William H. H. Ross

Infobox Officeholder
honorific-prefix =
name = William H.H. Ross
honorific-suffix =


imagesize =
small

office = Governor of Delaware
term_start = January 21 1851
term_end = January 16 1855
predecessor = William Tharp
successor = Peter F. Causey
birth_date = birth date|1814|6|2|mf=y
birth_place = Laurel, Delaware
death_date = death date and age|1887|6|30|1814|6|2
death_place = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
spouse = Emeline Hall
party = Democratic
residence = Seaford, Delaware
alma_mater =
occupation = farmer
profession =
religion = Methodist

William Henry Harrison Ross (June 2 1814 – June 30 1887) was an American farmer and politician from Seaford, in Sussex County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party who served as Governor of Delaware.

Early life and family

Ross was born June 2 1814 in Laurel, Delaware, son of Caleb and Letitia Lofland Ross. He grew up in Laurel, attending the Laurel Academy, and later went to Claremount Academy in Pennsylvania. The Ross family had many business interests and William added to them by beginning to grow peaches on their property. Like his father, he one day would become a director of the Farmer's Bank.

He married Emeline Hall in 1840 and they had ten children, Letitia Lofland, Caleb, George Hall, James Jefferson, William Madison, Edward C., Sarah A., Mary G., Laura F., and John Wood. They lived at the "Ross Mansion," just north of Seaford and were members of the Methodist Church.

Political career

Ross was a regular delegate to the Democratic National Convention, attending in 1844, 1848, 1856, and 1860. In his only attempt at public office, Ross ran for Governor in 1850, against Thomas Lockwood of Frederica. Lockwood, the Temperance Party candidate, was the main contender, there being no effective Whigs candidate. Ross ran with U.S. Representative George R. Riddle and a slogan of "Ross, Riddle and Reform." [ cite book |title= A History of Delaware Through its Governors |last= Martin |first= Roger A. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= McClafferty Press |location= Wilmington, Delaware |pages= |year= 1984 |id=, p. 207.] They were both successful and Ross served as Governor of Delaware from January 21 1851 until January 14 1855. At age 36, he was the youngest person ever elected Governor of Delaware.

In 1852, the long contemplated building of the north-south Delaware Railroad finally got underway. In the works since the company was chartered in 1836, funds were finally raised and a route laid out. Constitutional reform was also seriously considered at this time. By 1850, New Castle County had nearly half the population of the state, but only one third of the representation in the Delaware General Assembly. This and other populist measures led the Democrats to call for a Constitutional Convention to address them. Using methods that were probably unconstitutional, the Democrats managed to get the Convention convened in December 1852, but, alas, the majority of the delegates were Whigs. After several months of negotiation, compromises were reached that satisfied no one and the whole effort was resoundingly rejected at the polls. The Constitution of 1831 would remain in effect.

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly
"(sessions while Governor)"
-!Year!Assembly!!Senate Majority!Speaker!!House Majority!Speaker
-
1851-1852
66th|
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |John M. Phillips|
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |Samuel Jefferson
-
1853-1854
67th|
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |John M. Phillips|
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |John R. McFee
-
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

lavery and the Civil War

Ross was a slaveholder and obviously sympathetic with the various arguments intended to preserve it. "'Slavery might be dying in Delaware,' he said, but he was convinced a majority of the citizens in the state supported the rights of the slaves states." [ cite book |title= Democracy in Delaware |last= Hoffecker |first= Carol E. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Cedar Tree Books |location= Wilmington, Delaware |pages= |year= 2004 |id= , p. 95.] As if to agree with his point, the General Assembly again refused proposals to allow African-Americans to testify in courts of law, or to travel freely.

Ross knew what his reputation was, and with the outbreak of the Civil War in early 1861, and especially after one of his sons joined the Confederate States Army, Ross left for England for a few months. He tried returning a year later, but by 1863 had left for the duration of the war. While he was in exile he wrote, "Not that I am guilty of any act against the government of the U.S., but I am considered to entertain opinions which are pronounced by some people as disloyal. For that reason I remain out of the country, hoping that the American people may some day return to their reason, [when] I may return in safety to spend the remainder of my days in a country ruined by the madness and fanaticism of its own people." [ cite book |title= Delaware During the Civil War |last= Hancock |first= Harold B. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Historical Society of Delaware |location= Wilmington, Delaware |pages= |year= 1961 |id=, p. 153.] Ross returned, and lost many of his investments, but by his act of avoidance, probably prevented further personal ruin.

Ross was but the most wealthy and most visible of many persons in Delaware equally sympathetic with the cause of the Confederacy. Most of his peers and neighbors felt the same way, and the strength of their pro-slavery feelings was matched only by awareness that the very existence of Delaware required its membership in a strong Union. Refusing to give up either opinion, the important decisions were simply made elsewhere.

Death and Legacy

Ross died June 30 1887 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is buried at St. Luke's Cemetery, Seaford.

Almanac

Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1st. The Governor takes office the third Tuesday of January and has a four year term.

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" | Public Offices
-! Office! Type! Location! Elected! Took Office! Left Office! notes
-Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian
Governor
Executive
Dover
1850
January 21 1851
January 16 1855|
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
-bgcolor=#cccccc!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Election results
-!Year!Office!!Subject!Party!Votes!%!!Opponent!Party!Votes!%
-
1850
Governor|
Party shading/Democratic |William H.H. Ross
Party shading/Democratic |Democratic
Party shading/Democratic |6,001
Party shading/Democratic |48%|
Party shading/Independent |Peter F. Causey
Party shading/Independent |Independent
Party shading/Independent |5,978
Party shading/Independent |48%
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

Notes

References

*cite book |title = History of the State of Delaware |last= Conrad |first= Henry C. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Wickersham Company |location= Lancaster, Pennsylvania |pages= |year= 1908 |id=
*cite book |title= Delaware During the Civil War |last= Hancock |first= Harold B. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Historical Society of Delaware |location= Wilmington, Delaware |pages= |year= 1961 |id=
*cite book |title= Democracy in Delaware |last= Hoffecker |first= Carol E. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Cedar Tree Books |location= Wilmington, Delaware |pages= |year= 2004 |id= ISBN 1-892142-23-6
*cite book |title= A History of Delaware Through its Governors |last= Martin |first= Roger A. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= McClafferty Press |location= Wilmington, Delaware |pages= |year= 1984 |id=
*cite book |title= History of Delaware 1609-1888. 2 vols |last= Scharf |first= John Thomas |coauthors= |work= |publisher= L. J. Richards & Co |location= Philadelphia |pages= |year= 1888 |id= ISBN 0-87413-493-5
*cite book |title= Forgotten Heroes of Delaware |last= Wilson |first= Emerson. |coauthors= |work= |publisher= Deltos Publishing Company |location= Cambridge, Massachusetts |pages= |year= 1969 |id=

=

* [http://www.state.de.us/research/Tour/information/Governors/govs-16.shtml Hall of Governors Portrait Gallery] "Portrait courtesy of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover."

External links

* [http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=b65b224971c81010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e449a0ca9e3f1010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD William H.H. Ross at the "Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States"]
* [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/ross.html#RKD0HEZRE William H.H. Ross at the "Political Graveyard"]
*Find A Grave|id=7498948
* [http://www.russpickett.com/history/delgov3.htm#ross William H.H. Ross at "Delaware’s Governors"]

Places with more information

* [http://www.seafordhistoricalsociety.com/ Governor Ross Mansion and Plantation]
* [http://www.hsd.org/ Historical Society of Delaware] , 505 Market St., Wilmington, Delaware [phone]
* [http://www.lib.udel.edu/ University of Delaware Library] , 181 South College Ave., Newark, Delaware [phone]