DAR Patriot A098448 Patriotic Service Pennsylvania* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Aug 9 2019, 3:56:19 UTC

Biography

From https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ross-6761

John Ross born Tain, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, 29th January 1729. His parents were Murdoch Ross and Christina Simson, Murdoch Ross was a merchant in Tain.

He early relocated to Perth, Scotland, and entered into mercantile pursuits.

John Ross moved to New York and was in business as a general merchant opposite the Cross Keys near the Fly Market. He joined the Saint Andrew's Society, becoming the manager of the Society in the year 1762-1763 after which he moved to Philadelphia.[2]

John Ross moved to Philadelphia as a shipping merchant in 1763 [3]

c.1783 John lived at his father-in-law's estate ( 143 Myrtle Avenue, Havertown, Pennsylvania ) widely known as Clifton Hall and later the Grange Estate.

In 1764 he joined the Saint Andrew's Society of Philadelphia, becoming Secretary in 1766 and its Vice-President in 1774. John Ross became a rebellious colonial early in the growing controversy between the American east coast colonies and Great Britain. He was one of those who signed the non-importation agreement of the citizens of Philadelphia in 1765. He chaired the meeting of the mechanics and tradesmen held on June 9, 1774, to consider a letter from the artificers of New York, and was a member of the committee to reply to same. He invested heavily in the cause of American independence, and helped finance the revolution.

He has been described as a successful, fiercely independent and sometimes caustic Scottish merchant. [4] The Marquis de Lafayette was a friend, George Washington and other leading personalities of the time came to dine at his home at Grange Farm outside Philadelphia.

On September 17, 1775, he was appointed muster-master of the Pennsylvania Navy. He resigned his responsibility in the navy and in May 1776, a secret sub-committee of the Continental Congress appointed John Ross as principal agent for European military shipments, clothes, arms and powder for the Continental Army. He traveled to Amsterdam, Nantes, and Paris to establish connections with financiers and suppliers of the needed military goods. He was a partner with financier Robert Morris in some of the larger Continental contracts. Late in 1776, he traveled to Hamburg with the ships Jamaica Packet and the Clementine, buying gunpowder, making life difficult for British consul Matthies and dodging German authorities, who took their official policy of neutrality more literally than did France or Spain. The ships were confiscated then released when the Germans were persuaded that their freight was destined for Nantes & Cadiz much to the chagrin of Matthies who knew it was on its way to the rebels in North America, but had no proof that the two merchants involved, John Parish and John Ross, were shipping military goods from Europe to North America in violation of British trading laws. [5] By the end of the war, he had advanced or pledged his credit for 20,000 more than he was authorised to by Congress, at the expense of considerable personal financial loss.

On December 8th 1768 : he married Clementina, daughter of Captain George Cruickshank of Clifton Hall,

In 1783 his father-in-law, Capt. Cruickshank, returned to Scotland and John Ross then purchased Clifton Hall on the old Haverlford Road, near to Philadelphia. He and added to the property until it included 600 acres. Clifton Hall, later called The Grange (now at 143 Myrtle Avenue, Havertown, Pennsylvania), re-named by John Ross after the home of his friend, Lafayette.[6] [7]

In 1789 he built a fine house on the Southeast corner of Pine and Second Streets, which he furnished in a most sumptuous manner and there he entertained many of the distinguished persons of that day. He was on terms of familiar intercourse with George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Robert Morris and there are several entries in the diary of Washington, during the sitting of the convention to frame the United States constitution, of engagements to dine with Mr. Ross at his country place, the Grange.

John Ross was a Scotch Presbyterian, a member of the congregation of the church in Pine Street above Fourth Street, near Society Hill in Philadelphia.

John Ross died suddenly in Philadelphia on April 8, 1800. After his death it was found that his business affairs were greatly embarrassed and his family impoverished. His estate was purchased by a son-in-law, John F. Mifflin, half-brother to Thomas Mifflin, Governor of Pennsylvania.

Sources

1. Memoir of John Ross - Merchant of Philadelphia compiled by a granddaughter [8]
2. Rossiana : The Shandwick Succession p:107 by Harmon Pompelly Read pub:1908 - Shandwick Succession [9]
3. Bographical register of Sain Andrews Society of the State of New York [10]
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ross_%28American_patriot%29
5. Robert Morris: Financier of the American Revolution by Charles Rappleye [11]
6. John Ross in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ross_(American_patriot)_

further possible research needed?

Any relationship tht notable SPG minister Rev. George Aeneas Ross?

• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Nov 16 2017, 20:56:19 UTC