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Family
history
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The Ross
family line has been traced back to our 6th great-grandfather John Ross, born 1750 in Pennsylvania,
possibly in that vast area west of the Susquehanna River that became
Cumberland County in 1750. He married Mary Armstrong sometime
just prior to the American Revolution. John Ross resided in Pennsylvania up to
about 1798 whereupon he, and his family, migrated to Loudoun County, Virginia. It was here that he passed away before
1804. According to the
1810 Federal Census, John’s son, Joshua
Ross and his family were firmly established
in Loudoun County. The extended Ross Family removed west
from Virginia to Ohio
prior to 1819. According to the 1820
census Joshua settled in that area of Ross County
which now encompasses the townships of Paint and Twin. Joshua and his wife Jane produced at least
eight known off-spring between 1798 and 1820 one of whom is our 4th
great-grandfather Joseph Ross. The Joshua continued to live in Paint
Township until his death in 1842. In
1821 Joseph Ross married Anna Eubanks, daughter of Richard and Alice (Peachee)
Eubanks, in nearby Highland County. It is most probable that Joseph and his
family lived in Paint Township between 1823 and 1842 eight known children
were born to them including our 3rd great-grandmother Elizabeth Ross.
Joseph Ross passed away in 1854, and is buried at the Bourneville Methodist Church Cemetery,
in Twin Township. It is believed that
Elizabeth Ross was born in Ross County
around 1824. She married James McVicker in 1843
with whom she produced at least 9 known children between 1844 and 1863. In 1870 Elizabeth, now a widow, took her
children and moved west to the eastern side of the Mississippi River and
settled for a time in Keithsburg, Mercer
County, Illinois
near her brother Daniel Ross. Some time around
1871-72 the family picked up and moved further west across the Mississippi
river to Sedgwick
County, Kansas a distance of
about 550 miles. By 1872 the family
had settled near the town of Maize located in what
was then Union Township, now
in Park Township. A review of the history of this area
reveals that the McVicker's were probably among the first families to settle in
this area by virtue of the date when they arrived in Kansas. Elizabeth remarried on 29
June 1873 to a man named Smith
Riley. Elizabeth and Smith Riley are found in the 1880 census living
next to her son John R.
McVicker in Sedgwick County.
It is not know when Elizabeth passed
away or where she is buried. |
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Origins of the
surname
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An Introduction to the Surname
The
practice of inherited family surnames began in England and France during the late part of the 11th century. With the passing of generations and
the movement of families from place to place many of the original identifying
names were altered into some of the versions that we are familiar with
today. Over the centuries, most of our
European ancestors accepted their surname as an
unchangeable part of their lives. Thus
people rarely changed their surname.
Variations of most surnames were usually the result of an involuntary
act such as when a government official wrote a name phonetically or made an error in
transcription. Research into the record of this Ross family
line indicates that the variations, meanings and history of this surname is
most likely linked to that area of Europe where English, Scottish, and Irish linguistic traditions are commonly found. |
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Source(s)
& Meaning(s)
of the Surname
Most modern family names are a
means conveying
lineage. For the most part, Anglo-Saxon surnames were developed from the following major
sources: (1) patronym or matronym, names based on the name of one's father,
mother or ancestor, (Johnson, Wilson); (2) occupation (i.e., Carpenter, Cooper, Brewer, Mason); (3) habitational or locational (Middleton, Sidney, or Ireland); (4) topographical (i.e. Hill, Brook, Forrest, Dale); (5) descriptive nickname (i.e., Moody Freeholder, Wise,
Armstrong); (6) status (i.e. Freeman, Bond, Knight); and (7) acquired ornamental names that were simply made up. Ross is primarily a Scottish and English surname of Gaelic.
Local origins and, depending upon the
origin of the family, could have several different meanings. (1) As a topographic name it is derived from the following words: ros,
meaning a peninsula, isthmus, or
promontory signifying someone who lived on a headland; rhós,
Welsh for "moor or bog"; signifying someone who lived near a moor
or ‘upland’; or rose and rosh,
signifying a valley or dale between hills.
(2) A descriptive name from the Middle
English rous, meaning "red-haired." (3) A habitational name from any of various places called
Ross or Roos(e) such as the district of Ross, in Scotland. Other known sources of the surname include Roos in Humberside (formerly in
East Yorkshire) and the region of northern Scotland known as Ross. Other
possible sources are Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire, Ross in Northumbria (which
is on a promontory), and Roose in Lancashire. (4) Ross may also be of
Anglo-Saxon pre 7th century origins, and a derivation of the personal name
"Rozzo" meaning renown. The Ross family name can also be of Old High German
origin, and an occupational name for a breeder or keeper of horse.
This is from the word "hros" meaning horse. |
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History
of the Surname
Surnames as we know them today were first assumed in Europe from the 11th to the 15th century. They were not in use in England or Scotland, before the Norman Conquest of 1066, and were first found in the Domesday Book of 1086. The employment in the use of a second name was a custom that was first introduced from the Normans who had adopted the custom just prior to this time. Soon thereafter it became a mark of a generally higher socio-economic status and thus seen as disgraceful for a well-bred man to have only one name. It was not until the middle of the 14th century that surnames became general practice among all people in the British Isles. The Anglo-Scottish surname of Ross has several sources. The
most common source is in the Scottish Borderlands in southern Scotland. Here many persons with this surname came
from a Yorkshire family called Ros, Ross or Rosse, who held land in
Ayrshire in the 11th and 12th centuries.
Originally these people came to England with William, Duke of
Normandy, in 1066. Before this they
were Norman-French who come from the village of 'Rots' located near Caen, in
Normandy. The Clan Ross take their name from
the region of Ross in the “highlands” of Northern Scotland and are designated
in Gaelic as “Clann Andrias”. Their traditional progenitor Fearchar
Mac-an-t-sagairt (son of the priest) of Applecross, was a powerful supporter
of Alexander II and for his services was created Earl of Ross in about 1234. His grandson, William, led his clan at the
Battle of Bannockburn, and Hugh, 5th Earl, was killed at the Battle of
Halidon Hill in 1333. His successor, William,
6th Earl, died without male issue, and the succession passed through
the female line, a circumstance which later led to the struggle for the
earldom between the Lord of the Isles and Regent Albany. The chiefship of the
clan passed to William´s brother Hugh
Ross of Rariches, who obtained a charter of the lands of Balnagowan in
1374. In 1424, the earldom reverted to the Crown, but King James I.
restored it to Margaret,
mother of Alexander, 3rd Lord of the
Isles, and it remained with the Lords of the Isles until the Lordship
was forfeited in 1476, when the earldom became vested in the Crown. David Ross, the last of the direct
line of Balnagowan, settled the estate on the Hon. Charles Ross, son of Lord Ross of Hawkhead in Renfrewshire.
Balnagowan devolved upon George, 13th
Lord Ross, in 1745. On the death of the unmarried 14th Lord Ross,
Balnagowan went to Sir James
Lockhart, 2nd Baronet of Carstairs. The name is found in the English
Domesday Book of 1086 as Serlo de Ros, as well as the
mention Rozo (without
surname). Other early records of this
surname include Bernard de Ross of Yorkshire in 1177. Geoffrey de Ros who obtained from Richard de
Morevile, the lands of Stewarton in Cunningham in 1189, Robert Rosce in the pipe rolls of Kent in 1199, Sir Godfrey de Rose of Irvine, Scotland in 1205, and Donaldus de Ross of Perth,
Scotland, in 1413. The associated arms are recorded in Sir Bernard Burkes
General Armory. Ulster King of Arms in
1884. Registered in Scotland to the
Earl of Ross. Some noteable bearers of the name are: John
Ross (Arctic explorer) (1777–1856), British naval officer; Betsy
Ross, flag maker; Diana
Ross, American singer; Katharine Ross,
actress; and Sir
Charles Ross, 9th Baronet.
A listing of other prominent persons with the Ross surname can be
found at Ross (name). The great majority of
persons having the Ross surname emigrated to America from the United Kingdom
with the most coming from Scotland.
Some individuals with this surname also came from Germany. Ross is the 89th
most popular surname in
the United States. Today about 911 persons
per million in the United States have this surname. The heaviest concentration of the name is
found in a wide variety of
geographical locations. In the United Kingdom almost about 959 persons per
million have this surname. The most significant clustering of the
name is found in the various counties of Scotland. |
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Variations
of the surname
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Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have
continued to unfold and expand often leading to an overwhelming number of
variants.
As such one can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames
because in early times, spelling in general and thus the spelling of names
was not yet standardized. Later on
spellings would change with the branching and movement of families. Spelling variations
of this family name include: Rosse and many
others. |
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The complexity of researching records is compounded by the fact that in many cases an ancestors surname may
also have been misspelled. This is
especially true when searching census documents. The Soundex Indexing System was developed in an
effort to assist with identifying spelling variations for a given
surname. Soundex is a method of
indexing names in the 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920 US Census, and can aid genealogists in
their research. The Soundex Code for Ross
is R200. Other surnames sharing this Soundex Code: RAASIO
| RACE
| RASEY
| RASH
| RAUCH
| RAUCK
| RAUSCH
| REASE
| REECE
| REES
| REESE
| REHG
| REICH
| REIS
| REISS
| RESCH
| REUS
| REUSS
| REX
| REYES
| REZEAU
| RHYS
| RIACH
| RICCI
| RICE
| RICH
| RICHEY
| RICHIE
| RICK
| RICKEY
| RICKS
| RIES
| RIESE
| RIGG
| RIGGS
| RISK
| RIX
| RIZZO
| ROACH
| ROCHE
| ROCK
| ROESCH
| ROGGE
| ROOK
| ROOKS
| ROOS
| ROOSA
| ROOSE
| ROSA
| ROSCOE
| ROSE
| ROSS
| ROSSI
| ROSSOW
| ROUGH
| ROUSE
| ROUSEY
| ROUSH
| ROUSSEAU
| ROUX
| ROWZEE
| ROWZIE
| ROYCE
| RUCH
| RUCK
| RUGG
| RUIZ
| RUSCH
| RUSH
| RUSK
| RUSS
| RUSSEAU
| RUSSO
| RYSE
|. |
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Searching
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Then
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Coat of arms
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In the Middle Ages heraldry came
into use as a practical matter. It originated in the devices used to
distinguish the armored warriors in tournament and war, and was also placed
on seals as marks of identity. As far as records show, true heraldry began in
the middle of the 12th
century, and appeared almost simultaneously in several countries
of Western
Europe. In the British Isles the College of Arms, (founded in 1483), is the Royal corporation of heralds who record proved pedigrees and grant armorial bearings. |
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Image gallery
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ARMORIAL BEARINGS
The associated armorial bearings for this surname and close variant
spellings are recorded in Burke’s
General Armorie and Reitstap’s
Armorial General. The
additional information, presented below, is offered with regard to the
armorial bearings depicted above: |
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FIGURE 1: This shield is indicative of the designs utilized
by Ross of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The basic design can best be described as a
gold shield with a chevron counter embattled between three black water
bougets. Armorial
Bearings of this design were granted to a Ross of Ireland in 1681. This particular coat-of-arms would also
contain a thistle between ermine two cinquefoils and a crest containing a
rose tree bearing roses. The motto of
this Ross would be “Floreat qui laborat.” Robert Ross,
aka., Ross-of-Bladensburg who was seated at Rosstrevor in County Down was granted
arms of this general design. His
coat-of-arms is described as a gold shield containing a chevron embattled
counter-embattled between three black water bougets. General Robert Ross was killed at Baltimore, Maryland during the War of 1812. As a result of his service Ross’s descendants were given an augmentation of
honour to the Ross armorial bearings (namely, a second crest
in which an arm is seen grasping the stars and stripes on a broken staff)
and the family name was changed to the victory title Ross-of-Bladensburg, which was
granted to his widow. FIGURE 2: This
coat-of-arms has been attributed to the surname of Ros. It features a silver
shield containing a red lion rampant.
The country of origin for this coat-of-arms is unknown although
armorial bearings have be granted to persons with this surname from England, Spain, Zeeland, and Aragon. |
FIGURE 3: This
coat-of-arms has been attributed to the surname of Rossa. It shows a gold shield containing a silver
lion rampant. The country of origin for this coat-of-arms is unknown although
armorial bearings have be granted to a person with this surname from Verona, a city in Veneto,
northern Italy. FIGURE 4: This shield has been attributed to a Ross of Maine, USA. FIGURE 5: The Ross clan badge depicts the clan crest of a
dexter hand holding a garland of laurel and the clan motto “Spem Successus
Alit” (Success nourishes hope). FIGURE 6: This, the
most common Ross coat-of-arms, originated in Ross a region of the Scottish Highlands. It was granted to the chief of Clan Ross who originally resided at Balnagown
Castle. These armorial bearings feature a red shield containing three
silver lions rampant with a crest showing a hand holding a garland of
laurel. The motto of Clan Ross is
“Spem successus alit” meaning “Success nourishes hope” FIGURE 7: These arms belong to a Ross of Germany. The golden shield contains a silver rearing
horse. The crest (not shown) features
a horse with a crown. FIGURE 8: Dress
Tartan – ancient design FIGURE 9: Hunting
Tartan - ancient design FIGURE 10: Hunting Tartan – modern pattern FIGURE 11: Dress Tartan – modern pattern FIGURE 12: Hunting Tartan – muted (weathered) |
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MOTTO(ES)
A motto is a word or
sentence usually written upon a scroll and generally placed below the shield,
but sometimes, especially in Scotland, above the
crest. Many ancient mottoes were war-cries such as the
Douglas motto of “Forward.”
Many mottoes refer to the name of the bearer, for example
“cole regem” for Coleridge. In
general most mottoes convey a sentiment, hope, or determination, such as
the Cotter motto “Dum spiro spero” where the meaning is “While I have breath
I hope“. Mottoes are often used by several successive
generations, but may be changed at any time by the grantee. The languages
most in use are Latin, French, and English.
Exceptions are seen in Scotland where they are often in the old
Lowland dialect, and in Wales, often in the language of the principality. |
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The following listed mottoes and their translations are
attributed to Ross: Agnoscar eventu - I shall be known by the results; Caute non astute - Cautiously,
not craftily; Constant and true
- Constant
and true; Floret qui laborat - He is prosperous who labours; Non opes, sed ingenium - Not wealth, but mind; Per aspera virtus - Virtue through hardships;
Qui spinosior fragrantior - The
more thorny the more fragrant;
Rosam ne rode - Gnaw not the
rose; Spe aspera levat - He lightens difficulties by hope; Spem successus alit - Success nourishes hope;
Think on - Think on; Time Deum - Fear God; Virtute et
valore - By virtue and valour; Virtutis gloria merces - Glory is the reward of valour. |
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Heraldic bearings
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The art
of designing, displaying, describing, and recording arms is called heraldry. The
use of coats of arms by countries, states, provinces, towns and villages is
called civic heraldry. A Coat of Arms is
defined as a group of emblems and figures (heraldic bearings)
usually arranged on and around a shield and serving as the special insignia
of some person, family, or institution.
Except for a few cases, there is really no such thing as a standard
"coat of arms" for a surname.
A coat of arms, more properly called an armorial achievement, armorial
bearings or often just arms
for short, is a design usually granted only to a single person not to an
entire family or to a particular surname.
Coats of arms are inheritable property, and they generally descend to
male lineal descendents of the original arms grantee. The rules and traditions regarding Coats of
Arms vary from country to country. Therefore a Coat of Arms for an English
family would differ from that of a German family even when the surname is the
same. |
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Some of the more prominent elements
incorporated into a coat of arms are : Crest - The word crest
is often mistakenly applied to a coat of arms. The crest was a later development arising from the love of
pageantry. Initially the crest
consisted of charges painted onto a ridge on top of the helmet. Wreath or Torse – The torse is a
twist of cloth or wreath underneath and part of a crest. Always shown as six
twists, the first tincture being the tincture of the field, the second
the tincture of the metal, and so on. Mantling – The mantling is a drapery tied to the helmet above
the shield. It forms a backdrop for the shield. Helm or Helmet - The helmet or helm is situated above the shield
and bears the torse and crest. The style of helmet displayed varies according
to rank and social status, and these styles developed over time, in step with
the development of actual military helmets. Shield or Arms - The basis of all coats of arms. At their simplest, arms consist of a shield with a plain field on which appears a geometrical shape or object. The items appearing on the shield are known as charges. Motto - The motto was originally a war cry,
but later mottoes often expressed some worthy sentiment.
It may appear at the top or bottom of a family coat of arms. |
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Direct ancestors
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Descendant Register Generation 1 |
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John Ross-1 was born
on Abt. 1750 in Pennsylvania. He died on Bef. 1804 in Loudoun County,
Virginia. He married Mary Armstrong. Children of John Ross and Mary
Armstrong are: i. Joshua Ross, B: Abt. 1775 in Pennsylvania,
D: 1842 in Ross County, Ohio, M: Bef. 1798 in Pennsylvania?. ii. Armstrong Ross, B: Pennsylvania, D:
1833 in Ross County, Ohio. |
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Generation 2 |
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Joshua
Ross-2(John Ross-1) was born on Abt. 1775 in
Pennsylvania. He died on 1842 in Ross County, Ohio. He married Jane Ross
(nee?) on Bef. 1798 in Pennsylvania?. She was born Abt. 1775 in Pennsylvania.
She died on Aft. 1860 in Ross County, Ohio. Children of Joshua Ross and Jane Ross
(nee ?) are: i. Joseph Ross, B: 16 Apr 1798 in
Pennsylvania, D: 18 Sep 1854 in Ross County,
Ohio, M: 12 Jul 1821 in Highland County, Ohio. ii. Moses Ross, B: Abt. 1799 in Virginia,
D: 1876 in Livingston County, Illinios, M:
1826 in Ohio ?. iii.
David Ross, B: Abt. 1800 in Virginia, D: 1869 in
Paint Twp., Ross Co., Ohio, M: Nov 1829 in Ross County, Ohio. iv.
Lydia Ross, B: 1805 in Loudoun County, Virginia, D:
Highland County, Ohio, M: Mar 1843 in Ross County, Ohio. v.
Joshua Ross Jr., B: 03 Jan 1807 in Loudoun County,
Virginia, D: 24 May 1883 in Ross County, Ohio, M: 10 Jan 1833 in Ross County,
Ohio. vi.
Rebecca Ross, B: Abt. 1810 in Loudoun County,
Virginia, D: Bef. 1850 in Ross County, Ohio, M: 21 Aug 1834 in Ross County,
Ohio. vii.
Jane Ross, B: Abt. 1814 in Loudoun County,
Virginia, D: 1898 in Lyons, Rice Co, Kansas, M: 16 Feb 1842 in Ross County,
Ohio. viii.
Sarah Ross, B: Abt. 1820 in Ross County, Ohio, D:
Aft. 1860 in Missouri. |
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Generation 3 |
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Joseph Ross-3(Joshua Ross-2, John Ross-1) was born
on 16 Apr 1798 in Pennsylvania. He died on 18 Sep 1854 in Ross County, Ohio.
He married Anna Eubanks on 12 Jul 1821 in Highland County, Ohio, daughter of
Richard Eubanks and Alice "Elcy" Peachee. She was born on 05 Sep
1803 in Mason County, Kentucky?. She died on 1842 in Ross County, Ohio. He
married Julia A. Middleton on 08 May
1844 in Ross County, Ohio. She was
born on Abt. 1812 in Pennsylvania. Children
of Joseph Ross and Anna Eubanks are: i.
Richard William Ross, B: 03 Jun 1823 in Paint Twp.,
Ross Co., Ohio, D: 25 Feb 1888 in New Albany, Wilson Co., Kansas, M: 25 Dec
1845 in Ross County, Ohio. ii. Elizabeth Ross, B: Abt. 1824 in Ross County,
Ohio, D: Aft. 1880, M: 06 Apr 1843 in Hocking County, Ohio. iii.
Joseph Ross Jr., B: Bet. 1826-1830 in Ross County,
Ohio. iv.
James H. Ross, B: Abt. 1826 in Ross County, Ohio, D: Bet. 1880-1900 in
Indiana, M: 08 Feb 1847 in Clinton County, Indiana. v.
Daniel Ross, B: Abt. 1831 in Ross County, Ohio, D:
15 May 1864 in Ross County, Ohio, M: Abt. 1843 in Ross County, Ohio?. vi.
Joshua C. Ross, B: Abt. 1834 in Ross County, Ohio,
D: 27 Mar 1862 in Clarksburg, West Virginia, M: 1855 in Ross County, Ohio. vii.
Jane D. Ross, B: Abt. 1840 in Ross County, Ohio, M:
03 Sep 1861 in Ross County, Ohio. viii.
George E. Ross, B: Abt. 15 Apr 1842 in Ross County,
Ohio, D: 29 Jul 1842 in Ross County, Ohio. Child of
Joseph Ross and Julia A. Middleton is: i.
Mary Susan Ross, B: 04 Oct 1847 in Ross County,
Ohio, D: 1917 in Humansville, Polk Co., Missouri, M: 22 Apr 1877 in Allen
County, Ohio. |
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Generation 4 |
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Elizabeth
Ross-4(Joseph Ross-3, Joshua Ross-2, John Ross-1) was
born on Abt. 1824 in Ross County, Ohio. She died on Aft. 1880. She married
James McVicker on 06 Apr 1843 in Hocking County, Ohio, son of Dennis McVicker
and Catherine McVicker (nee?). He was born on Bet. 1813-1815 in Monroe Twp.
Muskingum Co., Ohio. He died on 01 Jul 1864 in Larkinsville, Jackson Co.,
Alabama. She married Smith Riley on 29 Jun 1873 in Sedgwick County,
Kansas. He was born on Abt. 1820. Children of Elizabeth Ross and James
McVicker are: i.
John Robert McVicker, B: 29 May 1844 in Washington
Twp., Hocking Co., Ohio, D: 01 Feb
1929 in Porterville, Tulare Co., California, M: 01 Apr 1877 in Wichita, Sedgwick Co., Kansas. ii.
Mary McVicker, B: Abt. 1846 in Washington Twp.,
Hocking Co., Ohio, D: Bef. 1873 in
Illinois ??, M: 12 Jul 1865 in Sheffield Twp., Tippecanoe Co., Indiana. iii.
Catherine McVicker, B: 10 Apr 1848 in Washington
Twp., Hocking Co., Ohio, D: 02 Jun
1930 in Joplin, Jasper Co., Missouri, M: 16 Feb 1867 in Sherman, Ohio Twp.,
Bureau Co., Illinois. iv.
Rebecca Jane McVicker, B: 17 Dec 1850 in Washington
Twp., Hocking Co., Ohio, D: 23 Nov 1927
in Rocky Comfort, McDonald Co., Missouri, M: 23 Jul 1872 in Selby Twp., Bureau Co., Illinois. v.
David McVicker, B: 20 Dec 1852 in Washington Twp.,
Hocking Co., Ohio, D: 11 Aug 1927 in Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon, M: Abt.
1885 in Kansas. vi.
Sarah Ellen McVicker, B: 11 Jun 1854 in Ohio, D:
Kansas?. More About Sarah Ellen McVicker: b: 10 Jun 1854 in Ohio vii.
Elizabeth A. McVicker, B: 17 Nov 1856 in Indiana,
D: California, USA. More About Elizabeth A.
McVicker: b: 16 Nov 1855 viii.
Theodosia McVicker, B: Abt. Dec 1859 in Lauramie
Twp., Tippecanoe Co., Indiana, D:
Bet. 1860-1870 in Indiana or Illinois?. ix.
Moses B. McVicker, B: 13 Apr 1862 in Lauramie Twp.,
Tippecanoe Co., Indiana, D: Jul 1919 in Tulare County, California. |
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Additional information about our DIRECT ANCESTORS as well as a complete listing |
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of
individuals with this surname may
be reviewed by clicking on this LINK. |
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Use this free genealogy site to help you get the best genealogy searches from Google™ by using your family tree, for your research. It will create a series of different
searches using tips or "tricks" |
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that will likely improve your results. The different searches
will give you many different ways of using Google and the Internet to find
ancestry information about this or any other Surname. |
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Ancestral locations
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Researching the locations
where our ancestors lived has provided us with valuable evidence needed to
fill-in the gaps in our family trees.
It has also led us to many interesting facts that enhance the overall
picture of each family group. |
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Locatiof Direct Ancestors
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The names of states and
counties on the following list were derived from the known places where the
Direct Ancestors in the “Ancestral Lineage” (see above) were born, married,
and / or died. |
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COUNTRY |
STATE |
COUNTY / SUBDIVISION |
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UNITED STATES |
KANSAS |
Sedgwick
County |
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OHIO |
Hocking
Co.; Ross Co. |
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PENNSYLVANIA |
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VIRGINIA |
Loudoun
County |
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Use this LINK to find out more about the locations listed above. |
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Locational distributionstors
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Knowing the
geographical areas where the surname you are researching is clustered and
distributed is an indispensable tool in deciding where to focus your
research. We believe that the “Public
Profiler” website will open up to you a wide range of solutions which
implement current research in spatial analysis. This site provides an array of local spatial
information tools useful to the genealogist. The information presented below shows
where the ROSS surname is distributed within the
United States as well as in the United
Kingdom, the country of origin of
this family. Australia is found to be the
country in the world where this surname is the most highly clustered having
almost 1,4 persons per million of population. |
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United States of America |
Key |
European Country of Origin |
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Click
on the LINK to the right to see more information about the
World distribution of a surname. You
can |
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get
greater detail for any of the following maps by clicking on the area, i.e
state, county that you are interested in. |
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Wjere are my ancestors Ancestors
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Resources which enhance our knowledge of the places inhabited
by our ancestors are almost as important as their names. The LINK to the right will take you to Maps,
Gazetteers, and other
helpful resources |
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that will assist in
discovering Ancestral Locations. These
web sites comprise only a small portion of what is available for researchers interested in learning more
about where their ancestors lived. |
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Migration
routes
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Tracing our own family’s paths of migration can
prove crucial in identifying previous generations and eventually, figuring
out where and how they arrived in the “New World” as well as where
they eventually settled. Knowing the network of trails American
pioneers traveled can help you guess where to start looking. The trail map(s) provided below may assist
you in understanding the routes that our direct ancestors of this family may
have taken to find new homes and opportunities in the vast area now
encompassed by the United States. During the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries hundreds of thousands
of Europeans made the
perilous ocean voyage to America. For many it was an escape from economic
hardship and religious persecution.
For most it was an opportunity to start over, own their own land, and
make a better future for their descendents.
Immigration records show a number of people bearing the name of Ross, or one of its variants, as arriving in North America between the 17th and
20th centuries. Some of
these immigrants were: James
Ross who came to America in 1652, and Alexander Ross who arrived at
Philadelphia in 1693. By 1840 the
Ross surname was found mostly in the states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New
York. |
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Use
the following links to find more early
immigrants with this surname: $ Search Ancestry.com Immigration
Records; or Free Ship’s Passenger lists at OliveTreeGenealogy.com |
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The Development of an Historical
Migration Route It is understood that in many if not all cases we do not
know exactly what routes our ancestors took as they migrated throughout the
United States. As such certain
assumptions have been utilized to re-create the migration path presented
below. With regard to 18th
and 19th century land routes we assume that they travelled along
few trails and roads that were in existence at the time. Research shows that a great many of these
old paths and trails are today designated as U.S. Highway Routes. For example, a major east-west route of
migration known as the National Road
is now U.S. Route 40, and a
primary north-south migration route of the 18th century followed
the Great Indian War and Trading Path is now U.S. Route 11. In some situations the re-created migration
route may travel along state routes that connect or run through the seat of a
county as that populated place is probably the oldest settlement in the area.
The use of water as a migration route is also likely. For example, during the late 18th
and early 19th centuries many families travelled west on the Ohio River as they moved on the new lands in Missouri or the Old Northwest Territory. As such when
applicable water routes have been included as the possible migration
route. |
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Migrations of the Ross Family 1798 - 1872 The American migrations of
this Ross family began around 1798 when our 6th great-grandfather John Ross and his family migrated from Pennsylvania to Loudoun County, Virginia. It is quite probable that they took the old
road from Gettysburg, PA
through Frederick, Maryland
and across the Potomac River at
Point of Rocks, MD
into Loudoun County. Today this
way follows
U.
S. Highway Route 15. The family resided hereuntil Joshua
Ross removed west from Virginia to Ohio prior to 1819.
It is likely that they travelled west from Loudoun County along a
course that follows present day U.S. Highway Route 50
all the way the Chillicothe,
the seat of Ross County, Ohio. The distant they would travel would have
been at least 345 miles which in those days would have taken the family
almost five weeks to complete. By 1820
Joshua Ross had settled in that area
of Ross County, Ohio which now lies
in Twin
Township. The Joshua continued to
live in Paint Township until his death in 1842. Our 4th great-grandfather Joseph Ross, son of Joshua, continued to live in
Twin Township until his death in 1854. It was our 3rd
great-grandmother Elizabeth Ross who made
the greatest contribution to the overall migration miles of this Ross
family. Elizabeth married James McVicker in 1843 and removed to Washington
Township in nearby Hocking County. She
and her family resided until about 1855 whereupon they migrated west to Tippecanoe
County, Indiana. It is most
probable that from there home near Ilesboro
in Hocking County they travelled some 70
miles northwest to join the throngs of migrants going west on the National
Road. On this highway of the 19th century they would
proceed about 150 miles due west to Indianapolis,
Indiana. They eventually settled near the town of Stockwell,
Indiana located about 50 miles north
west of Indianapolis. The McVicker
family established a farm and remained here until after the American Civil
War. Elizabeth’s husband died in 1863
during his service in the Union Army leaving her with nine children between
the ages of 1 and 19 years old. After her eldest child John R. McVicker returned from service in the Union
Army in 1865 Elizabeth decided to again “pull-up stakes” and remove further
west to the town of Keithsburg, Mercer County, Illinois. It is believed that they went to this
locality at the advice of Elizabeth’s brother Daniel
Ross.
Both families are found to be living at this place in 1870. It is about 265 miles between Stockwell to
Keithsburg. A possible route for this
journey from would be along today’s Indiana Road 28 west to Illinois were it becomes Road
119 and then U.S.
Route 136 west to the junction with U.S.
Route 150 north west all the way to Galesburg,
Illinois. From Galesburg they may have taken Illinois
Road 169 to the village of Oquawka on the Mississippi
River, then a road north along the river
to Keithsburg. In 1872 the family again picked up and moved
further west across the Mississippi river to Sedgwick County, Kansas a distance of about 550
miles. From Keithsburg they may have
taken the opportunity to travel by water to Kansas City, Kansas. This water route would have taken them down
the Mississippi River to St. Louis then up
the Missouri River
to the aforementioned Kansas City a distance of about 510 miles. The land route between these two locations
is at least 300 miles in length.
Although much shorter in length the land route could take 3 or 4 weeks
of difficult travel where as the water route could take as little time as 9
or 10 days. It is also possible that
this group could have travelled some of the distance by rail. The choice of routes would depend greatly
on the family finances. From Kansas
City they would have to continue on another 90 miles to Wichita, Kansas. This part of the journey may have been
taken by rail because by 1872 a branch of the Santa Fe Railroad
arrived at Wichita, and the town "busted-wide-open." A sign was
erected at the outskirts of town proclaiming: "Everything goes in
Wichita." The family soon
settled near the town of Maize
located in what was then Union
Township, now in Park
Township. A review of the history
of this area reveals that the McVicker's were probably among the first
families to settle in this area by virtue of the date when they arrived in
Kansas. Elizabeth remarried on 29 June
1873 to a man named Smith
Riley. Elizabeth and Smith Riley are found in the 1880 census living
next to her son John R.
McVicker in Sedgwick County. It is not know when or where Elizabeth
passed away but it may be surmised that she lived the remainder of her days
in Sedgwick County, thus ending the migrations of this family line that took
75 years to complete and covered approximately 1,500 miles. |
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from the keyboard you can increase or
decrease the zoom value in 10% increments. To
zoom |
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Source documents
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The
documents contained within this “Source Documents Archives” have been located
during our research of this family, and used as evidence to prove many of the facts contained within the
database of this family’s record. Use
the LINKS below to
view our collection. |
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·
Elizabeth Ross - James McVicker marriage
record ·
Elizabeth ROSS McVicker - 1870 Census |
·
Elizabeth ROSS
McVicker Riley - 1880 Census ·
Elizabeth ROSS
McVicker -Smith Riley marriage certificate |
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This Link will take
you to our |
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archive of
source documents. |
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You are welcome to download any of the
documents contained within this archive that does not cite a copyright. Should you encounter a problem obtaining a
copy you may get in touch with us via the contact information found at the
end of this web-page. |
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Most of
these documents can be considered as primary or secondary evidence. Primary
evidence is usually defined as the best available to prove
the fact in question, usually in an original document or record. Secondary
evidence is in essence all that evidence which is inferior in its
origin to primary evidence. That does not mean secondary evidence is always
in error, but there is a greater chance of error. Examples of this type of evidence would be
a copy of an original record, or oral testimony of a record’s contents. Published genealogies and family histories
are also secondary evidence. Classifying
evidence as either primary
or secondary does not tell anything about its accuracy or ultimate
value. This is especially true of
secondary evidence. Thus it is always
a good idea to ask the following questions: (1) How far removed from the
original is it, (when it is a copy)?; (2) What was the reason for the
creation of the source which contains this evidence?; and (3) Who was
responsible for creating this secondary evidence and what interest did they
have in its accuracy? SOURCE: Greenwood, Val D., The Researcher’s Guide
to American Genealogy, 2nd edition, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, MD 21202, 1990, pgs. 62-63 |
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Web resources
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This search
engine may provide you
with additional |
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information to
assist with your research
about this topic. |
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·
Our Surname
Locator And Resources web page
contains the following: (1) links that will take you to an updated listing of
all surnames as posted in our three databases at the Rootsweb WorldConnect
Project; (2) the Surname List Finder a tool that finds
sound-alike matches for a given surname from among RootsWeb's thousands of
surname lists; (3) the Soundex Converter that can be used to find the soundex code for a surname, plus other
surnames/spellings sharing the same soundex code; (4) Surname Message Boards the world's largest online genealogy
community with over 17 Million posts on more than 161,000 boards; (5) Surname
Mailing Lists of all surnames having
mailing lists at RootsWeb, as well as topics that include (6) Surname
Heraldy, and (7) Mapping a
Surname. ·
Your genealogy research of this surname can be facilitated by use of Surname Web. This website links to the majority of the surname data on
the web, as well as to individual family trees, origin and surname meaning if
known, and many other related genealogy resources. ·
Surname
Finder provides easy access to
free and commercial resources for 1,731,359 surnames. On each surname
specific "finder" page, you can search a variety of online
databases all pre-programmed with your surname. ·
Use All Surnames
Genealogy to
get access to find
your surname resources . There are almost
1300 links in this directory. ·
SurnameDB
Free database of surname meanings - This site SurnameDB.Com contains a large
FREE to access database (almost 50,000 surnames) on the history and meaning of family last
names. ·
Public Profiler / World Names - Search for a
Surname to view its Map and Statistics. ·
Linkpendium Surnames - Web sites, obituaries,
biographies, and other material specific to a surname. ·
Cyndi's List - Surnames,
Family Associations & Family Newsletters Index - Sites or resources dedicated to
specific, individual family surnames. |
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Free Records
& Databases
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All of the records and
databases we’ve collected are FREE and can be
accessed and searched online without having to pay for a subscription. We have divided our collected into 14
record types as follows: Biographical; Birth; Cemetery; Census & City Directories;
Church; Court; Death; Immigration & Naturalization; Land; Marriage;
Military; Newspapers; Occupational; and Tax Records.
We try not to list any sites that have only
a few records for the purpose of getting you to a website that will charge a
fee to actually see the record beyond just a name. |
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This Link will take
you to our |
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collections
of FREE Records. |
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The
following Link
will take you to our library of genealogy reference books. Here you will find bibliographies, family histories and books about names. In addition, there are texts that pertain
to ethnic
and religion groups, history, geography as well as other books
that will assist you with your research. |
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This Link will take
you to our |
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collections
of reference books. |
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Images gallery
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During our research we have collected
images and photographs that are of general interest to a particular
family. Some of them are presented on
this website because we believe they tend to provide the reader with
additional information which may aid in the understanding of our ancestors
past lives.
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This Link will take
you to our |
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collection
of family photographs. |
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Use the power of Google™ to find more interesting images about
this topic. This button will link you to the Google Images Search page.
Enter the topic
you are |
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searching in the box and
click “Search Images”. At the “Images” display page you will see the
image, as well as the website of which it is associated. |
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Contact Information
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Snail Mail: Fred USA |
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Pony
Express: Tom Sooke, BC V9Z 0Y7 Canada |
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