Martin Van Buren Wason was born April 15, 1823. In addition to sailing around Cape Horn on a whaling ship, he toured Europe, China, Japan and India before prospecting for gold in South America. History says Wason and two brothers named Biedell found gold on their adventure, but barely escaped back to North America with their lives. Next they joined in the California Gold Rush, and again were successful.

Major M.V.B. Wason fought in the Civil War, returned to prospecting, began ranching in the San Luis Valley, and then founded the present Wason Ranch.

Major Wason then went to California and Santa Fe to purchase breeding stock for his horse ranch. Historical sources reflect that the "Wason horse" became famous and one source, referring to the Wason Brand, states the "W Oxyoke Ranch became the most famous ranch in all Colorado." Wason is credited with building the first road over Stony Pass. The famous Pass is near the originating point of the Rio Grande, high on the Continental Divide and from its crest, provides travelers with a dramatic view of Silverton.

In 1877, Major Wason married a remarkable woman. Born in Kent, England in 1839, Harriet Louise Castle moved to Pennsylvania with her family in 1852. There she married Henry Wilcox. Henry longed to return to England, but according to Carol Ann Wetherill Getz, Harriet wanted to remain in Colorado. Harriet was skilled in English, French, German and Spanish and also studied Latin and Greek, played the piano, wrote poetry and studied medicine. After she divorced Mr. Wilcox, Harriet wrote articles for a Pennsylvania newspaper and taught piano to support herself and her children. After Harriet and the Major married, they moved to the large ranch house at Wason. Harriet Wason brought the first piano to this area (now in the Creede Museum). Her poetry was published on the East Coast and, in time, she was known in the West as "the Poet of Colorado."