Name/Title
AU Stryker-Rodda, Harriet - 1970-XX-XX Descendants Chart of George RossEntry/Object ID
2004.1.54Context
HARRIET STRYKER-RODDA
421 SUMMIT AVENUE
SO. ORANGE, N.J. 07079
ROSS
George Ross, the founder of the New Jersey family of the name, was born in Scotland. At the Battle of Dunbar, 3 September 1650, he was taken prisoner by Cromwell's troops when they defeated Leslie‘s Covenanters. Because of his youth he was not imprisoned or executed as were some, but was permitted to migrate to America. He was shipped aboard the JOHN and SARAH out of London, John Greene, Master, bound for New England. John Cotton, writing to Lord Cromwell from Boston in 1651 wrote of "the Scots whom God delivered unto your hands at Dunbar and whereof sundry are sent here.“ He died in Rahway, N.J. January 1705.
George Ross did not stay in Boston but removed to New Haven, Conn. where on 7 December 1658 he married Constance Little. Two years later he took the oath of fidelity on May 1660 in New Haven where he and his family resided until about 1670. In Conn. he was a carpenter and was made a freeman in 1668, the year of his marriage, which permitted him to vote.
Not content with affairs in the Connecticut colony, George Rose became one of the 80 founders of Elizabeth, N.J. and moved there with his wife and family of children, the youngest about two years old and the eldest about ten years old. The first record of George in Elizabethtown was on 30 November 1676 when he received a deed for 132 acres of land in six parcels. On 4 December 1676 he was made a Selectman of the town. He became Lieutenant of the local Militia about 1683; was one of two Deacons of the Presbyterian Church and on 1 May 1686 was made one of the judges of the Court of Small Causes. The records show that he was a witness of the wills of several friends and a deed of 22 December 1696 for 80 acres of calf pasture he sold to John Smith, names him Lt. Ross, the land at Rahway. No will is found of record for George Ross nor for his wife. Their children are known through the records of their births in New Haven, Conn. vital records:
Children of George and Constance (Little) Ross:
i. John born 23 February 1660, baptized 13 May 1662; married Abigail Ailing, daughter of John Ailing; died 9 December 1702.
ii. Daniel born l0 October 1663, baptized November 1663; married his brother John's widow, Abigail (Ailing) Ross
iii. George baptized May 1662; married Hannah Spinning, daughter of Humphrey and Abigail (Hubbard) Spinning; died in 1717, his will proved l4 November 1717.
iv. Elizabeth born 26 December 1665; married Capt. Daniel Price; no issue.
v. Hannah born l4 August l668; married John Lambert, son of Roger Lambert from England; died 1748 ae 8O years.
REFERENCES USED
Ross Family in Gardner Collection, N.J. Historical Soc.
Ms. by E. Ogden Ross, Atty., l8 State St., Troy, N.Y. from notes left by his father
Vital Records of New Haven, Conn.
New Haven Town Records (printed) and N.J. Wills
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HARRIET STRYKER-RODDA
421 SUMMIT AVENUE
SO. ORANGE, N.J. 07079
JOHN ROSS (1600 - 1702)
JOHN(2)ROSS (George(l))
John Ross, son of George and Constance (Little) Ross, was born in New Haven, Conn. 23 February 1660; died 9 December 1702 in the part of Elizabethtown, N.J. which later because Rahway. He married Abigail
Alling, daughter of John Alling who after his death married second, Daniel Ross, brother of her first husband.
Children: of John and Abigail (Alling) Ross*
i. John born c. l683, vent to sea and drowned
+ ii. GEORGE b.c. 1685; GI. Oct. 1750
iii. Abigail l687; married Jonathan Miller
iv. Sarah 1689; married Peter Kingsland
v. Nathaniel 1691; married Jane Price
vi. James 1693; died without issue 1723
vii. Joseph l695
viii. Benjamin 1697; died 1760
* according to the Gardner Collection at N.J. Hist. Soc., Newark, N.J.
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HARRIET STRYKER-RODDA
421 SUMMIT AVENUE
SO. ORANGE, N.J. 07079
GEORGE ROSS (1685 - 1750)
GEORGE(3) ROSS (John(2), George(1))
George Ross, son of John and Abigail (Alling) Ross, was born 1685 in the borough of Elizabeth, N.J., which later cane to be known as Rahway, N.J. died there leaving a will dated 18 October 1750 proved 10 November 1750. He married possibly Susanna ( - ) who probably died before 1750 since he names no wife in his will. He was a carpenter.
There was no stipulated minister at the Rahway Church, Presbyterian, during the years records are needed to establish this third generation of the Ross family, therefore it becomes necessary to weigh the evidence needed to be sure that the correct George Ross has been documented, for there were others of the name living in the Elizabeth area.
George Ross' will of 1750 states he was a carpenter of "the Borough of Elizabeth". His land "adjoining John Williams" is devised to his son David. This is confirmed by the will of John Williams in l782 in which he names his own land "to run back to land of David Ross." The 1750 Ross will also devises "land bought of Jonathan Miller". Jonathan Miller's will of 1727 names his "homestead at Rahway". This is one of the early designations of the name in wills of that area. Jonathan Miller, Jr. who was over 14 but under 21 when his father died, chose Thomas Scudder as his guardian. Thomas Scudder was one of the witnesses to the 1750 Ross will. Thomas Scudder's own will of 1761 states he was "of the Borough of Elizabeth" and then went on to devise his land to his sons in Rahway Meadows. These various items appear to constitute proof that this George(3) Ross was definitely of Rahway and the one George(3) Ross who fits into the lineage at this point.
Children of George Ross and his wife ( - ) for whom no births or baptisms are found; known only from their father's will; order unknown:
John
Susanna Griffe: Edward Griffe of the Borough of Elizabeth, cordwainor, died intestate. On 17 Aug. 1754 Susanna Griffe renounced and gave her right to administer the estate to John Ross (her brother). Witness was George Ross (another brother who was also the bondsman in the estate settlement.
+ GEORGE
Hannah
David
Phebe
REFERENCES USED
New Jersey Wills
Note: George(3) Ross was a minor, age l7, when his father died, but no guardianship papers are found for him.
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HARRIET STRYKER-RODDA
421 SUMMIT AVENUE
SO. ORANGE, N.J. 07079
GEORGE ROSS (c. 1715-1785)
GEORGE(4) ROSS (George(3), John(2), George(1))
George Ross, son of George and ( - ) Ross, was born in Elizabeth Borough (Rahway) N.J. about 1715; died there intestate in March 1785. He married before 1743 Ruth Scudder, daughter of Benjamin Scudder.
With the paucity of pro-Revolutionary War records it has been difficult to prove this fourth generation. Again it has been necessary to use whatever peripheral data is available in probate records.
The will of Benjamin Scudder of the Borough of Elizabeth, was proved 29 April 1743. In it he devised his real and personal estates to his children, among whom he named Ruth Ross. The executers of the estate were "friend George Ross" (George(3)) and "son-in-law George Ross, Jr." (George(4)).
When on 3 March 1785 an administrator for the intestate estate of George(4) was assigned by the court, George(5) Ross (son) became administrator. It is not clear whether the John Ross who was fellow bondsman was George's brother or whether he was another son. All are designated as of "Elizabeth Borough", i.e., Rahway. No file of estate papers has survived. In the recording of the estate procedures, the decedent is named "George Ross III of Elizabeth Borough" thus differentiating him from the numerous others of the same name.
Children of George and Ruth (Scudder) Ross, the list probably incomplete and order unknown:
Ruth Ross, daughter of George and Ruth Ross, died 6 February l79l her 37th year and was buried in Rahway Presbyterian Churchyard, wife of Joseph Lee.
George
John?
[End of Page 4]
HARRIET STRYKER-RODDA
421 SUMMIT AVENUE
SO. ORANGE, N.J. 07079
GEORGE ROSS (c. 1735-1786)
GEORGE(5) ROSS (George(4,3), John(2), George(1))
George Ross, son of George and Ruth (Scudder) Ross, was born in Rahway, N.J. about 1745; died there intestate July 1786. He married Elizabeth ( - ) who died ll Nay 1832 aged 85 years and was buried in Rahway Presbyterian Churchyard.
When George Ross died in l786 he was about 41 years of age. The court made his wife Elizabeth administrator and her fellow bondsman was John Craig. Since no estate settlement papers survive, there is no way of determining the children of this couple.
Elizabeth ( - ) Ross survived her husband and died on ll May 1832. She was buried in the Joseph Oliver, Jr.-Nancy Brown plot there in Rahway Presbyterian Churchyard. It is quite probable she had been living with her son 1saac(6) Oliver who had married Lydia(6) Oliver, daughter of Joseph and Nancy (Brown) Oliver.
The circumstance of this burial is all the evidence found to indicate the family relationship. There may have been other children of George and Elizabeth, but no proof can be found. The only one provable is:
+ ISAAC born 1781
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
There are four references in Stryker's Officers and Men of New Jersey in The Revolutionary War to George Ross, but identification of these men has not been clarified. Only one has been used as a revolutionary ancestor for DAR: George Ross, Jr. born 1753. d. 1796 who married Amy Van Cort and became a 2nd Lt. in the 8th Co., 2nd Bat. and who was retired 26 Sept. 1780. There was also a George Ross, Ensign in the 5th Co., 1st Bat., under Capt. Jos. Meeker, 1st Lt. Giles Mead and 2nd Lt. Archibald Dallas. They were order on l0 Nov. l775 to garrison the fort in the Highlands on the Hudson River. On 8 Dec. 1775 they were ordered to N.Y. City and on 5 November 1776 after service at Ticonderoga were returned to N.J. for discharge.
It could be argued that George(5) Ross may have been of this latter company, the service having been a contributing factor in his early death, but there is no evidence found that this was the case. There were many in the area named George Ross, and identification is complicated by that fact alone.
[End of Page 5]
HARRIET STRYKER-RODDA
421 SUMMIT AVENUE
SO. ORANGE, N.J. 07079
ISAAC ROSS (1781 - 1861)
ISAAC(6) ROSS (George(5,4,3), John(2), George(1))
Isaac Ross, son of George and Elizabeth ( - ) Ross, was born in Rahway, N.J. in 1781; died there 19 February 1861 at age 80 and was buried in the Rahway Presbyterian Churchyard. He married Lydia Oliver, daughter of Joseph and Nancy (Brown) Oliver at Rahway on 8 December 1812 (N.J. Journal of 15 December 1812) Lydia Oliver was born 13 February 1795 at Rahway and died there 16 October 1837 ae 42 years 8 months 4 days and is buried with her husband.
Isaac Ross was but 5 years old when his father died. There may have been other children, but there are no records of births or baptisms found for them. The Elizabethtown Gazette of 3 August 1819 carried a short notice which may indicate that Isaac had an older brother George: "Partnership of George and Isaac Ross of Rahway dissolved this day."
The will of Isaac Ross dated 20 August 1857 proved 3 April 1861 shows he was affluent. He and his wife had had eleven children, but only four survived him. He devised $3,000 to each of his surviving daughters, Ann Eliza wife of Elihu Wilcox, Martha Amelia Florence, wife of John D. Florence, and Caroline Oliver Ross, then unmarried. William Ross, his only surviving son, was made the executor of his father's will and received the balance of the estate, both real and personal. The older son, John B. Ross, who had died before 1861, is named in the will: "to heirs of my son John B. Ross, $1.00.
Children of Isaac and Lydia (Oliver) Ross, all born in Rahway, N.J.:
i. Emily born 13 December 1813; d. 7 October 1818 ae 4.9.24; buried Rahway Presbyterian Churchyard as were all the young children who died in this family.
ii. Margaret born 26 August 1815; d. 1 November 1821 ae 6.2.5
iii. John B. Ross born 1817; d. before 1861 leaving issue.
iv. Emily born 25 October 1818; d. 9 December 1827 he 9.1.14
v. William Ross who was the executor of his father's will.
vi. Susan born 12 March 1821; d. l4 June 1821 ae 3 mos. 22 das.
vii. Susan born 6 January 1822; d. 8 June 1824 ae 2.5.2.
viii. Ann Eliza born 1823; married Elihu Wilcox of Union on 22 October 1843 when she was age 20 years.
ix. Caroline Oliver Ross born 1826 who married after 1861 Mark Reifel; no issue.
x. Harriet Oliver Ross born 28 September 1828; d. 24 February 1843 ae 15.2.26
xi. Martha Amelia Ross born 1833 who married John D. Florence when she was age 23 years, in 1856. For children of John D. Florence and Martha Ross see under JOHN D. FLORENCE
[End of Document]
