(From "History of Wabash County, Indiana" by Clarkson Weesner, pub. 1914, pp 966-967)
JAMES P. ROSS. A career of quiet but faithful performance of duty has been that of James P. Ross who has been identified with the office of County clerk at Wabash for a time which makes him a veteran at the courthouse, and for forty years he has had an active part in local politics. As a young man he carried a musket in the ranks of the Union Army, and in every capacity in which he has served he has discharged his obligations with credit, and is a man whose name and career has a fine fitness in the records of Wabash County.
James P. Ross is a son of William Olin Ross, who was one of the pioneers of Wabash county. He was born on his father's farm in Noble township, Wabash county, September 15, 1846. When he was three years of age his father died, and the widow and the children had many hardships and privations in order to make a living and keep up the semblance of a home. As a boy James P. Ross worked at any honorable occupation that presented. In a tan yard he was given employment in beating tan bark, and an interesting phase of his early experience was as a printer's devil and paper carrier on the old Wabash Intelligencer at a time when Naaman Fletcher was editor. He also was employed by the farmers in the neighborhood, and dropped corn in the field, swung an axe, and there are few tasks which might be enumerated in the local industry of that town which he did not perform. Necessarily, in view of this constant work from childhood, he had little opportunity to attend school, and has had to perfect his education by self study rather than under the instruction of teachers.
In 1864, when he was seventeen years old, he was engaged in selling war stationery throughout the country, and one day started for Peru, ostensibly on this business. However, he kept on to Indianapolis, and in that city on February 28th enlisted in the Fourteenth Indiana Battery. With his command he reached the front in time to join the army under Thomas which crushed the hopes of Hood in the great battle of Nashville. After that his battery was sent to Mobile Bay and participated in the reducing the fort and the capture of that city. This battery was the first to open fire on Spanish Fort, and also played its guns upon Fort Blakely. On September 1, 1865, some weeks after peace had come between the armies, he was given his honorable discharge and then returned to Wabash county. Here he found employment as clerk in a drug store at Wabash, and later started a book store, and sold books and stationery, and other sundries to the trade for several yaers.
In November 1867, Mr. Ross had his first experience as a public servant in the office of Deputy County Clerk. For eight years he held that position and became thoroughly familiar with all the details of the office, and in 1875 the people of Wabash county elected him to the office of County Clerk. He gave a capable administration of the office for four years, and since retiring has at different times returned to the office as deputy under four administrations. His entire official connection with the clerk's office covers a period of twenty-three years, and when anything somewhat remote in records is an object of search at the courthouse the final authority and source of knowledge is usually designated as James P. Ross. For the past twenty-eight years, Mr. Ross has devoted his attention chiefly to the insurance and real estate business.
There is probably not a man in Wabash county better known than Mr. Ross. A Republican in politics, he has for forty years kept in touch with political conditions, and has attended a great number of county, district and state conventions of his party. He is one of the honored veterans of the War, and is a former commander of the local Grand Army Post. In Masonry he has taken the degrees of the Blue Lodge, the Chapter and Council, and is also a knight of Phythias.
In February, 1876, Mr. Ross married Alice Burnes, daughter of Rev. John Burnes, a prominent Presbyterian minister. Mr. and Mrs. Ross are the parents of the following children and have ten grandchildren: Ruth, Mrs. Thomas R. Aten of Nevada, Ohio; Florence, Mrs. Wheeler O. North of San Diego, California; Elizabeth, Mrs. Daniel M. Gillen of Wabash, Esther, Mrs. Paul Ebbinghouse of Wabash; Ina, Mrs. Paul J. Wilson of Detroit, Michigan; and Vida a teacher in the public schools of Wabash.
JAMES P. ROSS. A career of quiet but faithful performance of duty has been that of James P. Ross who has been identified with the office of County clerk at Wabash for a time which makes him a veteran at the courthouse, and for forty years he has had an active part in local politics. As a young man he carried a musket in the ranks of the Union Army, and in every capacity in which he has served he has discharged his obligations with credit, and is a man whose name and career has a fine fitness in the records of Wabash County.
James P. Ross is a son of William Olin Ross, who was one of the pioneers of Wabash county. He was born on his father's farm in Noble township, Wabash county, September 15, 1846. When he was three years of age his father died, and the widow and the children had many hardships and privations in order to make a living and keep up the semblance of a home. As a boy James P. Ross worked at any honorable occupation that presented. In a tan yard he was given employment in beating tan bark, and an interesting phase of his early experience was as a printer's devil and paper carrier on the old Wabash Intelligencer at a time when Naaman Fletcher was editor. He also was employed by the farmers in the neighborhood, and dropped corn in the field, swung an axe, and there are few tasks which might be enumerated in the local industry of that town which he did not perform. Necessarily, in view of this constant work from childhood, he had little opportunity to attend school, and has had to perfect his education by self study rather than under the instruction of teachers.
In 1864, when he was seventeen years old, he was engaged in selling war stationery throughout the country, and one day started for Peru, ostensibly on this business. However, he kept on to Indianapolis, and in that city on February 28th enlisted in the Fourteenth Indiana Battery. With his command he reached the front in time to join the army under Thomas which crushed the hopes of Hood in the great battle of Nashville. After that his battery was sent to Mobile Bay and participated in the reducing the fort and the capture of that city. This battery was the first to open fire on Spanish Fort, and also played its guns upon Fort Blakely. On September 1, 1865, some weeks after peace had come between the armies, he was given his honorable discharge and then returned to Wabash county. Here he found employment as clerk in a drug store at Wabash, and later started a book store, and sold books and stationery, and other sundries to the trade for several yaers.
In November 1867, Mr. Ross had his first experience as a public servant in the office of Deputy County Clerk. For eight years he held that position and became thoroughly familiar with all the details of the office, and in 1875 the people of Wabash county elected him to the office of County Clerk. He gave a capable administration of the office for four years, and since retiring has at different times returned to the office as deputy under four administrations. His entire official connection with the clerk's office covers a period of twenty-three years, and when anything somewhat remote in records is an object of search at the courthouse the final authority and source of knowledge is usually designated as James P. Ross. For the past twenty-eight years, Mr. Ross has devoted his attention chiefly to the insurance and real estate business.
There is probably not a man in Wabash county better known than Mr. Ross. A Republican in politics, he has for forty years kept in touch with political conditions, and has attended a great number of county, district and state conventions of his party. He is one of the honored veterans of the War, and is a former commander of the local Grand Army Post. In Masonry he has taken the degrees of the Blue Lodge, the Chapter and Council, and is also a knight of Phythias.
In February, 1876, Mr. Ross married Alice Burnes, daughter of Rev. John Burnes, a prominent Presbyterian minister. Mr. and Mrs. Ross are the parents of the following children and have ten grandchildren: Ruth, Mrs. Thomas R. Aten of Nevada, Ohio; Florence, Mrs. Wheeler O. North of San Diego, California; Elizabeth, Mrs. Daniel M. Gillen of Wabash, Esther, Mrs. Paul Ebbinghouse of Wabash; Ina, Mrs. Paul J. Wilson of Detroit, Michigan; and Vida a teacher in the public schools of Wabash.
(From "History of Wabash County, Indiana" by Clarkson Weesner, pub. 1914, pp 966-967)
JAMES P. ROSS. A career of quiet but faithful performance of duty has been that of James P. Ross who has been identified with the office of County clerk at Wabash for a time which makes him a veteran at the courthouse, and for forty years he has had an active part in local politics. As a young man he carried a musket in the ranks of the Union Army, and in every capacity in which he has served he has discharged his obligations with credit, and is a man whose name and career has a fine fitness in the records of Wabash County.
James P. Ross is a son of William Olin Ross, who was one of the pioneers of Wabash county. He was born on his father's farm in Noble township, Wabash county, September 15, 1846. When he was three years of age his father died, and the widow and the children had many hardships and privations in order to make a living and keep up the semblance of a home. As a boy James P. Ross worked at any honorable occupation that presented. In a tan yard he was given employment in beating tan bark, and an interesting phase of his early experience was as a printer's devil and paper carrier on the old Wabash Intelligencer at a time when Naaman Fletcher was editor. He also was employed by the farmers in the neighborhood, and dropped corn in the field, swung an axe, and there are few tasks which might be enumerated in the local industry of that town which he did not perform. Necessarily, in view of this constant work from childhood, he had little opportunity to attend school, and has had to perfect his education by self study rather than under the instruction of teachers.
In 1864, when he was seventeen years old, he was engaged in selling war stationery throughout the country, and one day started for Peru, ostensibly on this business. However, he kept on to Indianapolis, and in that city on February 28th enlisted in the Fourteenth Indiana Battery. With his command he reached the front in time to join the army under Thomas which crushed the hopes of Hood in the great battle of Nashville. After that his battery was sent to Mobile Bay and participated in the reducing the fort and the capture of that city. This battery was the first to open fire on Spanish Fort, and also played its guns upon Fort Blakely. On September 1, 1865, some weeks after peace had come between the armies, he was given his honorable discharge and then returned to Wabash county. Here he found employment as clerk in a drug store at Wabash, and later started a book store, and sold books and stationery, and other sundries to the trade for several yaers.
In November 1867, Mr. Ross had his first experience as a public servant in the office of Deputy County Clerk. For eight years he held that position and became thoroughly familiar with all the details of the office, and in 1875 the people of Wabash county elected him to the office of County Clerk. He gave a capable administration of the office for four years, and since retiring has at different times returned to the office as deputy under four administrations. His entire official connection with the clerk's office covers a period of twenty-three years, and when anything somewhat remote in records is an object of search at the courthouse the final authority and source of knowledge is usually designated as James P. Ross. For the past twenty-eight years, Mr. Ross has devoted his attention chiefly to the insurance and real estate business.
There is probably not a man in Wabash county better known than Mr. Ross. A Republican in politics, he has for forty years kept in touch with political conditions, and has attended a great number of county, district and state conventions of his party. He is one of the honored veterans of the War, and is a former commander of the local Grand Army Post. In Masonry he has taken the degrees of the Blue Lodge, the Chapter and Council, and is also a knight of Phythias.
In February, 1876, Mr. Ross married Alice Burnes, daughter of Rev. John Burnes, a prominent Presbyterian minister. Mr. and Mrs. Ross are the parents of the following children and have ten grandchildren: Ruth, Mrs. Thomas R. Aten of Nevada, Ohio; Florence, Mrs. Wheeler O. North of San Diego, California; Elizabeth, Mrs. Daniel M. Gillen of Wabash, Esther, Mrs. Paul Ebbinghouse of Wabash; Ina, Mrs. Paul J. Wilson of Detroit, Michigan; and Vida a teacher in the public schools of Wabash.
JAMES P. ROSS. A career of quiet but faithful performance of duty has been that of James P. Ross who has been identified with the office of County clerk at Wabash for a time which makes him a veteran at the courthouse, and for forty years he has had an active part in local politics. As a young man he carried a musket in the ranks of the Union Army, and in every capacity in which he has served he has discharged his obligations with credit, and is a man whose name and career has a fine fitness in the records of Wabash County.
James P. Ross is a son of William Olin Ross, who was one of the pioneers of Wabash county. He was born on his father's farm in Noble township, Wabash county, September 15, 1846. When he was three years of age his father died, and the widow and the children had many hardships and privations in order to make a living and keep up the semblance of a home. As a boy James P. Ross worked at any honorable occupation that presented. In a tan yard he was given employment in beating tan bark, and an interesting phase of his early experience was as a printer's devil and paper carrier on the old Wabash Intelligencer at a time when Naaman Fletcher was editor. He also was employed by the farmers in the neighborhood, and dropped corn in the field, swung an axe, and there are few tasks which might be enumerated in the local industry of that town which he did not perform. Necessarily, in view of this constant work from childhood, he had little opportunity to attend school, and has had to perfect his education by self study rather than under the instruction of teachers.
In 1864, when he was seventeen years old, he was engaged in selling war stationery throughout the country, and one day started for Peru, ostensibly on this business. However, he kept on to Indianapolis, and in that city on February 28th enlisted in the Fourteenth Indiana Battery. With his command he reached the front in time to join the army under Thomas which crushed the hopes of Hood in the great battle of Nashville. After that his battery was sent to Mobile Bay and participated in the reducing the fort and the capture of that city. This battery was the first to open fire on Spanish Fort, and also played its guns upon Fort Blakely. On September 1, 1865, some weeks after peace had come between the armies, he was given his honorable discharge and then returned to Wabash county. Here he found employment as clerk in a drug store at Wabash, and later started a book store, and sold books and stationery, and other sundries to the trade for several yaers.
In November 1867, Mr. Ross had his first experience as a public servant in the office of Deputy County Clerk. For eight years he held that position and became thoroughly familiar with all the details of the office, and in 1875 the people of Wabash county elected him to the office of County Clerk. He gave a capable administration of the office for four years, and since retiring has at different times returned to the office as deputy under four administrations. His entire official connection with the clerk's office covers a period of twenty-three years, and when anything somewhat remote in records is an object of search at the courthouse the final authority and source of knowledge is usually designated as James P. Ross. For the past twenty-eight years, Mr. Ross has devoted his attention chiefly to the insurance and real estate business.
There is probably not a man in Wabash county better known than Mr. Ross. A Republican in politics, he has for forty years kept in touch with political conditions, and has attended a great number of county, district and state conventions of his party. He is one of the honored veterans of the War, and is a former commander of the local Grand Army Post. In Masonry he has taken the degrees of the Blue Lodge, the Chapter and Council, and is also a knight of Phythias.
In February, 1876, Mr. Ross married Alice Burnes, daughter of Rev. John Burnes, a prominent Presbyterian minister. Mr. and Mrs. Ross are the parents of the following children and have ten grandchildren: Ruth, Mrs. Thomas R. Aten of Nevada, Ohio; Florence, Mrs. Wheeler O. North of San Diego, California; Elizabeth, Mrs. Daniel M. Gillen of Wabash, Esther, Mrs. Paul Ebbinghouse of Wabash; Ina, Mrs. Paul J. Wilson of Detroit, Michigan; and Vida a teacher in the public schools of Wabash.
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