Yolo County CA Archives Biographies.....Ross, Thomas 1840 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 21, 2007, 11:23 pm Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1891) THOMAS ROSS, M. D.- Dr. Ross has descended from the sturdy, independent Highland Scotch stock, whose influence has always been powerfully felt wherever they have resided. He himself is by birth a Canadian, and in that land of solid ideas received the practical training of every-day life so characteristic of that country, and the medical education and experience that have borne such substantial results in Dr. Ross's after life. He is the son of Murdoch Ross, a native of Rosshire, Scotland, who emigrated to Canada about 1815, and established a carriage and agricultural implement manufactory at Lancaster, Glengarry County, Ontario. This he carried on successfully, building it up into a large concern. He married, in Lancaster, Miss Catherine Ross, not a relative although of the same name, but of good Scottish lineage like himself. Her father was George Ross, originally a farmer in New York, and one of that worthy band of United Empire Loyalists who left home and possessions in the United States to follow the flag of their birth, the English-after the Revolutionary war. Of the children of Murdoch and Catherine Ross, four are now living, viz.: Mrs. Bathia Fortune, now in British Columbia; Thomas, the subject of this sketch; John, residing on the old homestead in Canada; and Janet, who is married to Andrew Harkness, a successful physician, of Lancaster, Ontario. In his latter days Murdoch Ross closed out his manufacturing business, and turned his attention to farming, an occupation that he followed until the time of his death. His farm was one of the largest in the county, consisting of 300 acres. Thomas was born in Lancaster, Ontario, November 25, 1840. His primary education was received in the common and grammar schools of his home, and later he took a course at St. Andrews Academy. His medical studies were begun in 1858, lectures being attended at the Medical Department of that stanch old institution, McGill University, Montreal, at which he was graduated in 1863, having also become a licentiate of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. Dr. Ross located at Lancaster, Ontario, and in the seven years of his residence there he built up a large and profitable practice. But at the best the opportunities at that point were limited, and besides, Dr. Ross was desirous of finding a milder climate. He came in 1870 to California, and after an examination of the State located in Woodland, with whose progress he has since been actively identified. He was led to choose this location by seeing the vast fields of wheat and grain waving over the rich and fertile lands of Yolo County, and noting the prosperous condition of the section. His experience since that time has shown him that he chose wisely and well. In August of the same year he was married at San Jose, to Miss Martha, daughter of Captain Alexander Lindsay, of Malone, Franklin County, New York. She died in December, 1881, leaving one daughter, Olita. The Doctor was married to his present wife in August, 1886. She was before marriage Miss Ibby, daughter of J. W. Chiles, an old and respected pioneer of the coast, arriving in California in 1849, and has long been a resident in Yolo County. They have one daughter, Janet. Dr. Ross has rapidly risen to the front rank professionally, and to-day stands among the foremost practitioners of this portion of the State. He is a prominent member of the California State Medical Society, as well as of the Yolo County Medical Society. From December, 1878, to June, 1882, he was official physician for this county. In political matters Dr. Ross ranks as one of the Republican leaders, though in no sense of the word as office-seeker, but takes such an active interest in all public affairs as to necessitate active work by him and in the councils of his party, and is a working member of the Yolo County Republican Central Committee. He is a Mason in good standing, and a charter member of Yolo Lodge, No. 22, A. O.U. W. Of late years Dr. Ross has devoted considerable attention to business matters, and is interested in several important local enterprises. He is the present Vice President of the Woodland Street Railway Company, and is financially interested in the Yolo Winery and the Woodland Gas and Electric Light Company. Of all these he was among the organizers. On his ranch he has thorough-bred and graded Holstein cattle, and a number of good horses, some of them being from high-class stock. His place is but a mile and a half northwest from Woodland, and was purchased by him in 1881. It contains 100 acres of land, and is among, the best improved places in the county. His attention was first given to the matter of planting grapes, of which he set out ten acres the first year, and working from this beginning he now has a large acreage in vines and fruits. One field of twenty-five acres is all planted to grapes, and of another field, of forty acres, the three outside rows are devoted to White Adriatic figs, pears and French prunes; the remaining space is all devoted to grapes. There are the Tokay and Emperor table varieties, the Muscatel and Seedless Sultana raisin grapes, while the wine varieties are represented by the standard Zinfandel and Matero. The vineyard must certainly be ranked among the finest in the State at its age. The ground seems to be peculiarly adapted to the healthy growth of the grape, the vines are all in fine condition, and the yield is surprisingly and uniformly heavy. An irrigating ditch, supplied from the waters of Cache Creek, divides the two fields mentioned, but irrigation has not yet been required on the grapes, generally, and has only been used in dry seasons alone on the raisin varieties, as it is claimed they do better with irrigation. He has five acres devoted principally to apricots, with some Bartlett pears, which also show fine growth and excellent prospects. A field of twenty acres, which is left to clover, shows handsome net results each year. Dr. Ross has made all the improvements on this place, which was a mere grain-field when he purchased it. Among the more recent additions to its equipmeat [sic] is a large and well-appointed dryer, covered throughout with corrugated iron, and constructed on the plans most approved in that branch of industry. A feature of his own was the construction of the building two stories in height, so as to utilize the surplus heat from the artificial dryer in an additional dry-room, a measure resulting in much larger drying capacity without increase in amount of fuel used. Having identified himself so thoroughly with the fruit, raisin and wine interests by his investments in these directions, Dr. Ross has given much attention to the subject of their development, as well as to the problem of properly marketing products. At the convention of fruit-growers held at Woodland in May, 1890; he delivered an address, which showed such intelligent thought upon the subject of the new and old industries of this county as to command the profound attention of all hearers. As a result a lively interest in the subject was engendered, and some opposition in sentiment was encountered among those whose attention has been given entirely to grain-raising. The able and convincing argument employed by the Doctor in support of the theory that grain is surely giving way in California to the vine and fruit trees, shows how thorougly he has digested the subject. The entire address is here recorded, partly as a matter of instructive reading now and partly as a prophecy on the correctness of which history should pass. "MR. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN, Fruit Growers of Yolo County: When I say that I am in hearty sympathy with the objects and aims of this Convention, I express myself very feebly. The object is stated in the call to be, 'To consider the advisability of establishing a raisin-packing union, and maintaining in the interests of the fruit industry of Yolo County a mutual protective and educational society.' "The experience of each one of us, especially with commission men, proves that the establishment of an organization of this character is a great desideratum. We grow as fine table and raisin grapes, prunes, pears and apricots in Yolo County as can be produced in the world. In fact, a Yolo County man, the pioneer raisin-grower of the State of California, Mr. R. B. Bloners, demonstrated that Yolo County can produce the best raisins, by carrying off the first premium in the Centennial at Philadelphia in open and fair competition. Then why, ask you, are our raisins not first sought for? and why do they command the highest price in the market? I think you will agree with me in the opinion that it is principally because each grower has his own mode of packing,-that we have no uniform grade so that the dealers can confidentially rely on the brand stated on the box. The London layers of one grower is very different from the London layers of another. The same with the Three Crown loose and so on. This uncertainty of quality, of care in packing, etc., acts to our detriment, reduces our profits, and gives our product a bad name. "The aim of this convention is to form an organization to correct this great error. Many benefits would be secured to the producers by the organization of a union as is to-day contemplated. Among which may be stated: "1st.-Unity of action in effecting sales, thereby disposing of our products to the best advantage. "2d.--The dissemination of practical information from one grower to another in regard to the cultivation, irrigation, pruning, etc., of vines and fruit trees. "3d.-The impetus and stimulus which the raisin industry would receive, and that necessarily follows the interchange of ideas among practical men. Many other benefits could be named as instructive in planting, etc. "I would suggest that the association take into consideration also the disposing of green fruits, as we grow here in Yolo County,-table grapes of fine quality possessed of remarkable shipping virtues. Tokays Here yield enormously and are of fine quality, color beautifully and can be shipped further without injury than those grown in any other section of this State. "The fruit-growing industry in Yolo County is yet in its infancy, but is destined to be the industry, and a great source of wealth. "We may roughly divide the industrial history of California into four decades. The first may be called the Mining Period, when California was considered to be of no value except for the precious metals its mountains and riverbeds contained. The second, the Live-Stock Period, when our fertile valleys and plains were considered fit for nothing but grazing stock. Wheat-raising as a profitable industry was not dreamed of. The third is the Wheat-Raising Period, which continues to the present time. The fourth, the Fruit-Growing Period, which is even now in its infancy, a healthy and vigorous youngster, threatening to crowd out the wheat industry, which now shows marked tendencies of decline and deeay. [sic] "The wheat-grower has fallen into hard lines for the past few years. He generally owns large tracts of land, which trebles and quadruples in value, so that his taxes are yearly increased on each acre. The rate is yearly getting higher while its wheat producing capacity is gradually decreasing. The value of wheat in the market is steadily growing less, while the cost of labor remains about the same. He is, however, fighting nobly, and by the aid of steam plows and steam harvesters he hopes to so curtail the cost of raising wheat that he will reap a respectable profit, even at the low prices now prevailing. If he will not succeed in this, his last effort, then wheat-raising will indeed be a thing of the past, a pleasant memory. "I cannot but feel, when I see those enormous machines passing through our streets, that they are mighty evidences of the nearing end; that they indicate the last expiring struggle of a great and honorable industry among us, which has added millions to the wealth of the State In fact, the history of wheat-raising in the United States plainly points to the migratory habits of the wheat industry. "I will read an extract from Erastus Wiman, an eminent writer in the North American Review of January, 1889, which I think will be a surprise to you. He says: 'The steady movement toward the north of the wheat producing regions of this continent is remarkable. Wheat might be supposed to be cultured safely only in the most temperate zones. But the movement of the wheat-producing areas toward the North Pole has been as steady as the movement of the needle in the compass in that direction. Within the memory of many the Genesee Valley, in the State of New York, was the great wheat-producing region, and Rochester was named the Flour City. No longer is Rochester the center of the wheat-producing areas. Westward these took their way, first to the valleys of the Ohio, then to the prairies of Illinois and Iowa, and the valleys of California, until now the most northern tier of States and Territories is found the great source of natural wealth in the production of the great cereal. The milling activities of Minnesota, the marvelous railroad development of the Northwest, both toward the West and North, and more recently toward the East, for the special accommodation of this flour and wheat trade, tell the story, so far as climate is concerned. Wheat has found its greatest success in the States of the extreme north.' "Its steady trend to the north for so many hundreds of miles, makes it highly probable that beyond the 49th parallel wheat should be produced largely and profitably. Indeed, this is certainly so, for it so happens that north of the Minnesota line and within the Canadian territories are wheat areas possessing all the advantages of the regions to the south, but in richness, fertility and extent much greater. It will be a startling statement to make, that even in its extreme northern latitudes, the Dominion of Canada possesses a greater wheat-producing area than does the entire United States,-that the soil of this area is richer, will last longer, and will produce a higher average of better wheat than can be produced any where else oil the continent, if not in the world. Wheat is known to have been grown in the vicinity of numerous Hudson Bay Company's stations for twenty consecutive years, without rotation and without fertilization, and annually producing crops aver aging thirty bushels to the acre. "In corroboration, I quote a portion of a letter received from a brother-in-law, A. L. Fortune, a stock-raiser and wheat-grower located over a hundred miles north of the forty-ninth parallel of latitude north of the northern boundary of the United States; and in order to show his veracity, I will state that he was a Scotch Presbyterian minister of the Gospel, whose health failed in the ministry and was regained in the occupation of farming and stock-raising. I quote from his letter: 'Now, last year, on forty-five acres of land we estimated that there was ninety tons of fall wheat, and the balance that was under crop by unfavorable tillage only yielded one ton to the acre. The year previous twenty-five acres of the same produced twenty-eight tons, While thirty acres produced forty-five tons. All the land in this valley is wonderfully productive.' "It is plain to every intelligent observer, who has given this matter any thought, that in the near future wheat-raising in the best parts of Yolo County, especially in the remarkable rich country around Woodland, will cease to be profitable. This, combined with the high price the land will command, will induce the landowners to sell in small tracts to fruit-growers, who will build homes, improve the lands thus secured and contribute to the prosperity of our merchants, mechanics and all of our people, by adding a most desirable class of industrious, prosperous and intelligent citizens. "The natural advantages of Yolo County for the successful growth of grapes of all kinds, and fruits especially, the pear, prune, apricot, fig and olives, cannot be excelled in any portion of the State. Nature seems to have designed it for the fruit-growers. We have the soil, the climate, and an immense natural reservoir of pure, fresh water, just waiting to be coaxed into this valley to make it smile like a veritable Eden-to shower treasures of wealth right and left among us. This reservoir is twenty-five miles long and ten miles broad in some places, and has an area of 200 square miles; it is situated at an altitude of 1,500 feet above the level of the sea, and has an average depth of twenty feet. I allude to Clear Lake, Lake County, the main source of Cache Creek. If this beautiful body of fresh water, so vast in extent and so favorably situated for irrigation purposes, and so easy to turn to profitable account, was located in almost any other portion of the State, especially in the southern part, it would have long ago been utilized and would have contributed millions to the wealth of the State. It, however, remains unused, in seclusion, patiently awaiting the time when the dormant energies of our people shall arouse and invite it into our valleys and scatter blessings and riches along its path. "California is the home of the raisin grape, is the only country in the United States which is especially adapted to the grape, possessing climate, soil and conditions necessary for its luxuriant growth. Wheat is considered and has been shown to do best in northern latitudes. "By a provision of nature the extent of country where wheat can be profitably grown is immense, while that in which the raisin grape finds the peculiar combination of soil and climate necessary for its profitable culture is very limited. Raisin grapes cannot be grown in northern climates; the severe winters will destroy them; if attempted in any country it is desirable to plant or sow that which has been found to be best adapted to its soil and climate. "This paper has exceeded in length anything I intended. I thank you for your patient and attentive hearing." Additional Comments: Extracted from Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California. Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of Prominent Citizens of To-day. "A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendents." – Macauley. CHICAGO THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1891. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/yolo/bios/ross775gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/ File size: 19.3 Kb