William D Ross (1830 - 1861)

Born 5 Oct 1830 in Essex, Essex County, New York, United States

Died 25 Oct 1861 at age 31 in Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Jennifer Lapham [send private message]

Biography

Lieutenant William Ross served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: 25 May 1861
Mustered out: 13 Sep 1861
Side: USA
Regiment(s): 62nd Regiment, New York Infantry, Companies C & F

The 1860 census for Essex, Essex, New York lists:

Henry H Ross M 70 New York

Susannah Ross F 50 New York

Susannah Mc Ross F 30 New York

W D Ross M 30 New York

John Ross M 30 New York

Ellen B Ross F 20 New York

Frances Jane Ross F 16 New York

A S B Ross M 13 New York

Catharin Ryan F 19 Ireland

Mary Auvill F 14 New York^[1]

There is a "Schedule Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War,1890. That includes:

Fannie G Lapham formerly widow of William D Ross, Glens Falls, Warren, New York.

The schedule states he was a Lieutenant in "Anderson's Zouaves" from 15 Apr 1861 to 1 Sep 1861.^[2] Note Image could be read "Rose".

From WIkipedia:

"The 62nd New York Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It is also known as the Anderson Zouaves." Source quoted "Troiani, 62nd New York Volunteers (Anderson Zouaves)." ^[3]

The Unit Roster at the New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center lists:

"ROSS, WILLIAM D.—Age , 31 years. Enrolled, May 25, 1861, at New York city, to serve three years; mustered in as first lieutenant, Co. C, July 3, 1861; transferred to Co. F , July —, 1861; discharged, September 13,1861. Not commissioned. " ^[4]

William Daniel Ross was born 5 Oct 1830 in Essex, Essex County, New York and died 25 Oct 1861 (aged 31) in Washington, District of Columbia. He was buried in the Essex Cemetery in the Ross Family Vault - Vault 15.

"First child of Henry Howard and Susannah Blanchard ROSS."

"He served in Anderson's Zouaves in the Civil War; died in a train accident in Washington, DC at the age of 31."

Findagrave provides links to his parents:

"Henry Howard Ross 1790–1862

Susannah M. Blanchard Ross 1803–1877

two siblings:

Ellen Blanchard Ross Fairbanks 1838–1917

Frances Jane Ross 1842–1910

and one half-sibling:

Anthony James Blanchard Ross 1845–1900^[5]

Research Notes

This certainly sounds like him but disagrees in some details:

"William Daniel Ross Death"

"The muster roll at the outbreak of the Rebellion was taken in the town of Essex. Captain William D. Ross, eldest son of General Henry H. Ross, took about forty men from the town early in May, 1861, and had them incorporated with the Anderson Zouaves, under Colonel Riker at New York city. William D. Ross did not live to see the cause for which he was willing to sacrifice his life. On the 25th day of October, 1861, while in the line of his duty, the railroad track near Washington, he was struck and killed by a passing train. He was buried with military honors at Washington, where his remains rested until his death was made known to his friends in Essex, when he was brought home and buried in the family vault. At the time of his death he was thirty-one years of age, and had been in the practice of law in Essex for about eight years."

Source: History of Essex County, Edited by H.P. Smith, Published by D. Mason & Co., Syracuse, New York, 1885.^[6]

The referenced "History of Essex County" is available at Internet Archive. The above quote is on pp 548-9. Looking quickly I found two other references to WIlliam's death both refer to him as Lieutenant not Captain.^[7]

NB - He could have mustered out in September to transfer to another unit or just to get out and been killed by a train in DC in Oct. Referring to him as Captain & stating he was buried with "full military honors" could be puffery or a "white lie" because his family was very prominent in Essex.

Also Fannie was living in Glens Falls in 1890 so that address refers to her not him.

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCWP-CHP : Fri Mar 08 06:03:49 UTC 2024), Entry for Henry H Ross and Susannah Ross, 1860.
2. ↑ "United States Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War, 1890", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K83D-1Z7 : Wed Mar 06 16:25:34 UTC 2024), Entry for William D Ross and Fannie G Lapham, 1890.
3. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/62nd_New_York_Infantry_Regiment
4. ↑ https://museum.dmna.ny.gov/application/files/5715/5068/2684/62nd_Infantry_CW_Roster.pdf
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images accessed April 3, 2024, memorial page for William Daniel Ross (5 Oct 1830–25 Oct 1861), Find A Grave: Memorial #86376665, citing Essex Cemetery, Essex, Essex County, New York, USA; Maintained by Scott and Priscilla Butler Fraser (contributor 46859858).
6. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/183669160?p=56686696&returnLabel=William%20Daniel%20Ross%20(LY5K-668)&returnUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.familysearch.org%2Ftree%2Fperson%2Fmemories%2FLY5K-668
7. ↑ https://ia601209.us.archive.org/12/items/cu31924028853392/cu31924028853392.pdf