Israel Ross

As printed in 1888

SRAEL ROSS, a farmer residing on section 9, Scott Township, Henry Co., Iowa, was born in ll\ Brown County, Ohio, Nov. 16, 1815. He is a son of Thom.as and Deborah (.Jennings) Ross. The Ross family were natives of Virginia, of Scotch ancestry. Of the Jennings family but little is known except that the grandmother, Charity (Freeman) Jennings, was born in Europe, and when a child came to America. Her parents later moved to Kentucky and were there during the troublous times when the Indians were hostile, and the family were occasionally forced to take refuge iti a boat, and to.avoid capture would paddle to the otiier side of the Ohio River. The Jennings family later removed to Brown County, Ohio, near Georgetown, where the venerable parents lived and died. Tiiomas Ross became the husband of Deborah Jennings in Brown County, where both families were early settlers. Prior to marriage Mr. Ross ran a keelboat upon the Ohio River, and made regular trips between Cincinnati and Pittsburg. His boat occasionally made a trip to New Orleans, carrying the products of the country, as there were no railroads at that time. When a boat was sent to New Orleans the return journey had to be made on foot or horseback, it being impossible to bring the boat up stream.

After his marriage Thomas Ross settled on a farm, and reared a family of children: Israel, our subject; Margaret, who wedded David Vand'ke; Sarah, the wife of WinBeld Wright, and after his death of Dr. Dennis Callihar, of Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio; John W. became the husband of Miss Power; Thomas wedded Amy Snedaker; Isaac wedded Hannah Day; and three others died in childhood. All the sons of Thomas Ross, Jr., are ministers in the Methodist Churcii, except our subject, who learned the tanner's trade with the father of Gen. Grant, and w.as a bosom friend of the lamented General and President. They frequently slept together, and on one occasion, while bathing in a creek, Israel saved the life of the future President, who was younger than he, and h;ul strangled and gone down in the water. After completing his trade Mr. Ross farmer for while, and then worked at journeyman's wages for Mr. Grant for some time.

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

Emma Blockmartin; Isaac W., wedded to Emma Willis; and Diana, were all born in Ohio. Adeline, wife of John Rittenhouse; Arethusa, J. F., Amy and Maggie J. were born in Iowa, the two latter in this county, on the old homestead.

Township offices have been repeatedly filled by our subject, who has, however, always preferred the management of his farm, and the privacy and comfort of his pleasant home. Since the death of his wife Mr. Ross has taken life easy, and his son Jay assumes the management of the farm. In an elegant home, made attractive by prosperity and the bright faces of his younger children, Mr. Ross is passing the evening of a well-spent life in deserved ease and comfort, and for his years is a remarkably youthful and well-preserved man. He has ever been a citizen of whom his countrymen are proud, and his family rank second to none in social circles.

As printed in Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Iowa, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and biog (1888). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.