Hugh Ross Jr. (abt. 1740 - abt. 1809)

Born about 1740 in North Carolina

Descendants

Died about 1809 at about age 69 in Anson, North Carolina, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Kelly Moores [send private message] and Tim Ross [send private message]

Biography

The best evidence connecting Hugh Ross to James, Griffin, William, David, and Martin is the deeds of Anson Co. Hugh Ross, who signs with a mark in Martin Co. and in Anson Co., deeds land to sons Griffin and David 9-28-1804; John Bennett (who according to another deed is from Martin Co.) is one of the witnesses. Hugh makes deed of gift of Negro girl Violet to Stephen Hasty 8-6-1805 (perhaps son-in-law). On 5-8-1808 he makes deed of gift of Negro boy named Dick to Martin Ross and James Ross. On 5-20-1808 he deeds Negro girl named Penny plus cattle, household items etc. to Wm. Ross & David Ross & Griffin Ross.

In 1779 there were 5 Ross adult males listed in the Martin Co. NC taxables list: John, Hugh, Nathan in District 5 and William and John son of Wm in District 2. James would have been 18 at this time and was not listed. In the 1779 Martin Co. Tax List, John Ross, Hugh Ross, Wm Brewer Sr, John Lewis, Wm Whitfield, Stapleton Bonner, George Cockburn Sr, John Brewer, John Joyce, Francis Cockburn, Benjn Blout, John Griffin, Septimus Nowell, and Nathan Ross were listed in that order in District 3. The proximity of Francis Cockburn, future father-in-law to James Ross, to John, Hugh, and Nathan makes them likely candidates for James' father. John dies in 1792 and leaves a will naming his children, so he is eliminated. Nathan Ross disappears between the 1787 tax list and the 1790 census. He does not appear in the 1790 and subsequent censuses. William Ross in District 2 is almost surely the one who leaves a will in 1801 and thus is not a candidate to be James' father.

In 1790, there were two major groupings of Ross's in Martin Co. The first group had Thomas (#247 - 1M>16, 2<16, 2 F), Joseph (Household #250 - 1, 0, 3), Hugh (#255 - 2,1, 2 and 3 slaves), Martha (#273 - 0, 3, 3), and James (#288 - 1,0, 3). This group lived within a group of Brewers and Coburns. Nathan Ross has disappeared; since not many (if any) new names appearThis James would be the most probable for our ancestor since he married Lydia Coburn, whose father Francis lived nearby. The second group had John (#608 - 2,1, 5 and 6 slaves), James (#609 - 1,2 1), Martin (#612 - 1,2, 1), John Jr. (#614 - 1,1, 2), and William (#616 - 1,1 3). Much further away was Martin Ross (#4 - 1,4, 3 and 12 slaves) and William Ross (#100 - 1,3, 4 and 5 slaves).

I believe James Ross should have had 1 male and 1 female child in 1790, possibly more - so neither family exactly fits him; perhaps they recorded the sex of one of the children incorrectly. William Ross (James' brother) would have been 20 according to the pension statement he later made. It is possible he is #616, but it seems unlikely that he would have this many people in the household at the young age of 20. This William is likely the oldest son of William Ross And Elizabeth Griffin - the William who dies in 1801. William Sr is listed as William Ross on the next list, holding 5 slaves. There is no other William. Thus, it appears likely James' brother William is living with Hugh or John (the only two who have 2 males over 16).

In 1800, there is still no trace of William Ross. There is a William Sr. living in Martin Co. with one male 45+ and one 26-45. This would be William Ross who died in 1801 in Martin Co. The 26-45 year old man with William is probably his son William, as all his other sons are accounted for. James' brother William's pension statement claims he and his father moved to Anson in 1799, but there is no William in the 1800 census in Anson and no likely candidate for him to be living with. Hugh Ross is shown as 26-45 with wife 16-26 and 2 slaves. This age does not work for father of James, but the slaves are close to what Hugh had in 1790. Griffin is 16-25 with wife of same age. There is no David Ross and no William Ross. James is 26-45 with wife and 9 children (probably ours). Henry is 26-45 with wife same age and 3 female children. Martin is 26-45 with wife same age and 6 children. Hugh Ross made two gifts of deed in 1808 that were to take place after the death of himself and his wife, The deeds were proved in court in October 1809, implying he and his wife were both deceased. ^[1]

Hugh was born about 1741. He passed away about 1809. ^{[2][3] [4] [5][6][7]}

Sources

1. ↑ Anson County Deed Book N, pg 173
2. ↑ North Carolina, U.S., Land Grant Files, 1693-1960. Microfilm publication, 770 rolls. State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina. Certificate Number Range: 1-218; Description: Martin 1-218. [Online Database with Images]. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Provo, UT, USA 2016.
3. ↑ "United States Federal Census". Year: 1790; Census Place: Anson, North Carolina; Series: M637; Roll: 7; Page: 187; Image: 449; Family History Library Film: 0568147. [Online Database with Images]. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Provo, UT, USA 2010.
4. ↑ "United States Federal Census". Year: 1800; Census Place: Fayetteville, Anson, North Carolina; Series: M32; Roll: 29; Page: 205; Image: 17; Family History Library Film: 337905. [Online Database with Images]. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Provo, UT, USA 2010.
5. ↑ North Carolina, U.S., Compiled Census and Substitutes Index, 1790-1890. Jackson, Ron V., Accelerated Indexing Systems, comp. Compiled and digitized from microfilmed schedules of the U.S. Federal Decennial Census, [Online Database]. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Provo, UT, USA 1999.
6. ↑ North Carolina, U.S., State Census, 1784-1787. Register, Alvaretta K.. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2001. [Online Database with Images]. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Lehi, UT, USA 2006.
7. ↑ U.S., Compiled Service Records, Post-Revolutionary War Volunteer Soldiers, 1784-1811. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; microfilm publication M905, 32 rolls. Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, 1762–1984, Record Group 94. [Online Database with Images]. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Provo, UT, USA 2010.