Alexander Ross, born c1782

[BassinghamTerrier]

Yes, already had that one on my lists, but can't find a marriage for Donald/Daniel and Isabell(a) as yet.

MT

[BassinghamTerrier]

I'm still rattling away on this one and have made many small holes in the various walls.

Can anyone please help me find GEORGE ROSS in the 1871 census? I suspect that he might be in Glasgow ...

• 23 Apr 1822: born Reay, Caithness, Scotland, twin brother of Walter Ross, son of Alexander and Jane (nee Swanson) Ross
• 6 Jun 1841: living with parents and siblings at Old Machar, Aberdeen, Scotland; occ = labourer
• 5 Sep 1845: married MARY SIMPSON at Old Machar, Aberdeen, Scotland; living at College Street, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland; occ = woollen mill labourer at Gordon's Mills
• c1846: birth of Son Alexander ROSS (Thurso, 1846–)
• c1851: birth of Son George ROSS (New Machar, 1851–)
• c1855: birth of Daughter Elisabeth ROSS (New Machar, 1855–)
• c1858: birth of Daughter Isabella ROSS (New Machar, 1858–)
• 7 Apr 1861: living at 31 School Road, Old Machar, Aberdeenshire, Scotland; occ = wool spinner
• 8 Aug 1861: death of wife, MARY ROSS (nee Simpson), 24 Don Street, Woodside, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire
• 1870: living at 85 John Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland?*; occ = spinner
• 1874: living at 28 Scott Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland?*; occ = spinner
• 3 Apr 1881: living at Bogie Rd, Bogie Side, Rhynie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland; occ = wool spinner
• 6 Jun 1883: Paternity suit successfully filed against him by ELSPET BEATTIE REID; address is Stephens Works, Huntly, Aberdeen, Scotland
• 20 Oct 1885: married at St Margaret's Church, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland to ELSPET WATSON EDWARDS (nee CHRISTIE)
• 5 Apr 1891: living at Old Bridge of Don, Aberdeen Old Machar, Aberdeenshire, Scotland; wife is listed as "Eliza" but she's Elspet; occ = unemployed wool spinner - pauper.
• 6 Feb 1901: died at Old Bridge of Don, Old Aberdeen, Scotland; wrong age given - says "69" but he was 78; occ = wool spinner

I know that he also fathered ANOTHER illegitimate child - David Ross - by Elspet Beattie in 1864, and he also fathers four more children by his second wife, Elspet Christie, but these facts don't really have any bearing on this.

The asterisked/red facts (from the Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, Electoral Registers, 1857-1962) are the ones that lead me to believe that he is in Glasgow for the 1871 census - but I cannot find him.
Can anyone please help out?

MT

[Davor]

Hi Bassingham Terrier, I am reaching out to you to determine if you ever made any headway with your Ross family investigations?

Daniel Ross (born 1832, son of Alexander Ross and Jane Swanson) is my great great grandfather.  Therefore he is the younger brother of your great great grandfather, William Swanson Ross.  So we are distantly related through Alexander Ross and Jane Swanson.

I have some of Daniel's military records from the 92nd Regiment of Foot (later name-changed to the Gordon Highlanders) 1850-1856 and the Royal Artillery 1856-1858.  It seems that Daniel transferred from the 92nd to the Royal Artillery whilst in the Crimea.  Perhaps he met his brother(s) there and decided the RA was a better option, or he decided to follow the family tradition started by Alexander of serving in the RA.  Upon medical discharge from the RA in 1858, Daniel was a policeman in Yorkshire for a while, later becoming a salesman.

With regards to tangibles, I have a painted portrait of Daniel as an old man.  I also have multiple photos of Daniel's son, George Walter Ross.

Do you have any family photos of William Swanson Ross and/or photos that might include any of the Ross brothers together, especially Daniel Ross?

I am planning to go to Kew next week (+/- 1 March 2023) to see if I can find any of Alexander's military records from the Royal Artillery (1804-1819).  I'll keep you updated, if you don't already have the information.

My brother has done a lot of work on the family tree, including some work on the Ross-Swanson side, which he has traced back to our great great great great great grandparents (early 1700's).  They are John Ross married to Margaret Steel and James Swanson married to Isobel Sinclair.

[Davor]

Here is a portrait of Daniel Ross in old age.  The portrait had been stored at my grandmother's house without a frame for some time and had incurred some damage as a result.  Originally, it was mounted with a gold-coloured oval window mat. 

Daniel was born in the parish of Old Machar in Aberdeen on 21 December 1832.  He enlisted in the 92nd (Gordon Highlanders) Regiment of Foot on 25 January 1850 in Aberdeen at the age of 17.  He saw overseas service in the Ionian Isles (Corfu), Gibraltar, and the Crimea.  He achieved the rank of Sergeant within the regiment on 13 July 1854.

On 17 May 1856, he transferred from the 92nd (Gordon Highlanders) Regiment of Foot to the Royal Artillery 12th Battalion and served with this battalion until 16 March 1858, when his discharge was approved based on the opinion of the principle medical officer at Woolwich Barracks that Daniel was "unfit for service" and "permanently disqualified from military duty" due to "disease of the bones of the ear". 

His army records describe his character and conduct as "very good".

After his  discharge from the army, he signed on as a police officer with the West Riding Constabulary of Yorkshire in 1859.

He died in Lancashire in 1901.