Catharine Ross was born on January 3, 1739, in New Castle, Delaware. She was the daughter of the Rev. George Ross, rector of that parish, by his second wife, Catharine Van Gezel, the granddaughter of Gerrit Van Gezel, secretary to the Dutch Governor of New Netherlands. Through her father, who was the second son of David Ross, second laird of Balblair, head of one branch of the Highland Clan Ross, she was a lineal descendant of the chiefs of that ancient Scottish clan, the Rosses of Balnagowen, Earls of Ross.
She was a sister of George Ross, of Pennsylvania, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, while her sister Gertrude became the wife of George Read of Delaware, also a signer of the Declaration. Miss Ross was highly educated. When on March 29, 1762, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, she married Captain William Thompson, she was considered the most handsome and brilliant woman in Pennsylvania. Full of information, and of excellent conversational power, she was always the center of attraction.
Shortly after her marriage, she removed to Captain Thompson's country seat near Carlisle. It was here during the closing years of the French and Indian War when a decade of peace followed her large family faced numerous trials amid the struggle for freedom. As a wife, mother, and neighbor, she shone resplendent in her domestic life. She was dearly beloved for her many deeds of philanthropy, and during the whole period of the Revolution, she donated almost all the products from their large and well-cultivated plantation to Washington's army who were always badly in need of food and clothing.
Upon her husband's return from captivity on parole, broken in health and spirits, the loving wife's care was greatly increased. With his death, all their fortune seems to have been swept away. Once the enemy guaranteed peace, she was obliged to appeal to the proper authorities for assistance, Mrs. Thompson died March 24, 1808, at the residence of her daughter Catharine, wife of James Orbison, at Chambersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
Source: Pennsylvania, Women in the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783
From the research of Dave Thompson:
Catharine & William Thompson had 8 children-
Mary (1762/1815)
George (1763/1807)
Robert (1765/1802)
Catherine (1770/1811)
James (1772/1773)
Juliana (1774/1798)
Elizabeth (1777/1830)
William (1780/1805)
She was a sister of George Ross, of Pennsylvania, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, while her sister Gertrude became the wife of George Read of Delaware, also a signer of the Declaration. Miss Ross was highly educated. When on March 29, 1762, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, she married Captain William Thompson, she was considered the most handsome and brilliant woman in Pennsylvania. Full of information, and of excellent conversational power, she was always the center of attraction.
Shortly after her marriage, she removed to Captain Thompson's country seat near Carlisle. It was here during the closing years of the French and Indian War when a decade of peace followed her large family faced numerous trials amid the struggle for freedom. As a wife, mother, and neighbor, she shone resplendent in her domestic life. She was dearly beloved for her many deeds of philanthropy, and during the whole period of the Revolution, she donated almost all the products from their large and well-cultivated plantation to Washington's army who were always badly in need of food and clothing.
Upon her husband's return from captivity on parole, broken in health and spirits, the loving wife's care was greatly increased. With his death, all their fortune seems to have been swept away. Once the enemy guaranteed peace, she was obliged to appeal to the proper authorities for assistance, Mrs. Thompson died March 24, 1808, at the residence of her daughter Catharine, wife of James Orbison, at Chambersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
Source: Pennsylvania, Women in the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783
From the research of Dave Thompson:
Catharine & William Thompson had 8 children-
Mary (1762/1815)
George (1763/1807)
Robert (1765/1802)
Catherine (1770/1811)
James (1772/1773)
Juliana (1774/1798)
Elizabeth (1777/1830)
William (1780/1805)
Catharine Ross was born on January 3, 1739, in New Castle, Delaware. She was the daughter of the Rev. George Ross, rector of that parish, by his second wife, Catharine Van Gezel, the granddaughter of Gerrit Van Gezel, secretary to the Dutch Governor of New Netherlands. Through her father, who was the second son of David Ross, second laird of Balblair, head of one branch of the Highland Clan Ross, she was a lineal descendant of the chiefs of that ancient Scottish clan, the Rosses of Balnagowen, Earls of Ross.
She was a sister of George Ross, of Pennsylvania, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, while her sister Gertrude became the wife of George Read of Delaware, also a signer of the Declaration. Miss Ross was highly educated. When on March 29, 1762, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, she married Captain William Thompson, she was considered the most handsome and brilliant woman in Pennsylvania. Full of information, and of excellent conversational power, she was always the center of attraction.
Shortly after her marriage, she removed to Captain Thompson's country seat near Carlisle. It was here during the closing years of the French and Indian War when a decade of peace followed her large family faced numerous trials amid the struggle for freedom. As a wife, mother, and neighbor, she shone resplendent in her domestic life. She was dearly beloved for her many deeds of philanthropy, and during the whole period of the Revolution, she donated almost all the products from their large and well-cultivated plantation to Washington's army who were always badly in need of food and clothing.
Upon her husband's return from captivity on parole, broken in health and spirits, the loving wife's care was greatly increased. With his death, all their fortune seems to have been swept away. Once the enemy guaranteed peace, she was obliged to appeal to the proper authorities for assistance, Mrs. Thompson died March 24, 1808, at the residence of her daughter Catharine, wife of James Orbison, at Chambersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
Source: Pennsylvania, Women in the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783
From the research of Dave Thompson:
Catharine & William Thompson had 8 children-
Mary (1762/1815)
George (1763/1807)
Robert (1765/1802)
Catherine (1770/1811)
James (1772/1773)
Juliana (1774/1798)
Elizabeth (1777/1830)
William (1780/1805)
She was a sister of George Ross, of Pennsylvania, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, while her sister Gertrude became the wife of George Read of Delaware, also a signer of the Declaration. Miss Ross was highly educated. When on March 29, 1762, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, she married Captain William Thompson, she was considered the most handsome and brilliant woman in Pennsylvania. Full of information, and of excellent conversational power, she was always the center of attraction.
Shortly after her marriage, she removed to Captain Thompson's country seat near Carlisle. It was here during the closing years of the French and Indian War when a decade of peace followed her large family faced numerous trials amid the struggle for freedom. As a wife, mother, and neighbor, she shone resplendent in her domestic life. She was dearly beloved for her many deeds of philanthropy, and during the whole period of the Revolution, she donated almost all the products from their large and well-cultivated plantation to Washington's army who were always badly in need of food and clothing.
Upon her husband's return from captivity on parole, broken in health and spirits, the loving wife's care was greatly increased. With his death, all their fortune seems to have been swept away. Once the enemy guaranteed peace, she was obliged to appeal to the proper authorities for assistance, Mrs. Thompson died March 24, 1808, at the residence of her daughter Catharine, wife of James Orbison, at Chambersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
Source: Pennsylvania, Women in the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783
From the research of Dave Thompson:
Catharine & William Thompson had 8 children-
Mary (1762/1815)
George (1763/1807)
Robert (1765/1802)
Catherine (1770/1811)
James (1772/1773)
Juliana (1774/1798)
Elizabeth (1777/1830)
William (1780/1805)
Family Members
Siblings
Half Siblings
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