Allegany County
MDGenWeb
Contributed by Lawson L. "Buddy" Duckworth
Veteran of Civil War "War Department" States
That:
John Ross Private of Company "D", 2" Regiment "Upper Potomac Home
Bridgate" Volunteers was enrolled on the 23rd day of July 1861, at Piedmont
Virginia 3 years and borne on the rolls of Company from Muster in to October 31,
1861 presence or absence not stated. Nov and Dec 1861 absent, and detached duty,
Jan and Feb 1862 presence of absence not stated. Same to June 30, 1862 July and
Aug 1862 present. Same to June 30, 1864 July and August 1864 Absent, in
Convalescents Camp Cumberland Maryland. Muster Out Roll of Company September 29,
1864.
National Archives # 670.014.
Claim for Pension October 27,
1888 filed by "Thomas J. McElhenny, attorney Washington, D. C.
Action at
"Hunters Raid in 1864" Crippled by rheumatism in the feet, and walked from
Lynchburg to Charleston John Kirby claims to have given all the assistance he
could to him on the return to Cumberland Maryland and we were separated and He
heard he was sent to the Hospital. John Kirby also stated that said John Ross
complained of rheumatism before the attack at "Little Ca Capon" and I believe
his present crippled condition is the result of his March on "Hunters Raid".
John C. Black, Commissioner states that: John Ross, Co. D, 2nd Reg., P. H.
B. Md. Inf. December 12, 1888
While serving in Co. D. 2nd Reg't P.H.B.
Md. Inf. was discharged at Cumberland Maryland Sept 29, 1864, and was disabled
by rheumatism contacted at "Little Ca Capon" W. Va. 1862 and the same feet at
"Hunters Raid - Lynchburg, Virginia in June 1864, was treated in Claysville
[Clarysville] Maryland Hospital.
By Steve Hunt - Dec 5, 2000
Categories - HISTORICAL
I went to the National Archives and got the
record on John Salem Ross. It goes as follows: John and his brother Joseph
enlisted in the town of Piedmont. They signed on with the 2nd Regiment, Company
D, under a William Shaw [See note below]. The second Cumberland's job was to
guard and protect the B&O railroad that ran along the Potomac River on the North
Branch. A one John Kirby stated that he was with John Ross January or February
of 1863 in the area of Little Cacapon, in West Virginia. He also stated that
John took ill with rheumatism and was unable to get around for about two months.
He went further to say, "We were together on Hunter's raid in 1864 and that
during that march, he was badly crippled in his feet. He said, He kept with him
from Lynchburg to Charleston and gave him all the assistance he could. He said,
"on their return to Cumberland Md., they were separated and that he heard he was
sent to a Hospital. The hospital was in Clarysville.
At the age of 66,
John applied for a pension. The record showed that John was five-eleven inches
tall. Fair complexion, grey hair and blue eyes. He weighed 176 pounds. He
received 12 dollars a month for time served.
He was the first buried in
the Loar/Duckworth Cemetery on Dan's Mountain above Loartown.
[Note: From
"Guarding The River, The Canal, And The Railroad – Papers of Captain Benjamin
Burbridge Shaw, Commanding Officer Company D, 2nd Regiment, Potomac Home
Brigade, Maryland Volunteers" compiled by Jack Sanders….. John Ross was 44 and
living in Barton with his wife and 2 children at the time he enrolled
(7/23/1861). Joseph T Ross was 39 and living in Westernport with his wife at the
time he enrolled (8/28/1861).]
William Lacy Ross was my Great-Grandfather and he died the
year that I graduated from High School. He would come to the farm and stay
during the summer for a vacation. I loved sitting on the porch in the evenings
and talking to him about "the olden days". We were some of the first families to
have a television in Lonaconing and we always had a house full of company.
Great-Grandpap used to seat in the living room and if the television was turned
off he would ask me to "Make that thing talk for me". My uncle Charles Dayton
had the Television, but lived at a low attitude where there was not signal, so
Dad got it and we lived on top of Dans Mountain where we could get a lot of
channels.
He as a child could remember hearing the roar of Cannons of the
Civil War, the day Lincoln died till the first Satellite was in orbit. I asked
him if we would ever make it to the Moon. He quick answer was "Yep". There was
no doubt in him about, the abilities of man.
He would talk about seeing
both armies of the Civil War. There was a time when he said an Enemy entered his
home and slept in his bed with his Sabre across his chest. "He never took off
his muddy boots" Great Grandpap said. He still acted a little upset about that.
He talked about the "Roar of Canons going off", he lived on the East side of
Dans Mountain and could see the road from Cumberland to Keyser from the Height
that he lived.
I remember, I asked him about the first Airplane that he
saw. He got all excited and said that he heard a terrible racket coming. Then he
saw a heavy machine flying through the air, he saw a man moving his arms and
legs in this machine and he thought that that was the Lord returning for his
people. He said he never prayed so hard in all his life, but it just kept on
Going. I still remember how his motioned in there air, from that porch swing,
with the palm of his hand and making a signal on a slow wave. I can't help, but
feel that those eyes saw the greatest change in History.
There were
plenty of "5 Generations" pictures taken with this man and he always loved to
have his picture taken. I have one of his 100th Birthday, with his cake.
His way of life was farming and cutting timber. After the heavy work of the
farming was to much, he and his wife walked off the Mountain to Cumberland to
the "Poor Farm". His Son Simeon saw a article in the Cumberland Times that they
were in the Nursing Home, celebrating their "65th Wedding Anniversary" at the
nursing home. Grandpap went and make them come stay with him in his home. Great
Grandpap said "They didn't want to both anyone" because the depression was just
over and things were rough for everyone.
He loved the throat lozenges,
the pink and white, and he always had some in his sweater. He would offer us
kids one if we were "good boys and girls". I can still hear him when he would
set in the living room and whistle "Amazing Grace".
He was Sharpe minded
to his death at almost 102 years of age. He was a large man at over 6 foot, with
a large mustache and his wife was short at 5 foot 4 inches. I don't recall Great
Grandma, she passed away, before I was 2 years of age. I will repeat things I
was told about her in her "notes" section.
Before anyone went to bed
around him (he always went to bed when it got dark) he would have us gather
around the kitchen and pull out the chairs and we had to kneel down and he would
lead us in prayer. Which to me was always a very long prayer. Then he would get
some coffee bread and sugar and go to bed. Coffee Bread was just that broken up
bread in a bowl and pour coffee over it and add sugar to it.
"Great
Grandpap I Love You",
All the computers in the World could not hold all the information on
the type of man this man (My Grandfather) was. God fearing, total devotion to
his wife and family. He always said that if you can't speak kindly about
someone, then you should keep your mouth shut.
There no doubt about it
God put this "Man and Wife" on earth for a special purpose and they fulfilled
everything they were requested to do. There was never a cross word between them.
Grandpap met his wife Bessie Van Meter at the Post Office, down what is now
Route 220 south of Cumberland, at a place called Dawson. She lived across the
Potomac at a placed called Riverside, West Virginia. That is East of Dans
Mountain. He was dragging Logs from Dans Mountain with a Team of Horses, she was
checking for their mail at the Danville Post Office. He was raised by his father
on the South East Side of Dans Mountain.
My father was dating my mother
and Grandpap was on his way to the Mines, Grandma was ready to have a baby and
so was Grandpap's favorite Hound Dog, As they passed walking, my father asked
"Sim did she have it yet", Grandpap said yea, she had 7. He was talking about
his Hound. We always got a laugh talking about this.
My Grandpap was
"Quick Witted" and a "Clown" the most enjoyable person in the world to work
with. I spent many days on the Farm with him helping us after he retired from
Ocean Mines. He worked in a number of Coal Mines when he got older. He said that
he started working in the Mines when he was old enough that his lunch bucket
didn't drag the ground, then he was old enough.
On our Farm he always was
there a 7 A.M. and I had to have the Team ready for him, he would work all day
behind that Team of Horses. He could plow a straighter furrow with a Team then
any modern farmer can with the best of Tractors. That was his way of life also.
He lived a straight "Christian Life" and had a modest home life, honesty above
all, and never had said "Bad of Anyone".
I learned to Hunt with this man
and he killed an 8 point buck when he was in his Eighty's, he said when in the
woods with my father, and there wasn't enough stumps for everyone. Then here
came the buck within 5 minutes and he got it, the Cumberland Times wrote an
article and put his picture in their paper.
CUMBERLAND TIMES/NEWS ARTICLE
ABOUT THE ROSS FAMILY (1940)
MR. AND MRS. LACY W. ROSS OBSERVE SIXTY -FIFTH
WEDDING ANNIVERSARY---
DECLARE HAPPY MARRIED LIFE WILL RESULT FROM RAISING A
FAMILY
In these day of divorce and separation it is unusual for find a couple who
has been married for the long span of sixty-five years.
Yesterday
afternoon an aged couple at the county home celebrated their sixty-fifth
anniversary, happy in the fact that they are still together, and they personify
the term "devotion" in the high degree.
Married 1875, On Sunday
afternoon, December 12, 1875. Mr. and Mrs. Lacy W. Ross, took their vows and to
this day they have kept them. Both were born in Allegany County and have lived
here since. Mr. Ross followed the occupation of Farmer and Woodsman until he
became too old for heavy farm work.
They are the Parents of ten children,
of whom seven are still living. They have fifty grandchildren, forty-five great
grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.
Both remember the roar of
cannons during the Civil War and the sight of both Union and Confederate
soldiers was a common occurrence near Jackson Mountain (part of Dan's Mountain)
where they lived as children.
ARE AGAINST DIVORCE
While chatting
yesterday with William M. Matheney, superintendent of the County Home, Mr. Ross
told him he didn't believe in divorce and thought more marriages would be happy
ones if a family were raised and the couple stayed together during trying times
as well as times of prosperity.
After lunch yesterday Mr. Ross walked
with his wife to the stairs leading to the women's rooms and after talking to
her for several minutes, he kissed her goodbye until they met at the super hour.
Mr and Mrs. Matheney said it was one of the most touching scenes they had ever
witnessed at the home.
Mr. and Mrs. Ross declared they were treated with
the utmost care and kindness and comforts of the home and appreciated them.
To a visitor to the home it is a living example of a happy marriage.
NOTE:
(When their son saw this in the paper - he left immediately and
made them come and live the rest of their lives with him in his home) There are
many on George's Creek that remember his sitting on the porch and waving to all
the traffic going by their home in Ocean Mines. (That son was my Grandfather
Alfred Simeon Ross) William Lacy lived to be 102 years short 6 months.
Respectfully submitted: Lawson L. "Buddy" Duckworth
Allegany County MDGenWeb Copyright
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This page was last updated
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