My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in Portrait and Biographical Album of Greene and Clark Counties, Ohio published by Chapman Bros., in 1890.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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WILLIAM R. ROSS. The Ross family has for many years occupied a leading position in Jefferson Township, Greene County, and the subject of this notice is one of its most worthy representatives. He is a grandson of the well-known John Ross, the latter a native of County Armagh, Ireland, and of Protestant Irish stock.

Grandfather John Ross was fourteen years old when emigrating to America, and settled with his brother on the Roanoke River, in Montgomery County, Va. He was there married later to a Miss McDonald, who was of ancestry similar to his own and whom it is believed was born in Ireland. If his was the case she came when a very young child to America with her parents, they settling in Virginia, where the parents died when quite aged. John Ross after his marriage located on a farm in Montgomery County, that State, and there with his estimable wife spent the remainder of his life, dying at an advanced age. Both were connected with the Reformed Presbyterian or as it was sometimes called, the Seceder’s Church. The father of Miss McDonald served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War and was one of the earliest settlers of the county where he spent the closing years of his life. To him and his estimable wife was born a family of ten children, of whom Robert, the father of our subject, was the youngest son.

Robert Ross was born in Montgomery County, Va., and lived there until reaching his majority, when leaving home he emigrated to Monroe County and was there wedded to Miss Susannah H. Alexander. The lady was born and reared in Monroe County and was the daughter of Mathew Alexander, whose parents were natives of the city of Dublin, Ireland. The latter upon emigrating to America settled in what is now Augusta County, Va., where they engaged in farming and spent the balance of their lives. The mother bore the maiden name of Mary Black. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Alexander spent their lives in Monroe County and died at an advanced age.

The father of our subject after his marriage settled on a farm in Monroe County where he lived until after the birth of four sons, these being, James, who died when about twenty-four years old; John A.; William R., our subject and Thompson. William R. was born June 9, 1829, and remained under the home roof until the family set out in the fall of 1847 for Ohio. The journey was made overland with teams, the travelers halting at night by the wayside. They carried with them a few household utensils and their provisions, and camped and cooked by the wayside. After a journey of about eighteen days they reached their destination in Jefferson Township and the father early the following spring purchased land and began the opening up of a farm. He was prospered in his labors as a tiller of the soil and lived there the remainder of his days, passing away January 10, 1878, at, the advanced age of eighty-four years. He was a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church in which he had officiated as Elder and been one of the chief pillars. He was a member of the old Whig party in early life, but later joined the Democracy. The wife and mother preceded her husband to the silent land about ten years, when sixty-four years old; she belonged to the same church as her husband for many years.

The subject of this notice was about nineteen years old when his parents emigrated to Ohio. He remained with them until after his marriage and then purchased a part of the land which he now owns and occupies. He has now two hundred and twenty-six acres, nearly all under cultivation and embellished with modern buildings. The residence is a fine two-story brick structure, completed in the fall of 1874, and adjacent was a substantial barn with the other outbuildings required by the enterprising and progressive farmer. On Easter Sunday 1890, the barn with its contents was destroyed by fire, involving a loss of more than $3,000.

The marriage of William R. Ross and Miss Ruhamah C. Moon was celebrated February 25, 1864, at the bride’s home in Jefferson Township. Mrs. Ross was a native of this township and was born March 22, 1843. Her parents were Gideon and Jane (Turner) Moon, natives respectively of New York State and Ohio. They were married in Cincinnati and soon afterward settled on a farm near Bowersville during the pioneer days. They began life comparatively without means, but by the exercise of unflagging industry and economy, succeeded in building up a good home from the wilderness which sheltered them until they passed from earth. Death visited the family during the cholera epidemic in 1854, taking the mother at the age of forty-eight years, two daughters, a son and son-in-law and a grandchild, all within a few days.

Mr. Moon survived his wife and contracted a second marriage with Mrs. Diana (Reeves) Shaner. This lady had lost her husband and three children in one day from cholera, leaving two sons. After his second marriage Mr. Moon carried on farming in Jefferson Township until his death April 21, 1884, at the advanced age of eighty-one years. His last wife is still living, making her home with a daughter of Berrien County, Mich., and is now sixty-seven years old. Mr. Moon and his first wife were members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Diana Moon is a Baptist of the old school and her father had been a minister of that church for many years.

Mrs. Ross was carefully reared by her mother and step mother, and remained a member of her father’s household until her marriage. She is now the mother of five children, the eldest of whom, Clement P., married Miss Ella White, of Clinton County, and they have one child, a daughter, Edith M.; Miss White formerly followed the profession of a teacher for many years; Susannah is the wife of M. F. Beal and they live at the homestead. Mary married Asa Kline and they live in Jefferson Township. John and Lena P. are at home with their parents. Mr. and Mrs. Ross and their children are members of the Christian Church. Politically, our subject is a stanch Democrat. He keeps himself posted upon current events and has served as a Justice of the Peace.

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This family biography is one of the many biographies included in Portrait and Biographical Album of Greene and Clark Counties, Ohio published by Chapman Bros., in 1890. 

View additional Greene County, Ohio family biographies here: Greene County, Ohio Biographies

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