HON. MARTIN A. ROSS, ex-Sheriff and ex-Mayor of Murphysboro, and one of
its most highly respected citizens, claims New Hampshire as the state of his
nativity. He was born in Fitzwilliam, June 16, 1829, and is one of five
children born unto Arad L. and Cynthia B. (Burpee) Ross, both of whom were
natives of Massachusetts. For some years the father followed farming near
Fitzwilliam, but in 1830 went to Vermont, and in 1834 came with his family
to Illinois, accompanied by T. L. Ross and Isham Purdy and their families.
He located at Vergennes, and afterward entered and bought land, improving a
fine farm. Subsequently he removed across the line into Perry County. He
died near Du Quoin, at the age of seventy-three, and his wife reached the
age of eighty. He was a Whig in politics, and in religious belief she was a
Methodist. Their children were, Mrs. Philena A. Hinckley, of Du Quoin;
Martin A.; Ellen C., deceased wife of George Kennedy; Leonard T., of Sand
Ridge; and Orren A., a farmer of Du Quoin. The last two served in the
Eighty-first Illinois Infantry, and Leonard, who was Corporal, had his leg
shot off at Vicksburg.
Since the age of five years, Martin A. Ross
has resided in Jackson and Perry Counties. He remembers seeing deer, wolves
and other wild game in this region, and is familiar with all the hardships
and experiences of frontier life. He was educated in the old-time
schoolhouse, with its slab seats, puncheon floor and huge fireplace. He
wrote with a quill pen, and studied from the Testament and Elementary
Spelling Book. At the age of eighteen he left home and engaged in lumbering
on the river for about seven years, working for Colonel Brush, who operated
a sawmill. Mr. Ross served as head sawyer for five years, and received the
largest wages paid for that work in the county. Ill health, however, forced
him to abandon this, and in Du Quoin he opened a store in partnership with
G. M. Hinckley, under the firm name of Hinckley & Co. After about six years,
he sold out and turned his attention to the development of his farm of one
hundred acres in Perry County. This he disposed of in 1868, and embarked in
business in Murphysboro, in connection with George Kennedy. Under the firm
name of Kennedy & Ross, for fifteen years he dealt in hardware, furniture,
agricultural implements and groceries, doing a successful business, but
again he was forced to sell out, in 1882, on account of ill health.
On the 10th of May, 1864, Mr. Ross was united in marriage with Emma L.,
daughter of Calvin L. Casterline. Her father, who was born in Elizabethtown,
N. J., was a shoe merchant, and in 1838 emigrated by wagon to St. Louis,
where he engaged in the grocery business for many years. He died while
visiting in St. Louis in 1870, at the age of sixty-five. In politics, he was
first a Whig and afterward a Republican. He married Sarah Woodruff, a native
of New Jersey, who died in 1878, at the age of seventy-three. They had a
family of five children, four of whom reached mature years: Mrs. Eliza
Greer, of Los Angeles, Cal.; Cornelia, wife of E. E. Souther, of St. Louis;
Edward P., of Colorado; and Mrs. Ross. The last-named was born in Newark, N.
J., August 4, 1839, and was reared in St. Louis, received an excellent
musical education, and taught in that city and in the musical department of
the old Du Quoin Seminary. To our subject and his wife was born one child,
now Mrs. Hattie L. Poindexter, who was graduated in Carbondale, and is
living in Murphysboro.
In 1882 Mr. Ross was elected County Sheriff
for a term of four years, and his duties often called forth great bravery
and fearlessness. He was also ex-offlcio Collector for three years, and
after the law was changed served as Township Collector until December, 1888.
In 1871 he was elected Mayor, and in 1875 was again chosen to that office.
He also served one term as Alderman, and two terms as School Director. He
has always been a stalwart supporter of Republican principles.
After
retiring from office, Mr. Ross gave his attention solely to his farm in Sand
Ridge, comprising six hundred and eighty-six acres of highly improved land.
He also raises fine horses, having "Quartermaster," sired by "Cleveland
Bay;" "Canton," sired by "George Sprague," and some fine standard bred Bay
stallions. He is a man of good business ability, and has been very
successful in his business dealings. He belongs to Amity Lodge, I. O. O. F.,
and to the encampment, and also to the Knights of Honor, of which he was
Treasurer for several years. The Presbyterian Church finds in him a faithful
and consistent member. He is pleasant and affable in manner, and has the
high regard of all. His wife is an intelligent and highly cultured lady, who
presides with grace over their comfortable home. It is with pleasure that we
present to our readers the sketch of this worthy couple.
Extracted 26 Mar 2020 by Norma Hass from 1894 Biographical Review of Jackson, Massac, Pope, and Hardin Counties, Illinois, pages 605-606.