who need to secure water for their fauns. He is a prominent and successful
rancher, one whose ability is widely recognized, and his sterling worth has
gained for him the respect and good will of those with whom he has been brought
in contact.

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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.