Minerva (Potter) Ross (1813 - 1895)

Born 23 Dec 1813 in Virginia

Ancestors

Wife of Robert E. Ross — married 15 Apr 1832 in Pettis, Missouri, United States

Descendants

Died 12 Apr 1895 at age 81 in Pettis County, Missouri, USA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Jason Ross [send private message]

Biography

Excerpt primarily comes from Descendants of George Potter, Part 1^[1]and Robert Ross' and Minerva Ross' biographies found in Bennett-DeWitt and Related families^[2].

Minerva (Potter) Ross

1813 - 1895

Minerva Potter, daughter of John Potter and Martha (Patsey)(Edgar) Potter, was born December 23, 1813 in Christian County, Kentucky and died in Pettis County, Missouri, April 12, 1895. She married Robert Ross, which their wedding was described in the History of Pettis County by Demuth (pub 1882),

"The first marriage in the township was that of Mr. Robert Ross to Miss Mercy Potter in 1832. At that early day marriages were of some consequence, and the whole country round-about were invited, and they came from all quarters. It was not anything like our latter-day dress-suit and satin affairs, except in vows. All came to enjoy themselves, and they most certainly did. From accurate descriptions we are led to believe far more happiness resulted in the majority of those early unions than at the present day, when may vows are taken for the purpose of increasing worldly wealth."^[3]

To their marriage were born:

1. David Marion Ross, who resided in the State of Texas
2. Andrew Jackson Ross, m. 8-27-1868, Elizabeth J. Wheeler^[4] and resided in Cooper County, Missouri.
3. George Washington Ross, b. 7-27-1837; d. 8-1-1914; m. 1st 2-6-1862, Martha Steelman^[5] b. 1-14-1838; d. 5-10-1888; m 2nd 11-19-1896, Melissa Bollinger^[6].
4. Mary Elizabeth Ross, never married; resided with her mother in Pettis County, Missouri, until her mother's death 4-12-1895.
5. William John Ross, m. Anna Haseltine Judson Thomas, and resided in Cass County, Missouri.
6. Martha J. Ross, m. 7-25-1865, Charles E. Thomas^[7].

After Robert's death in 1849, Minerva (Potter) Ross continued to live on a farm in Pettis County, Missouri. Her daughter, Mary E. Ross, never married and lived with her mother until her mother's death April 12, 1895, where Minerva died testate in Pettis County, Missouri. In her Last Will and Testament dated June 12, 1890^[8], Minerva devised her daughter, Mary E. Ross all of her real estate of whatever kind and wheresoever situate for her long and continuous and unvarying care and kindness to her in here old age. The inventory in her estate described her real estate as " the South half of the Southeast Quarter of the Southeast Quarter of Sec. Twelve, Twp. Fort-six, Range Twenty, containing Twenty acres, more or less, in the County of Pettis and State of Missouri". Additionally, Thomas P. Potter was the Executor of her estate in which he made the estate's final distribution on May 10, 1897. After Minerva's death, Jimmie Thomas, son of Martha J. (Ross) Thomas, came and stayed with his "Aunt Mary Ross". Jimmie Thomas operated a truck from Sedalia to Clifton City, Missouri, and died in a nursing home in Boonville, Missouri. Robert Ross and Minerva (Potter) Ross, his wife, are both buried in Pettis County, Missouri, not too far from where they lived and died.^[9].

Sources

• 1840 Census: "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHTS-YRK : 8 December 2020), Robert Ross, Pettis, Missouri, United States; citing p. 40, NARA microfilm publication , (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll ; FHL microfilm .
  • Robert Ross: 1 2 - - - 1 - - - - - - - | - - - - 1 (Rest Blank)
    • 1 Male under 5 (George Washington (2)); 2 males 5-10 (David Marion (5), William John (6)); 1 male 30-40 (Robert (35)); 1 Female 20-30 (Minerva (26))
• 1850 Census: United States Census, 1850. database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDZJ-9T6), Manerva Ross, Pettis, Missouri, United States; citing NARA Microfilm Number 443617, Image 240.
  • Manerva Ross, Head, Birth Year (est) 1814, Age 36 Years, Birthplace: Virginia
• 1860 Census: "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH89-HT5 : 18 February 2021), Minerva Ross, 1860.
  • Minerva Ross, Head, Age 47, Birth Year (est) 1813, Birthplace: Kentucky
• 1870 Census: "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M461-FC1 : 29 May 2021), Minerva Ross, 1870.
  • Minerva Ross, Age 55, Birth Year (est): 1815, Birth Place: Kentucky
• 1880 Census: "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M66L-ZX2 : 14 January 2022), Minnerva Ross, Sherman Township, Cass, Missouri, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm.
  • Minnerva Ross, Age 66, Birth Year (est): 1814, Birthplace: Kentucky

1. ↑ Unknown, Descendants of George Potter Source Location
2. ↑ Bennett, Paul W. LL. B. Bennett - DeWitt and Related Familes. Self Published. Vandalia, Missouri. 1980, pp 284-285; 300-301. Location: Sedalia Public Library, Sedalia Missouri or Digital Copy
3. ↑ Demuth, I. MacDonald, The History of Pettis County, Missouri, including an authentic history of Sedalia, other towns and townships, together with ... biographical sketches, 1882. Digital Link: Click Here
4. ↑ Marriage Records of Pettis County, Mo., C-67
5. ↑ Marriage Records of Pettis County, Mo., B-161
6. ↑ Marriage Records of Pettis County, Mo., I-100
7. ↑ Marriage Records of Pettis County, Mo., B-214
8. ↑ Book 96 at page 204 of the Will Records of Pettis County, Missouri (also transcribed in the Bennett DeWitt book on page 536)
9. ↑ Bennett, Paul W. LL. B. Bennett - DeWitt and Related Familes. Self Published. Vandalia, Missouri. 1980. pp 284-285; 300-301. Location: Sedalia Public Library, Sedalia Missouri or Digital Copy