Dr. Ward C. Mason is probably the most popular and most skillful dentist in Hopkinton, where he has a representative and lucrative practice. He was born January 18. 1869, at Manchester. Iowa, a son of Sanford and Rosetta Y. (Cooley) Mason. The former was born June 13, 1834, and is still living at Manchester, but the latter passed away in 1883. The paternal grandfather of the subject of this review was born in New York state although his parents were natives of Wales. In 1849 he went to California and never returned, nor was there ever any word received of him and his fate is unknown. He was the father of two sons and two daughters, of whom only the sons survive. Henry Mason, the brother of Sanford Mason, is residing at Independence, Iowa. He was for many years engaged in the lightning rod business and was also a house painter.
     Sanford Mason was a farmer during his active life but is now living retired. He was married at Independence, Iowa, to Miss Cooley, who was a native of New Hampshire and the third of a family of six children, the others being: Walter H., who is a retired merchant at Manchester; Mrs. Ellen Johnson, the widow of Frank J. Johnson, a dry goods merchant of Manchester; Nelson W., a farmer residing in the state of Washington; Hannah, who married Charles C. Burnside, a merchant of South Dakota, both being now deceased; and John C., a farmer of Wyoming. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Sanford Mason occurred in 1866 and they became the parents of three sons: Charles W., who was born in 1867 and died in infancy; Ward C., of this review; and Ray S., who was born August 12, 1880. The last named was graduated from the local high school and later from a business college at Cedar Rapids and is now a bookkeeper and stenographer at that place.
     Dr. Ward C. Mason received his early education in the public schools of Manchester and was subsequently graduated from the high school at Manchester. He then studied dentistry at the dental department of the University of Iowa at Iowa City, being graduated from that institution in 1896 with the degree of D. D. S. He immediately located at Hopkinton for the practice of his profession and in the intervening eighteen years has won prominence in the dental fraternity in Delaware county.
     On the 17th of September, 1896, Dr. Mason was married to Miss Jessie Fraser, of Delhi, Iowa, who was born in Scotland, November 20, 1872. She came to this country with her parents and the family immediately made their way to Delhi, where her mother had a brother who was a Methodist preacher. Mr. Fraser devoted his time to farming and was successful in that occupation. He and his wife were the parents of seven children. David, a farmer of Hancock county, this state, is married and has three children. John, a railroad man living at Peck, Kansas, is married and has two children. Mrs. Mason is the next in order of birth. Anna is the wife of Ralph H. Bowman, a druggist at Stuart, Iowa, and they have five children. Elizabeth married John E. Harker, manager of the Gun Club of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and they have one child. Donald, a railroad station agent at Glenwood, Missouri, is also married. Margaret, the youngest of the family, is the wife of Robert Wilson, a machinist at Hopkinton. All of the children were born in Scotland with the exception of Margaret, whose birth occurred soon after the family arrived in this country.
     To Dr. and Mrs. Mason have been born four children. Clark F., born August 18, 1899, is now attending the local high school. Marion was born August 20, 1901, and died in infancy. Edward Charles, born June 10, 1908 is also in school, and Mary Elizabeth was born June 20, 1911. The family belong to the Christian Science church and conform their lives to a high standard of conduct. The Doctor holds membership in the Fraternal Union of America, an insurance society with headquarters at Denver, Colorado, and the Fraternal Bankers Reserve. He and his brother, Ray S. Mason, own a tract of land south of Manchester, and he also holds title to his commodious residence and his office in Hopkinton. He has a strongly marked civic spirit and is always ready to give.