HENRY WILLIAM ROSS A-709
Male, Bornin LeRaysville, Bradford County, Pennsylvania on 10/21/1840
Died5/9/1918 (Campbell, Nebraska)

Parents

Siblings

Spouses / Children

Born October 21, 1840, at LeRaysville, Bradford County, Pennsylvania, of Hiram ROSS and Mary (KEECH) ROSS. Henry was the oldest of seven children. His brothers were Jesse Hiram, Casper Steven, Daniel A., and George G.; his sisters were Jennie and Amanda M.

In 1858, Henry’s father moved west to Linn County, Iowa (near Cedar Rapids), where he continued his trade as a miller until 1861. It is unclear if Henry accompanied his father in 1858 (at the age of about 18) or joined him there within the next couple years. The family, consisting of the mother and younger children, moved to Linn County in 1862--a move of about 1,000 miles.

Presumably, however, Henry went with his father on the initial trip, because on May 9, 1861, he answered the call of duty and joined the Union Army. He was enrolled as a Private of Company “K”, 12th Iowa Infantry Volunteers at Keokuk, Iowa. At the time of his enlistment, he was described as 5 feet 11 inches tall, light complexion, blue eyes, brown hair, and mason by occupation. All members of his unit were “mustered out” (discharged) on August 20, 1861, at St. Louis, Missouri.

Henry returned home and reenlisted as “First Corporal” with Company “D”, 12th Iowa Infantry Volunteers on September 20, 1861, at Cedar Rapids. This unit saw heavy action at the Battle of Shiloh (Tennessee) on April 6, 1862. Henry was severely wounded on this date, taken as prisoner of war and confined at Corinth, Mississippi, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Montgomery, Alabama. He was paroled at a place called Aikens Landing, Virginia, (on the James River near Richmond) on October 17, 1862. He returned to his unit, reenlisted again on Christmas Day, 1863, and was carried present until December 31, 1865. He was then carried absent on detached service at Talledega, Alabama (just east of Birmingham). He was mustered out with his company, as a Private, on January 20, 1866, at Memphis, Tennessee.

The following is an extract from Roster and Record of Iowa Troops In the Rebellion, Vol. 2 by Guy E. Logan:
“Ross, Henry W. Age 21. Residence Kingston. Enlisted Sept. 20, 1861, as First Corporal. Mustered Oct. 26, 1861. Missing in battle April 6, 1862, Shiloh, Tenn. Mustered out Jan. 20, 1866, Memphis, Tenn. See company K, First [Iowa] Infantry.”

Upon his release from the service, the Civil War being concluded, Henry again returned to the family home at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. On October 19, 1867, Henry was married to Lucy Jane THOMPSON by W. W. MALTTY, minister, at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Lucy Jane THOMPSON’s father was from Ireland, and was a Justice of the Peace.

In 1870, Henry, his father and three brothers, all with their families, migrated to Red Cloud, Nebraska (about 40 miles south of Hastings, Nebraska, and roughly 350 miles from Cedar Rapids, Iowa). At Red Cloud, each of them homesteaded a quarter section of land along with timber claims. Henry's son, Daniel, in a letter to me on August 24, 1970 (at the age of 73, shortly before he died) related an interesting story he often heard his father tell: “They had a team of oxen and a sled and pulled into Red Cloud in 1870. They had no buildings at Red Cloud at that time, only caves around the bank of the (Republican) River. The Indians had a 3-day battle when they got there, and left one Indian nearly dead. Father (Henry) put him one of the caves and carried food and water to him until he died. There were thousands of buffalo which ran through the country in the fall of each year and a person could not get by until they all passed.” Daniel went on to report that “Father was a hard drinker,” but eventually quit his drinking habit.

On April 6, 1890, Henry’s wife Lucy died at Red Cloud. In 1891, he moved to Campbell, Franklin County, Nebraska. There he was married by Samuel West, Justice of the Peace, on July 14, 1894, to Katie L. RUTT. Katie (probably Katherine Elizabeth, as I have found in some records) was born in Kolb, Russia, of emigrant parents Fredrick RUTT and Dora (DOWD) RUTT. She came to America at age 5. She was previously married to George SHRIBER, but was divorced in 1892 at Bloomington, Nebraska.

With his new wife, Henry and his family returned to Iowa in 1894 and lived in Manning until 1897, when they returned to Campbell, Nebraska. Henry remained in Campbell until his death at 9:30 P.M., May 9, 1918, when he died of arteriosclerosis. He was buried in the Campbell Presbyterian Cemetery on May 18, 1918.

Katie was granted a Widow’s Pension as a result of Henry’s military service, the last payment of which amounted to $27 for the month of April 1934. She died of bronchial pneumonia, a resident of the Grand Island (Nebraska) Soldiers & Sailors Home on May 4, 1934, at the age of 65. It is interesting to note that on Katie and Henry’s marriage certificate Henry gave his age as 49, when in fact he was 53. Quite likely that was prompted by Katie's youthful age of 25 at the time.

Henry's first marriage produced sons George Granville and Rawley; and daughters Clara and Cora. His marriage to Katie resulted in sons Daniel A. and Roscoe (who was born when Henry was 67 years old!); and daughters Laura, Lucille, and Luella.

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© MCMXCIII  Hank Ross
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