The Ross Families of Monona County, Iowa

GEORGE ROSS, who is engaged in farming ill ( on section 20, in the town of Spring Val- "'Ij ley, was born in Jackson Township, Harrison County, Iowa, March 13, 18.56, and is the son of William and Salina (Johnson) Ross. Both of his parents were natives of England, his father born in Yorkshire, September 6. 18.34, and his mother in Cheshire, April 4, 1836. Jonathan Ross, the paternal grandfather of our subject, came to the United Stfates from England, and settled in New Jersey, when his son, William, was about eleven years of age. From that State, in 1851, he removed to Council Bluffs, and a short time after to Crescent City, Pottawattamie County, where he is still living, having reached the age of seventy'-eight years.

William Ross, the father of our subject, is a resident of Jackson Township, Harrison County, where he is engaged in carrying on a large farm. He is the parent of nine children, of whom our subject is the second. George was reared upon his father's farm, and received the elements of a good education in the common schools of his native county, but on his marriage left the parental roof and established a home of his own on a farm in Harrison County. There he remained until March 8, 1886, when he came to Monona County and settled on the place where he now lives. In his political views Mr. Ross is a Democrat, but sometimes votes the Union Labor ticket. Having the interest of the agricultural classes at heart, he was for some time connected with the Farmers' Alliance.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

BENJAMIN F. ROSS, the present efficient County Superintendent of common schools, residing at Onawa, was born in Clinton County, Peiin.,.Tuly 11, lier)2, and is a son of Samuel A. and Margaret (Hullihan) Ross. He grew to manhood in his native State, and having grounded his education in the common school, finished it at the Farmers' High School, atNew Lebanon, Mercer County. In 1871 he came to Onawa, arriving there March 22, and was engaged in school teaching in the county for several years. In the fall of 1875 he purchased a farm on section 21, Lincoln Township, which contains one hundred and sixty acres of land, which is now under an excellent state of cultivation, and which he still owns. At the same time he was engaged at his professional labors, he improved his farm and successfully carried on stock-raising. In the fall of 1887, he was the regular nominee of the combined Democratic and Union Labor convention for Superintendent of common schools, of the county, to which he was duly elected, and in 1889, being elected his own successor, is now serving his second term. In 1877 he formed a partnership with his brother, f!.

M. Ross, in the real-estate, loan, insurance and collection business, which is still carried on under the management of the latter.

Mr. Ross was united in marriage, December 25, 1873, with Miss Sarah M. Herring, a native of Winnebago County, Ill., who was born April 5, 1854, and is a daughter of Benjamin and Honor E. Herring. Her father was born in Oxford County, Me., and was a son of John and Mercy (Haskell) Herring, who were among the pioneers of Winnebago County, where they died. Benjamin, after his marriage removed with his family to Greene County, Wis., where he worked at his trade of a cooper. During the Civil War he enlisted in Company B, Twenty-second Wisconsin Infantry, and while engaged in the defense of his country, during one of the dreadful conflicts that marked the course of the war, was captured by the rebels, and confined in Libby Prison. After his release and discharge in the spring of 1865, Mr. Herring came to Monona County and took up a homestead on section 20, Lincoln Township, where he resided until the spring of 1889, when they took a trip to visit his friends. Mr. and Mrs. Herring were the parents of five children, three of whom are living: Sarah M. and Mary M., twins, and Lillie J., the wife of A. E. Wheeler, of Eugene City, Ore.

Mr. and Mrs. Ross are the parents of four children: Samuel B., born Octobers, 1874; Harry W., December 7, 1876; Grace E., January 8, 1881; and Margaret A., May 23, 1883.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

CHARLES E. ROSS, who has his residence and l\[ I-, farm on section 9, in the town of Lincoln, * came to this county in the fall of 1882, and carried on agricultural pursuits on both rented land and property of his own, for several years in Ashton and Lincoln Townships. In the spring of 1886 he rented the farm upon which he now lives, and, after raising one crop upon it and finding that it suited him, bought it.

Charles E. Ross is a native of Wcrraont, born in Newark, Caledonia County, Januiiry 14, 1841,

When about five years of age his parents. Elijah and Clarissa Ross, moved to New Hampshire, where the family resided for some years. At the.age of nine years Charles went to live with his sister, in Vermont, where he grew to manhood.

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1865, he was engaged in driving a team in the neigiiborhood of the latter fort.

Returning to New Hampshire, he there made his home for about two years, removing thence to Vermont, and in the latter State remained until the fall of 1879. After a short time spent in Boston, he started for the West and landed in.Jefferson County, Kan., January 18, 1880. He remained there until October, 1882, when he came to Monona County as related above.

Mr. Ross was united in marriage September 12,

1866, at Si)ringRelil, Mass., with Miss Julia H. Danforth, and by their union they are the i)parents of three children — Ada C, Walter C. and Ilattie E.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.