My Genealogy Hound

W. C. Ross is an Ohioan by birth and possesses in an eminent degree the intelligence, pluck and perseverance characteristic of the natives of the Buckeye State. He was born in 1824, and his early education was received in Miami County, but in 1838 he came with his parents, David and Eliza (Carter) Ross, native Pennsylvanians, to Arkansas, and settled with them in Johnson County on the Little Piney. From here he volunteered for service, in the Mexican War, but before being mustered into service received injuries which incapacitated him for duty. In 1847 he began farming for himself, and as he had obtained an excellent start in life, he was married in 1854 to Miss Jane Lovelady, a native of Alabama, and a daughter of Joseph and Mary Lovelady, both native Mississippians. The same year of his marriage he went to California, where he was engaged in mining for four years, then returned to Arkansas, and purchased eighty acres of land from the Government, which he improved with buildings, and by clearing twenty-five acres. He then sold this property and purchased eighty acres on Big Piney in Pope County, but after he had erected thereon a good house and barn, and had cleared ten acres, he disposed of this also. He next made a purchase of 80 acres, and homesteaded 160 acres, upon which he cleared about 70 acres, fenced the entire tract, and erected new buildings of all kinds. His principal crops are corn, cotton, wheat and oats, and will average twenty bushels of the former, one half bale of the second, and average crops of wheat and oats. He also raises fruits in abundance. Not only is his farm a valuable one for agricultural purposes, but it is under laid with coal, three different wells on the place showing veins from six to ten inches thick. Considerable of his attention is given to veterinary surgery, the study of this science being pursued under Prof. Flannigan, a graduate of that science. His practice extends over four counties: Johnson, Pope, Logan and Van Buren, also a part of Conway, and in his practice he has been very successful. He served first in the Confederate Army during the Rebellion in Col. Lemoine’s regiment, being in the battles of Fort Pillow and the Gunboats. His regiment was afterward disorganized, and he returned home, where he was captured by Hunter and pressed into the Federal service, in which he remained until the close of the war. He was wounded at Memphis and Farmersville. Of a family of six children born to his parents, he is the only one that survives, four of the eight children born to himself and wife are living: J. U., J. B., Ellen (wife of Charles Vollever), and California (wife of John Boly).