Hugh Ross, II

Hugh Ross

FamilySearch Family Tree

• Birth: 1697 - Elizabeth City, Virginia, United States
• Death: Sep 7 1742 - Hampton, Elizabeth City, Colonial Virginia
• Parents: Hugh Ross, Margaret Cheeley
• Siblings: Francis Ross - Attorney, William Ross Sr., Martha Preist, James Preist, Anfilady Preist
• Wife: Rebeckah Ross
• Children: Robert Ross, James Ross, Francis Ross, Margaret Ross, Ann Ross, Thomas Ross, John Ross

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sources

• Chapman, Blanche Adams. Wills and Administrations of Elizabeth City County, Virginia 1688-1800. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2000. "P" page 71 link Widow Margaret Priest in her will of 1719 names son Hugh Ross, son William Ross, granddaughter Ann Ross, Francis Ross. Hugh Ross, exec.

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• https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/45210743/person/25...

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GEDCOM Note

Hugh Ross Research and Sources

Source: Ancestry Message Boards for Hugh Ross & Margaret Cheeley Family (post 7): https://www.ancestry.com/boards/surnames.ross/10052/mb.ashx

Many significant works with valuable stories have been written about the Ross families and their descendants of of early Martin County. For example, Dickerman in his book, House of Plant, 1900 online, says on pages 206-7 that Margaret and Hugh Ross, of Elizabeth City, Virginia could be the parents of William Ross of Martin County. Ample river and road access to North Carolina was from there, and the distance for migration was not that far. Also observed were the same names of Francis, Hugh, and William Ross on both sides of the border between Virginia and North Carolina. (Clue...Add to the list of same names James, and unknown Frederick. The name Frederick is found in Elizabeth City, and Martin County, where Frederick signed the Oath of Allegiance...see MARS Catalog). Additionally, Dickerman speaks of an earlier unknown William Ross in the area. Also in this book is some family history of William Ross, Jr. and his son Luke.

James Ross removed from Martin County to Mechlenberg and Anson Counties, NC, according to the State Records of North Carolina, and some miscellaneous County Records of the Revolutionary War...James being a soldier, son of William Ross, Sr, or Hugh Ross, depending on the online submission.

Mechlenberg and Anson were places to where some of the Woodbridge/Middlesex Ross families migrated. A post by Ross researcher W Fuller confirms that some of the Mecklenburg Rosses of his line were descendants of John Ross, Sr of Martin County, NC. And we have some other informative posts online of Martin County, Ross families in Anson, that can be found by online searches (Brasher and others).

Fuller further informs us from his research that Alexander Ross, who died in 1760 in Norfolk, Virginia, and was buried there, in the present day St. Paul's Cemetery, had a land transaction in Tyrrell County, NC, a neighboring County to Martin County, NC. Later some of his family were in Tyrell. The land record actually identifies that Alexander Ross was a Merchant of NorfolkTown. A tombstone inscription of Alexander Ross even has him from a place in Aberdeen-shire, Scotland, according to Fuller.

This notable data confirms that some early Virginia Rosses, probably associated/related, were also in the same place, Tyrell County, and were originally from the Highlands of Scotland. Looks like this Norfolk family was in Virginia earlier and maintained an association with Scotland. (Observation...Chain migration happens when one family settles and then helps others who in turn migrate. Some of that started, for example, when Cromwell sent some captured Irish and Scottish Clansman in 1651 to America. For instance, a few Ross Clansman were sent to Boston in 1651. Others arrived later in New England. An Alexander and a John Ross were immigrants to Virginia in 1650. Virginia was one place Cromwell sent Scottish prisoners in 1651. But I do not know if any Ross soldiers were sent to Virginia as servants. But the same pattern might apply as well. This would not mean a straight-line family association necessarily.)

The History of Martin County has it that William Ross, (Sr) father of John Ross, (Sr) was from Roanoke, Virginia. I assume that is in Virginia over water from the old Roanoke area in North Carolina. The Roanoke River empties in Virginia into waters common just above NC.

By Dickerman's House of Plant, the Martin County Ross families were from Virginia. Son John Ross Sr was Sheriff of Martin County, and Member of the Assembly of NC. The Colonial and State Records of NC confirm that John Ross was appointed as Justice of the Peace of Martin County in 1777 (Vol 15, p. 693): and elected to the General Assembly from Martin County in 1784 (Vol 19 p. 756). John Ross was appointed a few months earlier in 1776 as either a Sherriff, JP, or Constable by Act of the Assembly, along with a lot of others, but it just gives his name (Vol. 23, p. 994). Doesn't say which, so I assume that was as JP. Another book, History of Gene Ross, by Gene Ross Kellough also describes John Ross, Sr. as a Justice of the Peace of Martin County. This book has Martin County, Ross family history. And this could be as Peace Officers, like Sheriffs, became Justices in those days.

A Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Scotland Connection:

Three sons of William Ross, Jr were dynamic as Baptist Preachers, scholars of the family, authors of Baptist papers. One was Reuban Ross. A family book, 1882, The Life and Times of Elder Reuben Ross, who was from Martin County, says that William Ross, (Jr) was born in Virginia. The online book is by James Ross son of Elder Reuben Ross and Grandson of William Ross, Jr. The author was of Tennessee. The legend paraphrased speaks, page 22, of what would be a group of skilled and diversified Rosses that arrived from Scotland to Virginia. From Virginia they migrated, in addition to North Carolina, to Pennsylvania and Maryland.

The following huge site about William Ross, son of William Ross, Jr, son of William Ross, Sr, has a link to the Life and Times of Elder Reuben Ross: http://johnrosssr.com (See page 22)

(Note...Celia, Archiver, Rootsweb, 2010, Alexander Ross, Fredericks, Virginia: From this group of posts we learn the Maryland/Delaware boarders shifted some and the early Quaker Rosses of the area were related. And in turn they were related to Rosses of other places as well: One from Virginia making his way to Mecklenburg, NC. As stated Mecklenburg was where some Martin County Rosses were, see W Fuller.)

Parents of Elder Reuban Ross of Martin County, NC are William Ross, Jr and Mary Griffin. William was born in 1731 in Virginia. From the book I would describe William as a businessman, landowner and Merchant. James Ross tells what it was like to be a Tennessee pioneer in the 1800's. By other research, a number of Ross families, descendants of several lines from Elizabeth City, went to Tennessee on Land Grants from North Carolina, reserved for Revolutionary War Soldiers, and their families. Reuben Ross of the book was born in Martin County historically in 1776. (Comment...If my old memory is right, a Reuben Ross in Tennessee had a school for educating Native Americans. One of his sons went back East and was an academic Professor. Check it out for us. I first saw it on microfiche.)

The life and Times of Elder Reuban Ross, a precious writing from pioneer days, is like an old but lost treasure map to Scotland. (Clue...Brief l egend also speaks of Philosophers, Navigators, Warriors, and Statesmen of that ancestral group of Scotland.) (Note...Incidentally, a Reuban Ross from Maryland was living in Guilford County, NC with some former Elizabeth City, Ross families, starting in the late 1780's. Later Reuban's son Andrew removed to Stewart County Tennessee, the same county in Tennessee as were some of the Ross families of Martin County, NC.)

Several authors of old family books noticed the similarity of names between Elizabeth City, Virginia and Counties of Northeast, North Carolina. The authors commented on it...names like Francis, Hugh and William. (Note for research...Could William Ross Sr, have had a son named Francis? And, incidentally, a Revolutionary War file for a John Ross of Martin mentions an Uncle Nathan.) Dickerman is one book noting similarities, House of Plant, 1900; Another is a book about Isaac Ross and Jean Brown, by a knowledgeable author Wright, published in 1911. Books found on shelves somewhere, dusted, and photographed, and put online, like old artifacts with a few words etched into them for us.

A number of other fine books, histories and webpages about these amazing Martin County, Ross families and their descendants can be found. These are the places to look for good stories about them. We can use an index for these works. For example, works by the scholar/writer Charles Brashear, who also posted among other sources the name of the lost book, House of Plant. That has lead us to Google books published in a project to get old books somewhere on library shelves online. And there are things in the book none of us knew.

One of several sources about Rev. Martin Ross is as follows: http://baptisthistoryhomepage.com/ross.martin.bio.paschal.ht...

WILLS AND ADMINISTRATIONS OF ELIZABETH CITY

Note: The following looks like a note I wrote way back in 2002 when Hugh Ross was first submitted as parent of John Ross. The note must have been in the computers all this time and made it back to us today. AUG 2015

WILLS AND ADMINISTRATIONS OF ELIZABETH CITY COUNTY VIRGINIA...BY BLANCHE ADAMS CHAPMAN, 1941 (975.54152C) ROSS, Hugh. Estate appraised by Mark Parish, Joseph Jogitts and Robert Tucker. September 17, 1742 Book 1737-49, p. 175 Settlement of estate by Robert Armistead, Charles Jenings, John Casey August 7, 1759 Paid John Ross his one-fifth part. Ordered that Robert Armistead, Charles Jenings, Joseph Jegettss and John Casey to settle the estate. August 1, 1758 Order Book 1755-60, p. 192 Notes: See source above for entire abstract, or there are microfilms for original text. The estate of Hugh Ross was appraised in 1742 but John Ross recieved his one fifth part 17 years later, possibly at the age of 21. It is my understanding that age 21 was often required to inherit an estate. Thus John Ross could have been a young child at the death of Hugh Ross. And, likely the last child as the estate was closed shortly there-after. The sequence of the 20 June 1759 marriage date and the 7 Aug 1759 date John Ross was paid his one fifth part is also of note. It is my understanding that finances for a marriage of the time would be important. Any will from which this appraisal and settlement may have originated has not been found. Hugh Ross has several entries in court records in Elizabeth City County, VA. One seems to have something to do with a mill. Another has something to do with a bond. There appears to be an assoiate Mallory, or at least an in-law, based on court records and deeds, and the will of Elizabeth, wife of brother Francis Ross. The widow of Francis Ross, one Elizabeth, mentions her Uncle Mallory living in England. I have not been able to determine from which country the Rosses originated. England is possible, as is Ireland or Scotland of course. Possible other Children of Hugh Ross are Francis, James, and Robert. Robert co-signed the marriage bond of John and Sarah Jackson, and appears as an entry on a will of another Ross in Middlesex, NJ in t he mid 1700's. He was a Yoeman and posted bond, according to that record. James may have been the Constable in 1746-47 and again in mid 1750's in Granville. He is mentioned in Tax records and in Court Minutes for Granville County, NC. Sgt. John Ross, James Ross, Francis Ross, and Frederick Ross are in the Militia in Granville in 1771. Isaac Ross signs as witness of a deed for William Ross in Granville in 1762. An Adam Ross also signs as witness for a deed in 1760's in Granville.

Source: Ancestry Message Boards for Hugh Ross & Margaret Cheeley Family (1)

Hugh Ross and Margaret Cheeley, Old Elizabeth City, Virginia Replies: 14 NewHugh Ross and Margaret Cheeley, Old Elizabeth City, Virginia LesRoss385 (View posts) Posted: 01 Apr 2016 06:06PM Classification: Query Edited: 15 Jan 2018 11:42PM Surnames: Ross, Jackson, Cheeley, Priest, Smithwick, Bennet, Pruett, Shaw, Woods, Wilson, Hawkins, Griffin, DeBarclay.

HUGH ROSS and MARGARET CHEELEY lived in Colonial days in Elizabeth City, Virginia, now Hampton, near the coast, and over river from North Carolina. This was a good family in a promising new colony. Hugh lived around 1671-1701, and Margaret from 1671-1719. Hugh Ross was from Scotland, but Margaret was of English ancestry. Both Hugh and Margaret passed away in Virginia; and Margaret's will was in Elizabeth City in 1719, mentioning three sons, FRANCIS ROSS, HUGH ROSS and WILLIAM ROSS. The cause of Hugh's early death in 1701 is yet unknown. In those days Virginia was still a frontier.

After the passing of husband Hugh Ross, Margaret remarried to James Priest and had four more children. Later son William Ross, and several of the children of his brothers Francis and Hugh Ross migrated to various counties of North-East, North Carolina.

A search for Hugh Ross has been done earlier in Virginia, but without results. Margaret was most probably from a Crested, seated, Old-English family named Cheeley, whose origin was from a place called Cheale of early England. I am not sure when the Cheeley family arrived from England. But they were living next to and associated with some of the best families from England in Elizabeth City. Hugh Ross from Scotland soon found favor with these influential families newly from England. Hugh was like them from an educated family himself. In Scotland at the time only the heir received the estate, but the others inherited the initiative and the noble bearing, as seen in Hugh and Margaret's descendants.

Here is a general OUTLINE of this post.

1. MIGRATIONS OF CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN 2. LINK TO ROSS-SHIRE, SCOTLAND 3. MERCHANTS, ATTORNEYS, PEACE OFFICERS IN AMERICA 4. THE THREE SONS FRANCIS, HUGH AND WILLIAM ROSS 5. FIRST SON FRANCIS ROSS 6. SECOND SON HUGH ROSS 7. THIRD SON WILLIAM ROSS 8. COMMENTS

MIGRATIONS OF CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN

....Hugh Ross, Margaret Cheeley (dcd, Virginia). ........Francis Ross, Elizabeth Mallory (dcd, Virginia. A son migrated to NC). ........Hugh Ross, Rebeckah (dcd, Virginia. Grandchildren migrated to NC, and NJ). ........William Ross, Sr, Elizabeth Smithwich (dcd, North Carolina).

Son Francis Ross (1693-1731) was married to Elizabeth Mallory. The wife of second son Hugh Ross (1697-1742) may be Rebecka. And the good wife of son William Ross (1700-1760) as seen on family trees is Elizabeth Smithwich.

The youngest son William Ross, Sr migrated to Martin, North Carolina, and had sons John Ross, Sr, who married Elizabeth Bennett; son William Ross, Jr, who married Mary Griffin; and son Hugh Ross, who was married, possibly to a Griffin sister, and second to Margaret Pruett, and who was later of Anson County, NC; and son Nathan Ross (Dickerman; C Brashear; Census). There may have been other children.

Children of eldest sons Francis and Hugh followed uncle William, but to other counties of Northeast, North Carolina. My ancestor John Ross, son of Hugh Ross, son of Hugh and Margaret traveled, but first to Middlesex, New Jersey, where by my research were Rosses related from Balblair, Scotland. https://familysearch.org/photos/stories/13329819 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_Hall Then John returned to Virginia in 1759, and migrated in 1760 to Granville, North Carolina with his wife Sarah Jackson, finally settling in Guilford County, NC in 1782.

And others of courage of sons Francis and Hugh Ross migrated as well with their families to mostly Northeast, North Carolina. James P Ross, Sr, probable son of Francis Ross, son of Hugh Ross and Margaret, is thought to have migrated to Rowan, and Guilford, Counties, NC. James P was married first to Mary Woods and later in his old age to Jean Shaw. Of others known were other sons of second son Hugh, named Thomas, James and Francis Ross, who removed to North Carolina, and Robert Ross, who migrated to Piscataway and Woodbridge, New Jersey. James Ross, married to another Margaret, traveled to Granville, North Carolina about 1747, and later to Orange County, NC. Francis Ross, married to Mary, migrated to Granville, Wake and Orange Counties, NC. Thomas Ross likely married to Patty Brown neighbor in Elizabeth City was in Granville in 1760. Thomas may have passed away in Granville.

Several of the other children of son Francis Ross stayed in Hampton, Elizabeth City. They included daughter Ann Boan; Daughter Euphan Ross, married to Anthony Hawkins; Francis Ross Jr; Cheeley Ross I; and Mallory Ross I, according to family trees on ancestry.com. http://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/euphan-ross_58561

Our Rosses were energetic, educated, proactive by today's standards, of no small adventure, and of exceeding faith. Descendants of distinction of Pioneer days were Merchants, Ministers, Peace Officers, Farmers, Ranchers, Carpenters, a County Trustee, an Attorney, a Member of The North Carolina Assembly, who was also Justice of the Peace of Martin County, a Clerk of the Court in New Jersey, and some Cowboys. Most of these will be identified as we go.

Most of the evidence is found in the Wills and Administrations of Elizabeth City County. And on library shelves there are a few similar Abstracts. The first proof of our family is from a Court record of Hugh Ross, 1692. Several Court records show that Hugh Ross witnessed some deeds and wills, 1692-98/99. Later we see Margaret remarried to James Priest, the marriage bond dated 1702 in Elizabeth City. Margaret Priest's will was in 1719 (Wills and Administrations of Elizabeth City, Virginia, Ancestry.com). Margaret Priest's will names her Priest children, Anfilody, James, Martha, and Thomas Priest, her granddaughter Ann (Ross), and sons Francis, Hugh, and William Ross. (James Priest also had a will 1712, with the name of daughter Dorothy, who married John Wilson. Father of Wilson made a will there.)

LINK TO ROSS-SHIRE, SCOTLAND

A number of member trees including Familysearch have Adam Ross (1644-1710) and Margaret Stronach (1645-1710) of Balblair, Tain Parish, Scotland as parents of Hugh Ross. Balbair was in the Parish of Tain, a major center for merchant activity on the East-coast of the Highlands of Scotland. This post has some good beginning proof of our line. You can help research it. David Ross was also known as father of George Aeneas Ross of Delaware whose son George Ross was a Member of the Continental Congress and Uncle-in-law to Betsey Ross.

There is new research using DNA from a graph on Familytreedna...rossdna project: https://www.familytreedna.com/public/rossdnaproject/default.... This shows George Aeneas Ross and James P Ross, mentioned in this article, to be distantly related. However it is just one test of unproved lineage. Needs more tests.

Intersection of Balblair/Balmuchy line in Scotland:

Ancestors of Hugh Ross of Virginia by DNA may be unknown. But many have thought David Ross and Margaret Stronach, of Balblair/Balmachy, a cadet line in Scotland, or a branch of the Balnagowan tree, are related. Balblair/Balmachy is an important line of the main tree in Scotland, intersecting with the Chiefs of Balnagowan further back. The Chiefs of Clan Ross of Balnagowan then are from the Earls of Ross. This has been a point of confusion as Balblair has been thought to be the main line. It is not. But the Balblair/Balmuchy line was very accomplished.

The subject Balblair/Balmachy/Shandwick line intersects with Chief Hugh Ross. 4th Laird of Balnagowan. This is with his 3rd son William Ross of Meikle (Little) Allan, 1st Laird of Shandwick (follow 2nd link below). William Ross died in battle defending the Clan Ross. There were in all 13 Chiefs of the Clan Ross, Lairds of Balnagowan. Intersection as stated is with the 4th, Chief, Hugh Ross, of Balnagowan.

Note the link below for the pedigree of Hugh Ross of Old Virginia connecting to Balblair. It is also from the Ultra Scots of Westmoreland and Allegheney, Pennsylvania, Rootsweb, and is fairly easy to follow. Although, the birth date is a "Sasine" substitute and is not the real birth date for Hugh Ross. It is 10 years earlier. Sasine means a substitute by inheritance of land date, in this case the date David Ross inherited: http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=PED&d...

And the following link shows the intersection of the line with Laird/Lord William of little Allen, and with the Chief of Balnagowan, Laird/Lord Hugh Ross: (Should say of Balnagowan after Hugh Ross on upper Right. He owned both places. But Balnagowan was the castle and grounds.) http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=PED&d... John Ross, Guilford, NC, son of Hugh Ross, Son of Hugh Ross, Hampton, Elizabeth City, Virginia Back in 2002 Hugh Ross, and his father Hugh Ross of old Elizabeth City, Virginia (now Hampton), were first introduced as parent and grandparent of John Ross of Guilford, NC. An extensive search was c

Source: Ancestry Message Boards for Hugh Ross & Margaret Cheeley Family (post 2)

https://www.ancestry.com/boards/surnames.ross/10052/mb.ashx

Earls of Ross on the Balblair/Balmachy line:

The father of Hugh Ross, 1st of Balnagowan, Chief of the Clan Ross was Hugh, 4th Earl of Ross, who was the last Earl of Ross on the subject Balblair/Balmuchy line. He died in battle in 1333. This Hugh, Earl of Ross was son of William II, Earl of Ross, son of William I, Earl of Ross, son of Farquhar, Earl of Ross of the O'Beolan line.

A powerful family of lay Priests, the O'Beolans were centered at the Abbey of Applecross and with the castles above the Monastery on the West shores of Old Ross-Shire. They were originally from a famous ruling family of Ireland, the great royal house of Tara, 673, but not of the name Ross to begin with. Their central family line shifted to the Earldom of Ross (Clans and Families of Ireland and Scotland, Electric Scotland.com). The name O'Beolan represents a Nordic/Viking intermarriage (probably Helgi Bjolan/Beolan, son of Bjorn) at some point with the Irish line. The O in the name is an Irish designation. (Beolan is a derivative of the Gaelic Bjolan possibly from the Norse Bjorn (meaning bear). See also Clans and Families of Ireland and Scotland, pp, 36,37.
http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/cairney/36.htm And another Les Ross post: https://boards.ancestry.com/surnames.ross/10058/mb.ashx

Related on the female line, was Malcolm MacHeth, d. 1068. Two Ross sites (TheGreatClanRoss, and ElectricScotland) have the mother of Ferquhar, Earl of Ross as the person by whom Farquhar warranted the title of Earl of Ross. It was by a daughter of MacHeth that the rights to the Earl of Ross passed to the O'Beolans. Several sites said Malcolm MacHeth arranged a marriage of his daughter to an O'Beolan Priest, and that by her Farquhar inherited the rights to Earl. But other places just said the rights to Earl passed to an O'Beolan Priest. So it might be the grandmother of Farquhar who married the Priest by the time periods. The MacHeths go back through the place Ross and Scotland, though that is not entirely clear (see Wikipedia).

A site online, the "ApplecrossChronology" and a related article have Malcolm, son of Farquhar, Earl of Ross, succeeding him as Abbot of Applecross. Farquhar, with a dual heritage as son of an O'Beolan Priest and a noble grandmother (or mother), would have extended influence into Ross-shire. The O'Beolan lay Abbots already had both ecclesiastical and secular authority over the areas about the Abbey in Wester(n) Ross. The title of Earl of Ross would be an extension of this realm of both ecclesiastical and secular authority.

Farquhar as Earl established an Abbey in Easter Ross where he was buried, 1249. MacTaggart means son of the Priest, a name Farquhar called himself. All the Earls went by O'Beolan. The Earls after Farquhar as stated were son William of Ross I, his son William of Ross, II, his son Hugh of Ross, and son William of Ross III. William III was the last Earl of Ross on the male line. (Hugh the last Earl on the subject Balblair branch.) William III and Hugh 1st of Balnagowan were brothers. After that the title of Earl went to the family of William III's daughter Euphemia, who were Leslies and MacDonalds mostly. https://www.Greatclanross.org/htext5.html

Hugh Ross, 1st Chief of Balnagowan, son of Hugh, Earl of Ross, was the first to adopt the name Ross on the male hereditary line. By then by marriages he would be thoroughly a Ross. It was he who married Margaret DeBarclay. Hugh was the heir on the male line, but not an Earl as described in this link by the thegreatclanross.org (of Canada.) Hugh, 1st of Balnagowan as described became the first of the thirteen Chiefs, the Lairds of Balnagowan. The ancent male hereditery line became extinct with David Ross 13th of Balnagowan who had no heir. https://www.greatclanross.org/htext6.html (note: David Ross of Balblair and David Ross of Balnagowan are not the same.)

Source of Cheeley family is Patterson, NASA.Gov

Patterson in his professional summary in 1992 written for a NASA dig of the Hugh Ross property of 2002 in Elizabeth City, Virginia refers to the neighbor Cheeley family. Patterson says the mother of Hugh could be a Cheeley. Says the name Cheeley was in the family later.
Note: The same idea would apply as Hugh's mother-in-law Mary Cheeley. Wife of Joseph Cheeley was Mary on Joseph's estate not Margaret.

THE THREE SONS FRANCIS, HUGH AND WILLIAM ROSS

Source: Ancestry Message Boards for Hugh Ross & Margaret Cheeley Family (post 4): https://www.ancestry.com/boards/surnames.ross/10052/mb.ashx

THE THREE SONS FRANCIS, HUGH AND WILLIAM ROSS
Now on for some information put together for research about SONS FRANCIS, HUGH, and WILLIAM ROSS. There are not a lot of family demographics here, as arranging a framework to hold research is the goal. Other places might be better for family data. Please fill in the blanks.

From what is here we have some good clues about Scotland. (Note...The early Rosses before 1700 in Virginia spelled it the Olde Highlander way of Rosse (Rofse), pronounced with a distinct rolling RR and a rounded O, like in Rose or robust. Try it. The E silent. Sounds really good their way.)

Those I have seen so far from way early Virginia were mostly from Scotland, but the name Ross is from Ireland as well, e.g Federicks County, Virginia. But now I think the Fredericks Virginia Ross from references went to Ireland from the same place in Scotland. But by the time frames the earlier Balblair. (Search Alexander Ross Fredericks Virginia Archiver 2010. They were related to the Chester County, NC Rosses). But there must have been others not related. And if you are an Irishman and they migrated to America, there may be the majestic Ross Castle in Ireland. Thousand came from that area to America according to their website.

FIRST SON FRANCIS ROSS

Francis, son of Hugh Ross and Margaret, stayed in Elizabeth City, and his will is there in 1731. Francis is the first Ross son mentioned on the 1719 Will of Margaret, remarried Priest, first married to Hugh Ross. Francis was born about 1693. ELIZABETH MALLORY, wife of Francis, has her will there of 1756. Elizabeth was from an accomplished Mallory and Wythe family of English descent. Names on the will are an uncle of hers, John Mallory in England, son-in-law Anthony Hawkins, daughter Ann Boan, grandson Mallory Ross, and grandson William Boan.(Note...Elizabeth's family tree by her descendants can be found on Ancestry.com.) Trees show the wife of Anthony Hawkins to be Euphan Ross. The name Euphemia De Ross once belonged to the Queen of Scotland married to King Robert Il, Stewart. Euphemia was the sister of Hugh 1st of Balnagowan. And In America The children of Francis Ross and Elizabeth Mallory would have a cousin-removed association with two Members of the Continental Congress, on the Ross side, and another George on the Wythe side of their mother.

A number of early Ross wills can be found in Elizabeth City. These would include wills of some of their children, identifying other possible siblings, and grandchildren. There are some other abstracts in the Familysearch system that have more names and more wills.

Another John Ross, wife Sarah, also made a will in Elizabeth City, 1758 that mentions son James and brother James. (Note...John and James, of this 1758 will, would be sons of Francis Ross and Elizabeth Mallory). John's will says reversion to brother James if son James does not become of age. Looks like James, brother of John, was still in Elizabeth City in 1758. A later will, the 1780 will of son James of John and Sarah, refers to his cousin Mallory Ross, Jr, of the next generation. The brother of John had no will found of his own in Elizabeth City. James could have moved after 1758 with a group to Rowan and Guilford Counties, NC.

Rowan and Guilford, North Carolina:

Living in Rowan County, NC was James P Ross (James Ross, Sr.), married first to Mary Woods with children. Later in Guilford he married Jean Shaw in 1778. The will of James (P) Ross, Sr was in 1788, in Rowan County, NC, with four underage children, including son Benjamin, wife Jean, and "son" Henry as exec of his will. Among the children of Mary Woods were son Henry Ross, who married first a daughter of Robert Mitchell, and then in 1786 Gene Anderson in Guilford County, NC. Gene and Henry may have had a son John in 1787 who stayed in Guilford and Rowan (now Forsyth); and son James Ross, Jr, who married Mary Mitchell. Father of Mary Mitchell was Robert Mitchell, as can be seen from his Guilford will. Names of Robert Mitchell and his brother Adam Mitchell are found earlier in North Carolina and Chester County, Pennsylvania. James, Jr was a businessman in Guilford, and later owned a Municians Factory in Tennessee. Henry was a Constable and later a Trustee of Guildford County, NC. A deed in Rowan County, 1785 has it that Henry was from Guilford. An all around quite remarkable family.

A number of authors, webpages and family trees have it that certain Ross families in Guilford have a direct family relationship. However, I think it is more extended than thought. That would be James P Ross, and/or of his elder sons, James Ross, Jr and Henry Ross...and that would be with my ancestor John Ross of Guilford. And this has followed with some confusion. One source is the good book about the Buffalo Presbyterian Church by Rev Rankin who said (part right but in a more general sense) that Henry, James, and John appeared to be brothers, noting they all lived in Horsepen Creek (Greensboro). And this is an excellent observation by Rankin of a family relationship between these two Ross families...though I think it is more extended as cousins. (Note...The Scottish were clanish.) The name of James is found on the above mentioned will of another John Ross, as his brother in Elizabeth City in 1758 (most probably two sons of first son Francis Ross and Elizabeth Mallory). And likewise the name of John Ross is provided on the estate of second son Hugh (Jr), in Elizabeth City in 1759. This is a different John Ross than the John Ross who was deceased in 1758. John and James were still in Elizabeth City in 1758, John until 1759. James P and John would then be cousins who wound-up later in Guilford. James P the son of Francis Ross, and John Ross of Guilford the son of Hugh Ross II. Thus we have a widely held view of a family relationship for James and John, married to Sarah, combined with two primary sources in Hampton, Elizabeth City, Virginia.

Some have theorized that an association with the Buffalo Presbyterian Church...that Robert Mitchell and John Ross, Jr, son of John Ross, helped establish...meant we all were from Ireland. And many of this Church were from Chester County, Pennsylvania, originally from Ireland. But writings by some (see below) is that some Ross families in Pennsylvania were from Scotland, perhaps the same place. And that some of the early Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania Rosses were related. (Note...But then again in a more clan-like sense but perhaps from the same origin...branches from a limb of the same tree.)

*DAVIS STOCKTON OF VIRGINIA, 1972, JOHNS

• DAVIS STOCKTON OF VIRGINIA, 1972, JOHNSON & SMITH Please leave the notes when you down load! That is the mostimportantpart. The Stockton Proje ct; lakebay4meS934299087@