Marion County, West Virginia Biography of Howard Joseph ROSS This file was submitted by Joan Wyatt, E-mail address: The submitter does not have a connection to the subject of this sketch. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II, Page 249 Howard Joseph Ross was born, reared and achieved his first business success in Ohio, but for nearly twenty years has been a factor in the commercial life of Fairmont and also a progressive leader in some of the larger movements for that community's welfare and advancement. Mr. Ross was born on a farm near Cadiz, Harrison County, Ohio, February 8,1878. On the same farm on February 20,1850, was born his father, Rev. S.F. Ross, who was the son of Joseph and Catherine Ross, natives of Pennsylvania and early settlers of Harrison County. Amanda Welch, who became the wife of Rev. S.F. Ross, was born on a neighboring farm in Harrison County, December 10,1853, daughter of Joseph and Margaret Welch. Rev. S.F. Ross was reared on a farm, attended public schools, then Scio College, Scio, Ohio, an institution now incorporated in Mount Union College, and after several years experience as a teacher and while still a young man he entered the ministry. For many years he has been one of the able workers in the Ohio Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is now serving as pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Wadsworth, Summit County. Howard J. Ross spent his early life on the Ross farm, was educated in the public schools, and for a time was a student in Scio College. During 1898-1900, he attended Muskingum College in Ohio. While he was there Joseph Leiter, of Chicago, engineering the great wheat "corner" and young Ross, seeing the opportunity to make some money, bought wheat and carried the deal through to a considerable profit. This gave him his initial capital for his business career. His earnings from wheat he invested during the development of the oil fields around Scio, Ohio, and here, again, his investment and judgment were profitable. About that time he engaged in the furniture business at Byesville, Ohio, in partnership with Edward Kennedy, subsequently bought out his partner, and soon afterward sold the business. During 1901 he was a student in the law department of Ohio State University. After his university career Mr. Ross became a traveling salesman for a furniture company, with headquarters at Zanesville, Ohio. In December, 1904, he came to Fairmont, during a vacation, to manage the Fairmont Furniture Company. Ultimately he bought half interest in that business, the firm becoming Nuzum & Ross, and in 1911, upon the retirement of Mr. Nuzum, Mr. Ross incorporated the Ross Furniture Company, of which he is now president and owner. This is one of the very special business enterprises of Fairmont. Mr. Ross became interested in the Moon Oil & Gas Company in 1907, and since 1915 has been active manager of this corporation. He was holding the office of president of the Fairmont Chamber of Commerce when the campaign was inaugurated for building the magnificent new bridge across the Monongahela River, connecting East and West Fairmont. He was twice president of the Chamber of Commerce, and was also one of the organizers and president of the Fairmont Business Men's Association and is a member of the West Virginia State Business Men's Association. Mr. Ross is a member and treasurer of the First Methodist Episcopal Church at Fairmont, belongs to the Rotary Club, and is affiliated with Fairmont Lodge No. 9, A.F. and A.M. On October 21,1908, he married Miss Lenore Brahm, a native of Terra Alta, West Virginia, where she was born January 26,1882. Her parents were Lynn F. and Elizabeth Brahm, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of West Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Ross have two children: Joseph Finley, born October 11,1911, and Elizabeth Elliot, born February 1,1914.