Losson Ross

by Darleen Speer

In the 1880 So. Co. History book, Losson Ross, of Analy township, has
a
biography on page 481, which reads:
"Ross, Losson, Whose portrait appears in this work, was born in Floyd
County, Indiana, July 22, 1828. When quite young he, with his parents,
moved to Harrison Co., Indiana, where he recieved his education. In 1849
he went to Louisiana, where he remained until the spring of 1850, when he
moved, with his parents, to Van Buren Co, Iowa, and there joined a party,
on April 5th, and started across the plains for California, arriving at
Placerville September 14th, 1850, and carried on in mining for two years,
after which he was engaged with Bradley, Burden and Co., which was
organized for the purpose of conveying water from the Cosummes river into
the dry diggings, to facilitate mining. Here he was engaged for about
three years, when he opened up a general merchandise store in Coon Hollow,
which business he followed two years. In February, 1857, he came to this
county and settled on his present estate, consisting of three hundred
acres, where he has since resided. On Sept. 4, 1853, he married, on Clear
Creek, El Dorato County, Miss Synda Weeks. She was born May 15, 1833, a
native of Beaver Co., Pennsylvania. By this union they have seven
children: William D., born in Coon Hollow, El Dorado County, June 30, 1854;
Frank, born June 7, 1857; Kemp, Aug. 28,1859; Irvin, December 3, 1861;
George, January 10, 1866; Benjamin December 13, 1868; Anna Ella, November
21, 1875."

The 1911 History of Sonoma county has a biography on Losson Ross which
includes history on the father, William Ross, as well, also a detailed
discription of the years between leaving Iowa in 1850, and settling in
Sonoma county in 1857, with a list of Losson's children, who they married,
and where they were living, in 1911, on pages 305-9, it reads:
"LOSSON ROSS
The roll call of pioneer settlers in California shows that the ranks
are
being gradually depleted, a fact that was brought forcibly to mind when it
was announced that Losson Ross had passed away on July 20, 1908. His death
closed a career of distinct usefulness in the community with which he had
lived for fifty-four years, no one being more highly esteemed or respected
in the vicinity of Forestville than was he.
The Ross family originated in the south, William Ross, the father
being a
native of Tennessee, but when he was quite a young child he was taken by
his parents to Indiana, and it was there that he was educated and grew to
manhood years on his father's farm. Not only did he become proficient in
agriculture, but he also equiped himself in three other lines, gun-making,
blacksmithing, and carriage-making, and in Harrison Co., Ind., he
established a wagon-making shop that he maintained until the year 1849. He
then removed to Iowa and continued working at his trade in Bonaparte for
the following five years. In the meantime two of his sons, Losson and
James L., had come to California, and in 1855 he joined them in
Placerville, where he continued for two years, at the end of that time
coming to Analy township, Sonoma county, and locating on a ranch of one
hundred and sixty acres that his two sons mentioned had purchased and
deeded to him. This was his home for almost twenty years, or until his
death in 1876, when seventy-two old. His first vote was cast for a Whig
candidate, and he continued to cast his ballot for the candidates of this
party until the formation of the Republican party, which he supported as
enthusiastically as he had its predecessor. Personally he was a man of
high principles, and throughout his mature years he had been a member and
active worker in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He had a hardy co-laborer
and sympathizer in his wife, who before her marriage was Sarah Kay, a
native of Virginia, and who died in Analy township at the age of
eighty-four years. In her relegious affiliation she was a member of the
Adventist Church. A family of nine children was born to William Ross and
his wife, eight becoming citizens of California, but of these only three
are now living, as follows: James L., a rancher in Analy township; Jesse, a
rancher in San Benito county; and W. T., who owns a ranch in Sonoma
county.[apparently this is in reference to Tommy Ross]
Losson Ross was born July 22, 1828, in New Albany, near Corydon,
Harrison
county Ind., and as a boy he attended the district school near his
birthplace. When not in school, he found occupation in his father's
wagon-shop, and under his father he learned the wagon and carriage-maker's
trade. After spending a year in Lousiana, he removed with his parents to
Bonaparte, Iowa, remaining there until April 5, 1850, when with his brother
James L., he set out on the overland journey with ox-teams. The Carson
river was reached after a tire-some journey of six months, during which
experience he and his wife walked all of the way, with the single exception
of one day, when he was ill.When the brothers reached their final
destination, the financial outlook was not the brightest, the total sum of
their wealth being $1, each one having fifty cents. Their honest
appearence was undoubtedly the means of their obtaining credit with which
to make the first payment on a claim to a man who was ill and wanted to
sell out, in order to return home. This he was enabled to do with the $15
which they paid him for the claim. Their efforts as miners were very
satisfactory until the rainy season overtook them, afterwhich they went on
to a camp at Diamond Springs. Some time later, Losson Ross became
superintendant of an enterprise to convey water from the Consumne river to
the dry diggings, and at that same time advancing some of his personal
means to assist the enterprise. After a trail of two and a-half years, the
enterprise failed, and Mr. Ross lost not only his wages, but also the money
he had invested in the scheme. Still having faith in the enterprise,
however, when a new company was formed he entered its employ as agent and
continued in this capacity until 1854. Subsequently, removing to Coon
Hollow, Eldorado county, he carried on a lucrative business as general
merchant until 1857.
It was in the year just mentioned that Mr. Ross disposed of his store,
and
with his brother, James L., came to Sonoma county and purchased six hundred
acres in Analy township, each owning one half of it. At first Losson Ross
followed general farming and stock raising, a line of endeavor in which he
was especially successful, but in more recent years he made a speciality of
raising fruit and hops, having fifty acres in prunes, pears, peachs and
apples of the best varieties, while thirty eight acres were in hops. On a
fifty acre tract adjoining the homestead which he owned he also raised
large crops, having thirty acres in hops and two acres in prunes. In the
management and care of his ranch Mr. Ross applied the principle that what
was worth doing at all was worth doing well, and nothing about the ranch
would ever suggest that he at any time deviated from this. Labor saving
devices were installed as soon as their need became recognized, and amoung
the buildings on the ranch he installed a large up-to-date drier. His stock
included the best grade of McCellan and Morgan horses, and his large dairy
was supplied from Holstein, Durham and Jersey cattle.
In Harrison county, Ind., Losson Ross was first married to Miss Martha
Inman, who died a victum of cholera the following year. In Eldorado
county, September 4, 1853, he married Miss Sidney Meeks, born in Beaver
county, PA., May 15,1833, the daughter of Robert and Sophronia (Baker)
Meeks, who came to California in 1852. Mr. and Mrs. Ross became the
parents of seven children. William D. leases fifty acres of the old
homestead, where he lives with his wife, formerly Hattie Lee, of
Forestville; Frank, farming near Santa Rosa, married Miss Annie M. Ayers;
Kemp L., owns and manages a ranch in Analy township; Irvine D., living on
the home place, chose as his wife Ida, the daughter of D. P. Gardner, of
Santa Rosa; George A., who has charge of the home ranch, married Miss Lena
L. Bach, and they with their three children, Mervyn F., Edwin and Leonard
B., live on the old homestead; Benjamin F., is a rancher in Sonoma county;
and Anna E., the wife of Elmer Davis, lives in Clarion county, PA. Unlike
his father in his political belief, Mr. Ross was a Democrat, and an active
worker in its ranks, although he was in no sense an office seeker. He was
also well known in fraternal circles, being the last survivor of the nine
charter members of Lafayette Lodge no. 126, F. & A. M., the lodge having
been organized in Sebastopol in 1857. In the work of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, of which Mr. Ross was a member, he was actively
interested, and in the office of steward he served efficiently for many
years."