History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 195

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1532

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ALVIN S. ROOD, carpenter, Bloomingdale, was born in Huntington township, April 10, 1837, a son of David and Sarah (Seward) Rood, the former of whom was born in Ross township in 1812, the latter in Huntington township. David is a son of Ira Rood, the first of that name and family to settle in this county, and who first located in Union township and then removed to Ross, where he owned ninety acres of farm land. He was a man of good judgment and moral habits. His family numbered twelve children, two of whom are now living. His son David began his business life as a farmer in Ross township, owning eighty acres of land which he improved and beautified during his lifetime. He was a worthy man of respectabil- ity. He was a strict member of the M. E. Church for fifty years, during which time he did some preaching; he died February 13, 1891, aged eighty-three years, after a life of recognized usefulness. His family consisted of six children, five of whom are living. Alvin S., who is the second in order of birth, in early life learned the carpenter's trade, at which he has worked ever since, but previous to serving his time at his trade, he served his country when she needed the aid of all the loyal men. He was mustered into the service of the United States in March, 1864 (for the term of three years), as a musician and member of Company A, One Hundred and Eighty-eighth P. V. I., serving honorably and well to the close of the war, being discharged in December, 1865; he draws a pension. After his return to citizenship he worked at his trade, and is a first-class mechanic. In 1855 Mr. Rood married Miss Eliza Wolfe, who was born in Ross township in 1838, daughter of Peter and Lois Wolfe, and to them were born five children, all living: Josiah, Steward, Edward, Hattie and Minnie. Mr. and Mrs. Rood are members of the M. E. Church, in good standing. Mr. Rood owns the property of Peter Wolfe, a small farm of thirty-five acres which he works in conjunction with his trade. Politically he is a Republican.

LUDWIG Roos, butcher, Wilkes-Barre, was born in Bavaria, Germany, March 3, 1845, a son of Gottfried and Elizabeth (Stahl) Roos. He was reared and educated in Germany, where he served an apprenticeship of two years at the butcher's trade, and afterward worked nine years in that business. He served eleven months and twenty-

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four days in the Franco-Prussian war. In February, 1872, he came to America, located in Wilkes-Barre, and embarked in the butcher's business, in which he has since continued with success. He was twice married: March 12, 1873, he married Miss Mary, daughter of John Henry, of Lehman township, this county, and by her he had one child, Mary (deceased). His second wife was Miss Margaretta Henry, sister of the first, and of this union have been born two children, yet living: Louisa and Frank. Our subject is a member of the German Catholic Church. In politics he is a Democrat, and has served one term as member of the city council.

EDWARD C. ROOT, was born in Wilkes-Barre, July 25, 1866, a son of Chauncy C. and Mary P. (Kelley) Root. The father, who was a native of Wilkes-Barre, and a brick mason and contractor by trade, died in 1870 leaving two children: Edward O. and Mamie (Mrs. Fred G. Smith). Our subject was educated in the public schools of Wilkes-Barre, and at eighteen years of age entered the employ of W. D. White & Co., druggists, Wilkes-Barre, with whom he remained two and one-half years. Then he entered the employ of J. H. Houch, of Pittston, at the West End Store, and after one year's service was promoted to manager, and since 1887 he has been a registered pharmacist. He is a member of the West Pittston Presbyterian Church, and of the Y. M. C. A .; politically he is a Republican.

DAVID L. Ross, physician and surgeon, Pittston. This gentleman, who ranks among the best of Luzerne county's physicians, was born in Newport, Rhode Island, May 27, 1845, and is a son of David and Mary (Ivison) Ross, the former of whom was born in the Highlands of Scotland, and became a sailor. David Ross immi- grated to the United States many years ago, and served in the United States navy fifteen years as mate. He has retired from active business life, and resides at Lis- bon, Conn. The mother was born in Carlisle, England. They had a family of three living children, viz. : Annie, wife of W. W. Woodward, a druggist of Daniel- sonville, Conn .; David L .; and George I., a physician and graduate of the Wash- ington University of Baltimore, and now practicing his profession at Canton, Mass. Our subject passed his boyhood in Connecticut, and was educated in the public schools of his native city. At the age of seventeen, on March 21, 1864, he enlisted. in Company B, Tenth Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, and was discharged August 25, 1865, at Richmond, Va. He participated in the following battles: Drurys Bluffs, Deep Bottom, Strawberry Plains; at the last-named engagement he was wounded with a musket ball in the left thigh, and was sent to Portsmouth (Va.) Hospital, where he remained three months. After rejoining his regiment he was in the battle of Hatcher's Run, Fort Gregg, and at the surrender of Lee at Appomattox. After the close of the war he traveled for a short time in the West, finally locating in Chicago, where he secured a position in a drug-store as night clerk, and at the same time entered Rush Medical College in 1868, graduating from there with the degree of M. D. January 17, 1872. He at once entered upon the practice of his profession in that city, and continued there one year; then removed to Danielsonville, Conn., where he remained one year, and then was one year at Moodus, same State. In 1874 the Doctor came to Pittston, and here remained six years; then removed to Scotland, Conn., and remained there until 1887, when he returned to Pittston, and has here since been in active practice. The Doctor has been a very successful prac- titioner, and has enjoyed the perfect confidence of his patients. He was united in marriage, October 12, 1873, with Nellie Underwood, a daughter of Jerome Under- wood, of Pittston, which union has been blessed with two children, Mabel and Ada. The Doctor is a member and past commander of Nugent Post No. 245 G. A. R.

EDWARD E Ross, Luzerne, was born October 17, 1855, at Tuscarora, Schuylkill Co., Pa., and is a son of John E. and Sarah (Davison) Ross, natives respectively of the counties of Northumberland and Durham, England. They emigrated to this country about the year 1852, and settled in Schuylkill county, Pa., where the sub- ject of our sketch was born and spent his early childhood. He was educated in the common schools of his native county and, at the youthful age of fifteen, became a teacher, in which occupation he continued until 1885, when he established a drug

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HISTORY OF LUZERNE COUNTY.

business at Luzerne, which is in a prosperous and flourishing condition. In 1887 he was offered a position as outside foreman of a colliery, operated by the North west Coal Company (limited), located in Lackawanna county. In this position he accepted and faithfully performed the duties connected therewith until 1889, when he received the appointment as principal of the graded school at Kingston, a position he still occupies. Mr. Ross, in 1889, was a candidate for county superintendent of schools; he was unsuccessful, yet, if elected, he would have undoubtedly performed the trust imposed in him in that careful and highly commendable manner which has characterized his entire career. He was married, January 18, 1887, to Amy S., daughter of Joseph and Rosanna (Tylie) Blackman, and one child, a daughter, four- teen months old, who bears her mother's name, has blessed this happy union. In politics Mr. Ross is always found in the Republican ranks; and is a member of the F. & A. M., I. O. O. F., Imp'd O. R. M., and P. O. S. of A.

GILES Ross, contractor and builder, Wilkes-Barre, was born in Falls township, Luzerne (now Wyoming) county, Pa., March 18, 1845, and is a son of David and Charlotte (Olmstead) Ross. His paternal grandfather, who was a native of England, born of Scotch parentage, came to America about 1790, and was one of the pioneers of what is now Moscow, Pa., where he resided many years; in later life he removed to Michigan, and died there. Of his family, David, father of subject, was born in Luzerne county in December, 1806, near Moscow, and lived in Luzerne county, dying there at the age of eighty-three years. His wife was a daughter of David Olmstead, of Falls township, and by her he had sixteen children, eleven of whom grew to maturity, viz .: James N., Lydia (Mrs. Joseph Griffin), David, Delilah (Mrs. John Covert), Miles, Mary (Mrs. John Sites), Esther (Mrs. Charles L. Moore), Giles, John W., Wilson E. and Charlotte R. Our subject was reared in Ross township, this county, and was educated in the common schools. On September 24, 1864, he enlisted in Company A, Eighty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteers, partici- pating in all the battles of the Fifth Corps, Army of the Potomac, which took place after his enlistment, and was honorably discharged at close of the war. He then located in Wilkes-Barre, where he learned the carpenter's trade, after which he worked as a journeyman from 1868 to 1876, when he embarked in business for himself. In 1879 Mr. Ross married Anna, daughter of John Bastuscheck, of Wilkes-Barre, and has three children: John D., Charlotte M. and Giles G. Mr. Giles Ross is a member of the G. A. R., and in politics is a Republican.

JASON Ross, farmer, P. O. Orange, was born March 23, 1856, in Franklin town- ship, where he was reared and educated. He is a son of Joseph B. and Sarah M. (Hallock) Ross, the former born in Franklin in 1820, the latter in New Jersey. Joseph is a son of William Ross, who was born in New Jersey, April 11, 1793, and removed hither in 1800, with his father, James, when only seven years of age. James had five children at the time when he moved here by wagon from New Jersey, and two more were born after he settled. He located first in Hanover town ship, but after four years removed to what is now Dallas, and there purchased a lot of land on which he lived and which he cultivated. He was a hard-working man and patriotic in the extreme, serving his country faithfully for five years in her struggle with England for independence. He lived to a good old age. William, his son, remained on the homestead until having attained his majority; he followed the example of his father by serving four years in the war of 1812. On his return to citizenship, he removed to what is now Franklin township on a farm of fifty acres. He married Miss Anna Brace, and by her had three children, one of whom, Sarah, is now living. William was an honest and industrious man, a Democrat who had influence with his party, a good citizen, and did much to improve the town in which he lived. He died in 1868, at the age of seventy-five. His son, Joseph B., began life on his father's farm, and was a man of sterling qualities, honest, faithful and industrious. Under his magic touch the farm of fifty increased to eighty-seven acres, and was improved and cultivated. He had five children, four of whom reached maturity and are now living: Ira H., Julia A., Homer S. and Jason. Our subject,

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the youngest of his father's children, has always confined himself to agricultural pursuits, and is now a practical farmer, living on the old homestead on which his grandfather settled. He is a thorough business man of pure principles and fine ideas, and has filled various offices with credit. On January 13, 1880, he married Miss Carrie M., the accomplished daughter of David and Phoebe Barlew. Of this union one child, Augusta B., was born August 1, 1882. Mr. and Mrs. Ross are consistent and active members of the M. E. Church at Orange.

JOHN Ross, miner in the Delaware Shaft, Miners Mills, was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, about three miles from the birthplace of Robert Burns, September 22, 1835. He is a son of William and Elizabeth (McGary) Ross; his father, who was a miner, reared a family of nine children, four of whom are living, viz : John, Jane (Mrs. Cornelius Beatty), Hugh, a mine foreman at Stauffer, Pa., and Mary, who married Elias Phillips, a mine foreman, at Lemont, Pa. Another son, William, was killed by an explosion of dynamite at Mount Lookout, Pa., in February, 1891. Our subject began life working in and about the mines in his native country, and came to America in 1866, locating at Blossburg, Pa., where he worked in the mines one year. He then returned to Scotland, remaining two years, during which time he was mar- ried. In 1869 he came to Renova, Pa., and after working about the mines there for a few months removed to Arnot, where he worked in the mines three years, and then embarked in the mercantile business in Blossburg for three years. He next removed to Plains, where he remained eleven years, thence in 1886 to Miners Mills. Since that time he has worked chiefly in his blacksmith shop during the summers, and in the mines during the winters. Mr. Ross was married, March 20, 1868, to Miss Anna, daughter of David and Catharine (McGill) McNaughton, of his native town; they have had born to them nine children, five of whom are living, viz .: Catharine (Mrs. George Tasker), who has two children, Anna and William; William, who works in his father's shop, building iron fence; Elizabeth, John and Hugh. Mr. Ross and wife attend the Primitive Methodist Church, of which she is a member; he is a mem- ber of the I. O. O. F., K. of P., and F. & A. M. In his political views he is a Re- publican, and has held the offices of assessor and tax-collector in Plains; he is now justice of the peace in Miners Mills, and is serving his second term as burgess.

MILES Ross, farmer, P. O. Kyttle, was born in Wyoming county, February 23, 1839. He is the son of David and Charlotta (Olmstead) Ross, the former born near Spring Brook, Lackawanna county, in 1806, the latter in Schoharie, Schoharie Co., N. Y., in 1810. David was a son of William Ross, a native of Connecticut, who removed to this county in 1786, locating at Spring Brook, where he became engaged in farming. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and did honor to his country. He was an inveterate hunter, in those days, when game was in abundance. William Ross reared a useful and interesting family, and died at a good old age. His son, David, began his business life in Falls township, Wyoming county, where he farmed on a small scale. May 14, 1850, he removed to Ross township, this county, where he purchased a farm of 218 acres of unimproved land, part of which he brought under cultivation during his lifetime. He was an honest, industrious and hard- work- ing man, and a consistent member of the M. E. Church. David Ross died October 19, 1889, aged eighty-three years. His family consisted of sixteen children, eleven of whom grew to maturity. Niue are now living. Miles Ross is the eighth of the family in the order of birth. He was reared and educated in Wyoming county, and lived with his father until after the outbreak of the Civil war. He was mustered into the U. S. service August 22, 1862, in Company F, One Hundred and Forty-ninth P. V. I., for the term of three years, participating in all the principal battles of the army of the Potomac. He was taken prisoner by the enemy while carrying provision to a picket post, a gap being left between two sentinels, he and his company passed outside the Union line. He remained nine months a prisoner, serving time in An- dersonville, Augusta, Milan and Florence. At the close of the war he was honor- ably discharged, and has since followed agricultural pursuits. November 16, 1865, he married Miss Mary E., daughter of Stephen H. and Ruth Parks. To them has

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been born one child, La Roy. Mr. Ross owns eighty-five acres of land, the cultiva- tion of which he oversees, his principle crop being grass. He is a member of the G. A. R., and in religion an adherent of the M. E. Church. Mrs. Mary E. Ross was born in Monroe, Wyoming county, March 2, 1841. The Parkses are old settlers who came from Connecticut about 1810; they are well-to-do farmers and worthy people. Several members of their family fought in the Revolutionary war and the war of 1812.

NATHAN Ross, engineer at Henry Shaft, Plains, was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, July 12, 1847, son of Nathaniel and Janet (Frazer) Ross. The father, who was a mine foreman, reared a family of ten children, three of whom are living in America, and of whom Nathan is the seventh. Our subject came to America in 1870, and located at Providence, Pa., where he was engaged in mining two years; then removed to Plains, where he worked as engineer, a position he had held in Scotland. He erected his present residence in 1874, and has since built other houses, which he rents. Mr. Ross was married, July 13, 1865, to Miss Margaret, daughter of Donald and Mary (Minges) McLellen, of Lanarkshire, Scotland, and they have five children, four of whom are living, viz. : Nathan; Nathaniel, who was educated in Plains high school, then served four years as drug clerk at Nanticoke, afterward entering Jeffer- son Medical College, at Philadelphia, from which he graduated in 1892, and is now practicing in Wilkes-Barre; Mary, who is a seamstress, and resides with her parents; and Kate R., who graduated in the Normal and Manual Training courses of the Bloomsburg State Normal School in 1891, and is at present teaching in Plains. Mr. and Mrs. Ross are members of the Presbyterian Church; he is a member of the I. Q. O. F. and Encampment, and the Caledonian Club of Wilkes-Barre, in all of which Societies he is a past officer; in his political views he is a Republican.

NATHAN Ross, JR., engineer, Plains, was born in Scotland March 9, 1866, and is a son of Nathan and Margaret (McLellen) Ross. He was educated in the common schools, after which he fired for the Lehigh Valley Coal Company at the Henry Shaft four years, and then secured a position as engineer for the Sheldon Axle Works, Wilkes-Barre, which he'at present holds, residing in Plains. Mr. Ross was married, December 31, 1888, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of William and Isabella (Porter) Keir, natives of Scotland; they have two children, a son named Nathan, and a daughter, Isabella. Mr. and Mrs. Ross are members of the Presbyterian Church; he is a member of the I. O. O. F. and Encampment, and the Caledonian Club of Wilkes-Barre; politically, he is a Republican.

WILLIAM WALLACE Ross, stationary engineer, Parsons, was born in Rush, Sus- quehanna Co., Pa., November 5, 1850, and is a son of William W. and Malinda (Mericle) Ross, the father a native of Pennsylvania, of Scotch, and later of New England, origin, a grandson of Capt. Perrin Ross, who was killed at the Wyoming Massacre, the mother a native of Pennsylvania and of German descent. When Mr. Ross was about eighteen years of age his parents removed to Camptown, Pa., where he was educated, and at the age of twenty he came to Parsons, where he has since been engaged in stationary engineering, at present employed at the Prospect Mine. Mr. Ross was married, July 17, 1876, to Miss Carrie, daughter of John and Cath- erine (Herne) Hines, of Peckville, Lackawanna Co., Pa., and the fruit of this happy union is five children, viz .: Charles, Harry, Gertrude, Oscar and Sadie. Mr. Ross is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men; his political views are Republican, and is a member and president of the Parsous borough council.

WILLIAM W. ROTH, outside foreman of Lattimer Colliery, No. 1, Drum's. This competent foreman was born in Butler Valley, January 22, 1863, and is the eighth in a family of eleven children born to Samuel and Caroline (Dauber) Roth, early settlers of Butler Valley. William W. was reared and educated at his birthplace, and until he became of age worked at farming. After reaching his majority he learned the carpenter's trade, and worked on the construction of breakers until 1886, when he was given the position of foreman of the carpenter gang at the Lattimer Colliery, No. 1. In 1887 he was promoted to the foremanship of the Lattimer

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Mines, Nos. 1 and 2, and has since held that position. He has under his charge about 300 men, whose daily output of coal is 700 tons. Mr. Roth has had an ex- tensive practical experience about the mines, and is well up in the business of run- ning a colliery. He was united in marriage, December 22, 1883, with Miss Sabina, daughter of Stephen Cunfer, of Carbon county, Pa. To this union have been born four children, namely: Elmer, Blanche, Caroline and Ellen. In political matters Mr. Roth is not wed to any party, but votes purely on principle, and for the best man. He is a member of the P. O. S. of A., and the family belong to the Lutheran Church.

EZRA ROUGH, farmer, P. O. Briggsville, was born in Nescopeck township, April 22, 1846, a son of Samuel and Jerusha (Brown) Rough. His paternal grandparents, Daniel and Anna (Henry) Rough, were pioneers of Nescopeck township, and his maternal grandparents, John and Betsey (Linneberry) Brown, were natives of New Jersey, and pioneers of Mifflin township, Columbia Co., Pa. Samuel Rough was born in Nescopeck township in 1824, and died in 1881, leaving two sons, Ezra and John. Our subject was reared in Nescopeck township, where he has always resided engaged in agricultural pursuits. His wife was Huldah, daughter of Joel and Mary (Lutz) Honsinger, of Black Creek township, and by her he has five children: Samuel R., Dallas W., Jordan E., Blanche M. and Lena E. Politically Mr. Rough is a Democrat.

CASPER M. ROUSE (deceased) was born in Bennington, Vt., December 15, 1832, and was a son of John H. and Clara (Moore) Rouse, natives of New York and Ver- mont, and of German and New England origin, respectively. The father, who was a wagon-maker by trade, reared a family of three children, of whom Casper M. was the eldest. He came to Pennsylvania in 1869, and located at Moosic, where he was employed as superintendent of the Powder Works at that place for four years; and then superintended the construction of the Powder Works at Laflin, in which he was superintendent and also a stockholder until his death, which occurred at his residence in Laflin, Pa., April 6, 1890. Mr. Rouse was married, August 14, 1858, to Wealthy J., daughter of Joseph and Sarah (St. Clair) Vananden, of Fair Haven, Vt. This union was blessed with four children, three of whom are living, viz. : John Franklin, " black-boss" at the Laflin Powder Works; Sarah Jane (Mrs. Thomas Barrett), resides at Bennington, Vt. (she has one child, Edward); and Clara Belle, who resides with her mother. Mrs. Rouse and her daughter Clara Belle are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Plainsville.

W. C. ROUSHEY, farmer, P. O. Dallas, was born in Hope, Warren Co., N. J., November 27, 1812. He is a son of Peter B. and Rebecca (Wolf) Roushey, both of whom were born in Warren county, N. J. His father was a tailor by trade, and moved to this country about 1816, after the death of his first wife, locating in Dallas on the property owned by William Goss. He was married four times, and his family by the four wives numbered eleven children, five of whom are supposed to be living. William C., our subject, is the first child by the first marriage, and was reared and educated in Dallas, having been brought here when ten years of age, and after the death of his mother. He had very few educational advantages, but has studied men as well as books, and is thoroughly conversant with nature and art. He is a self-educated and a self-made man. In early life he learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked a number of years, and in 1837 purchased of W. Bald- win a farm of eighty-three acres, which he cleared, and on which he put up build- ings and added improvements until to-day it is a perfect farm. In his younger days, Mr. Roushey was a thorough business man and an extensive farmer, and the eighty- three acres of 1837 have increased to 177 acres. He is a general farmer, but gives to hay-making the preference. He was a leading man in the Republican party, and during the war was employed as enumerator preparatory to the draft. He was assessor and school director for eighteen years; was for ten years in the insurance business, at which he was very successful; and was postmaster from 1835 to 1837. May 1, 1834, in Dallas, Mr. Roushey married Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Christopher

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and Sarah Rice, who was born in Hope township, November 7, 1813. Of this union were born eight children, three of whom are living: Oliver L., Franklin A. and George W .; Oliver L. has thirteen children by his two marriages; Franklin A. is a widower with two children; George W. has one child. Mr. Roushey is in his eightieth year, his wife in her seventy-ninth year, but both enjoy good health. They are consistent members of the M. E. Church.

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History of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 195

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.) Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson Number of Pages: 1532

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1532