California Biographies Mendocino and Lake Counties, California Transcribed by Peggy Hooper This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm Source: History of Mendocino and Lake Counties, California With Biographical Sketches History by Aurelius O. Carpenter And Percy H. Millberry Illustrated, Complete In One Volume Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1914 JAMES D. MASON. � The extensive land holdings of the late Albert Mason, located on the northern fork of Cache creek, in Lake county, and in the mountains of Colusa county, have been kept intact by his heirs, and his sons are proving worthy successors to the name he bore with honor through a long and useful career. Daniel F., James D. and John Edgar Mason, three of his sons, are heavily interested in the cattle business, on the two large properties mentioned. James D. Mason has his home in the West Upper Lake precinct, two and a half miles north of Upper Lake, where he has a valuable ranch of thirty acres, every detail of whose appointments bespeaks the most intelligent and unceasing care. The capacious barns, commodious and neatly kept yards, and handsome residence with its well ordered surround- ings, bear witness to the good taste as well as prosperity of the owner, who has taken pride and pleasure in beautifying the place while providing it with all the accessories of a first-class stock ranch. Albert Mason was a native of Massachusetts and an old California pioneer, coming out to the coast with the hope which animated most of those who went through the hardships of a trip from the east � making a fortune in the mines. Arriving here in 1850 he engaged in mining in the Sierras until the year 1868, when he settled in Lake county. His success as a ranchman placed him among the foremost business men in that line in his day. His home place consisted of the one hundred and sixty acres which he owned and improved in the West Upper Lake precinct, on the west side of Clear Lake, besides which he acquired the mountain range of two thousand acres in Colusa county, now owned by his heirs. The Cache creek property com- prises fifteen hundred acres. Mr. Mason was married in Nevada county, this state, to Miss Annie M. Green, a native of Nova Scotia, who came to Cali- fornia when six years old. She survives her husband, now making her home in Upper Lake village. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Albert Mason : Daniel F., Mary, Lucy, James D., Maude, Albert, Stephen, John Edgar, Annie, and one that died in infancy. The father of this family passed away June 6, 1909. James D. Mason was born December 13, 1873, on the home place on the west side of Clear Lake referred to above, and was reared there until six years old, when the family moved to a ranch on Bear creek, Colusa county. His practical experience in ranch life began at an early age, and he has long been looked upon as one of the important figures among the large landowners and stock raisers in the locality, where his vigorous and aggressive business policy has created new ideas and animated interest in matters vital to the prosperity of this region. Thoroughly familiar with the details of stock raising, he is quick to recognize and adopt any changes in the business which are truly progressive, and he knows too much about it to be bothered with anything impractical. Besides operating the home place he owns, a fine tract of thirty acres, he has large interests in partnership with his brothers Daniel F. and John Edgar Mason. They own excellent stock, usually raising about one hundred and forty head of cattle annually, which they run on their two-thou- sand-acre range in the mountains of Colusa county. Besides this they have a fine stock ranch of fifteen hundred acres on Cache creek, in the Long Valley precinct of Lake county. In partnership with his uncle, John Green, James D. Mason is also engaged in horse raising � from twenty to thirty head an- nually. At his home- place he has large and splendidly equipped barns for cattle, horses and hogs, yards substantially fenced and conveniently arranged, and everything kept in apple-pie order, a feature characteristic of everything in which Mr. Mason has a hand. The beautiful residence is of substantial construction, and all the arrangements about the home have been made with a sense of fitness, usefulness and beauty being combined so effectively as to produce an atmosphere of delightful comfort. There is a fine orchard for family use on this place. In 1893 Mr. Mason was married in Lake county to Miss Kate Sleeper, daughter of D. O. Sleeper, one of the best known men of the county in the early days. Three children have been born to this union: Merle, James F. and Mary. Mrs. Mason is a woman of sterling character and qualities which have endeared her to her neighbors and friends everywhere. The Mason home adjoins that of H. E. Witherspoon, a prominent attorney at law of Lake county, whose wife is a sister of Mrs. Mason.