masona
Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The
Big Bend Country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties,
State of Washington", published by Western Historical Publishing
Co., 1904.
AMOS H. MASON dwells three and
one-half miles east from Bridgeport, where he has one of the largest fruit
ranches in this portion of the state. He was born in Benton county,
Oregon, on April 17, 1860. His father, Jerry H. Mason, was a native
of Pennsylvania, and crossed the plains in the early fifties, with wagon
train settling in Benton county, where he remained. There he
married Mrs. Hope Jones, a native of Ohio. By her former marriage,
Mrs. Mason had one son, E. A. Jones. She also had the following named
brothers and sisters, Amos, Sallie Edlemen, Roda Pitman, Serepty Rexford,
and Margret Irven, all living in Oregon, at present, but one. Mrs.
Mason's maiden name was Halock. The children born to Mr. and Mrs.
Mason, besides our subject, are Mrs. Dan Longbotham; George J., who died
in Oregon when thirty-three years old; Jessie, who was drowned in Oregon
when a child; Heamon J., who died at Medical Lake, Washington, in 1901,
being aged forty-two; Walter G., who was killed by a horse falling on him,
when twenty-one. Mrs. Mason died when the children were small, our
subject being but eight. Several years later, the father married
Miss Elizabeth Haydon. He died in June, 1902, and his widow is still
residing on the old donation claim in Oregon. The father had two
brothers and three sisters, of whom Levrea H., and Mrs. Davies are still
living. Amos H. attended the district schools in Benton county, until
sixteen and in 1877, came to Washington. Settlement was made in Columbia
county but soon he removed thence to the vicinity of Pullman in Whitman
county and took a pre-emption. He labored there for eight years.
He sold the farm and bought a butcher shop in Pullman, operating it two
years, then sold out and engaged in the hotel and hardware business in
the town of Sholley, Whitman county. This occupied him until 1891,
when he sold out and followed butchering for about one year. In the
spring of 1892, he moved to Douglas county and took a homestead which is
a part of his present estate. He has a half section, one hundred
acres of which are nicely irrigated from springs on the estate. During
the first four years of his residence in Douglas county, he gave attention
to freighting to Loomis and Republic, then he began setting out an orchard.
He has all the leading varieties of fruits, indigenous to this latitude
and has made an excellent success, having some very choice bearers.
Twenty-five acres are thus employed and one hundred acres more are being
set to fruit at the present time. He also raises several hundred
acres of grain and handles a large band of cattle and horses. Mr.
Mason's place is very valuable and has been handled in a skillful manner
by himself. With the entire amount planted to fruit as he has planned,
it will be an exceedingly valuable estate. Mr. Mason has one brother
living, Rufus B., and one half-sister, Irene.
In Latah county, Idaho, on August 9, 1884,
Mr. Mason married Miss Annie E. Smith. She was born in Minnesota,
on November 1, 1868, the daughter of Peter and Lydia M. (Freeman) Smith,
natives of England and Ohio, respectively. Mr. Smith was a soldier
in the Rebellion. Mrs. Mason has one brother, Everett E. To
Mr. and Mrs. Mason, five children have been born named as follows: Audry
Helena, born in Whitman county and died in Bridgeport, January 25, 1897;
Ada E., near Pullman, on January 9, 1887; Walter, on May 10, 1897; Adrian
L., on December 16, 1899; and Ruby G., on June 25, 1901. The last
three were born on the farm.
Mr. Mason is a member of the I. O. O. F. and
the M. W. A. He and his wife are adherents of the Presbyterian church,
while in politics he is an active and well informed Republican. On
Mr. Mason's side of the house are some men who have been prominent in politics
in Oregon, as Saul King and the Honorable James Chambers.
BACK