The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 637

RALPH MASON.

Ralph Mason is the owner of a good ranch property of forty- acres, one-half of
which came into his possession by purchase in 1900, since which time he has
lived upon the place. He was born in Minnesota, October 7, 1874, a son of G. W.
and Malinda (Twitchell) Mason, who were natives of Pennsylvania and of Maine
respectively. The father was a son of Jacob Mason, who removed to Wisconsin in
1847 and cast in his lot with the early settlers of that state. Subsequently he
and his son, G. W. Mason, became pioneers of Minnesota and contributed to the
early development of that state. G. W. Mason served for three and a half years
as a soldier of the Civil war and throughout his entire life was actuated by a
spirit of marked devotion to his country and its welfare. He continued his
residence in the middle west until 1875, when he removed with his family to the
Willamette valley of Oregon, there remaining until 1879, when he became a
resident of Klickitat county, Washington. For a period of ten years he resided
in that county and in the spring of 1890 made his way to North Yakima, where he
lived for two years. In 1892 he bought twenty acres of land two and a half miles
north of Granger, which at the time was covered with sagebrush. He at once began
to clear the place and cultivate it and as the years passed continued the work
of general improvement and development, so that his labors wrought a marked
transformation in its appearance. He resided upon that farm until his death,
which occurred February 17, 1916. The mother survives and still occupies the old
home farm.

Ralph Mason spent his youthful days under the parental roof, being brought by
his parents to the northwest in his infancy. He acquired his education in the
public schools of this section of the country and in vacation periods and after
his school days were over worked with his father until he reached the age of
twenty-five years. In 1900 he bought twenty acres of land three miles northeast
of Granger and, prospering in his undertakings, was enabled to double the
extent of his acreage in 1916 by the purchase of another twenty-acre tract,
which he yet owns. He is now raising corn, hay and potatoes and also conducts a
dairy business, and the sound judgment and enterprise which he displays in the
management and improvement of his farm are bringing to him well merited success.

On the 29th of December, 1903, Mr. Mason was married to Miss Grace E. Dopps, who
was born in Kansas, a daughter of J. H. Dopps, who came to the Yakima valley in
1901 and took up ranching in this section. Mr. and Mrs. Mason have become the
parents of five children: Pearl, Helen, Gladys, Thelma and Jack R. 

The religious faith of the family is that of the Methodist church and
politically Mr. Mason maintains an independent course, voting for men and
measures rather than party. He is now serving on the school board and the cause
of education finds in him a stalwart champion. He is numbered among the pioneer
ranchers of this section and his labors have constituted an important element in
the growth and progress of the district.

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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.