The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 326

IRA J. GANO.

Ira J. Gano, devoting his attention to general farming in Yakima county, was
born in Patterson, Hardin county, Ohio, February 6, 1877, a son of James H. and
Rhoda M. (Gardner) Gano. The father was a native of Champaign county, Ohio, born
December 3, 1837, and was a son of Isaac and Nancy Jane (Hogg) Gano, the former
a native of Berkeley county, West Virginia, and the latter of Clark county,
Ohio. The Gano family is of French lineage and was established on American soil
during early colonial days. The ancestral line is traced back through Isaac Gano
to Daniel Gano, who served in the Revolutionary war, enlisting from Virginia. He
was a valiant adherent of the cause of the colonies and rendered active aid in
the cause of independence. He passed away in Virginia at the age of sixty years.
His son Isaac afterward removed to Ohio in young manhood and there spent his
remaining days. He was a miller by trade and followed that pursuit in early
manhood, while later he took up the occupation of farming.

His son, James H. Gano, father of Ira J. Gano, acquired a public school
education in Ohio and was reared to farm life, with which he was identified in
that section of the country until 1892. He then left the Buckeye state in order
to try his fortune in the northwest, making his way to Yakima county, where he
took up a homestead on the Moxee. With characteristic energy he began the
improvement of the place and within a short time his labors had wrought a marked
transformation in its appearance. For a number of years he was actively
identified with farming in this section but now lives with his son. He is a
valued and highly respected citizen of the county by reason of an upright life
and sterling worth of character. Since 1856 he has been a devoted member of the
Methodist Episcopal church and was one of the organizers of the first Methodist
church at Moxee. In politics he gave his support to the republican party for
many years, but because of his deep interest in the temperance question he
became allied with the prohibition party, which now has the endorsement of his
ballot. His aid and influence have ever been given on the side of right,
progress and improvement and of all those moral forces which tend to uplift
mankind. His wife passed away January 5, 1918, at the age of seventy-six years,
and thus this worthy couple, who had so long traveled life's journey together
were separated by death. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom two
died in infancy. The others are: William, a resident of Ohio; Ida, the wife of
W. F. Benson, living in Yakima; Emma, the wife of Horner Purdy, of Yakima;
George, who was a twin of Emma and died in February, 1917; Elva, the wife of
Samuel Heffelfinger, of Yakima; Estelle, the wife of F. H. McElree, living in
Los Angeles, California; Avelnell, the wife of J. B. Patterson, whose home is at
Reedley, California; Omar, who died in infancy; Ira J., of this review; Wesley
E., who is engaged in ranching on the Ahtanum; and one who died in infancy.

Ira J. Gano acquired his education in the public schools of his native state and
was actively associated with his father in farming operations in the east as
well as in the west until 1900. In that year he purchased a part of his father's
farm and later bought eighty acres more on the Moxee. He was also engaged in the
livery business at Yakima for three years but disposed of his interests there
and in 1913 he bought eighty acres a half mile south of Ahtanum, whereon he is
now successfully engaged in diversified farming. Broad experiences well
qualified him for the work in which he is now engaged and his efforts are
productive of excellent results. His farm is under a high state of cultivation
and he annually harvests large crops of golden grain as a reward for the care
and labor he has bestowed upon his fields.

On the 12th of December, 1900, Mr. Gano was married to Miss Margaret Keys, of
Yakima, a daughter of George and Isabel Keys. They now have four children, Elva,
Gladys, Ruth and Walter. Fraternally Mr. Gano is connected with the Knights of
Pythias and his religious faith is that of the Congregational church. In
politics he maintains an independent course. He is serving for the second term
as a member of the school board and also acted in that capacity for one term
while living on the Moxee. He is interested in education and in everything that
tends to promote the material, intellectual, social and moral progress of the
community and his aid can be counted upon to further any plan or project for the
public good.

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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.