ROSS, Frank, b 1849; 1905 Bio, Delta County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/delta/bios/rossf.txt --------------------------------------- Donated September 27, 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- Frank Ross True to the instincts and customs of his people, who were for centuries among the great navigators of the sea and explorers of distant lands, this esteemed citizen of Delta county looked out over the fretful Atlantic in his boyhood with a longing to see and know foreign counties in his boyhood, and became a wanderer "ere manhood darkened on his downy cheek." He is a native of the kingdom of Portugal, where he was born on May 4, 1849. His parents, Joseph and Mary (Perry) Ross, were also Portuguese by birth, and they passed their lives in their native land. The father was a sawyer and worked at his trade in the lumber industry all his life, having no better instrument of labor than the old-time cross-cut saw, which in his time was in general use in his country for sawing timber, the modern machinery for the purpose not yet being in vogue there. Frank received a common-school education and at the age of fifteen left his home and emigrated to the United States with but little capital for the strenuous life before him in his new home except his stout heart, his clear head and his willing hands. Locating in Illinois, he went to work on a farm for small wages, and he remained there so occupied nineteen years. In 1883 he came to Colorado and settled at Leadville, but only remained there a short time, removing in the fall of the same year to Delta county. Here he took up the ranch on which he now lives, but did not locate on it until the next spring. Even then, for a number of years, he was obliged to work out from home for wages until he got the place habitable and productive, but now it is yielding him a comfortable revenue and making him a pleasant home. He owns eighty acres of good land, about fifty-five of which are in alfalfa and yield abundantly, and he also has a promising and increasing herd of cattle and some fine horses. He devotes his time and energies to the improvement and cultivation of his ranch and the expansion of his stock industry, and takes a good citizen's interest in affairs of the neighborhood in which the welfare and progress of the people are involved. He is generally recognized as a wise and useful citizen, and is held in good esteem by all his neighbors and the people generally. On January 15, 1888, he united in marriage with Miss Emily Vezina, who was born in Canada on July 14, 1869, and is the daughter of Nelson and Emily (Roapell) Vezina, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. They are the parents of four children, Joseph N., Frank A., Emma L. and Tillie E., the oldest, Joseph N., being fifteen years old at the time of his death, December 17, 1904. Mr. and Mrs. Ross are Catholics in church membership and in politics he supports the Republican party. His ranch is located on Ash mesa, five and one-half miles from the city of Delta. =================================================== Contributed for use by the USGenWeb Archive Project (http://www.usgenweb.org) and by the COGenWeb Archive Project USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.