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J. WILLIAM ROSS (17 -1824?)
J. William Ross might be considered the "Founder" of his branch of the Ross family that emigrated from Scotland in the latter part of the eighteenth century to settle in Quebec after the conquest. The date and place of his birth are unknown, but it has been said that "he came from the Highlands of Scotland and spoke Gaelic." At first he resided in the Town of Kingston in the Province of Upper Canada and owned "twelve hundred acres of land in the Township of Pickering" in that Province.
Later he resided in the City of Quebec where he was Deputy Assistant Commissary General to the forces of his Majesty King George III (1760-1820) stationed at Quebec. "He appeared at a ball in Quebec in Highland costume, and fell in love with the lady to whom (another man) was engaged." She was Sarah Blow, "a very handsome woman", said to be the daughter of Admiral Blow but we have no knowledge of when or where she was born.
Either William Ross or Sarah Blow was related to Neil Primrose, third Earl of Rosebery, Dalmeny Castle, Linlithgowshire, Scotland, whose second son, the Honourable Francis Ward Primrose, Q. C. (1785-1860), their "nephew", resided in the City of Quebec and died there. He and his two sons and his daughter are all buried in Mount Hermon cemetery, Sillery, Quebec.
William Ross and Sarah Blow were married on the 25th March 1794 at St. Andrew's Church, Ste. Anne Street, Quebec City, "The oldest Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Canada." They had six children, three sons, William, Samuel Blow, and Drummond, and three daughters, Eliza, Eleanore and Clarisse Catherine. We have no further knowledge of the three daughters; the dates of their birth, whether they ever married, or when they died. Of the three sons, however, we have considerable information.
Their son William, born the 14th April, 1795, was Deputy Clerk Assistant of the Legislative Assembly of Canada. He married Harriott Thompson (b. 11th January, 1804) of Quebec, and by her had seven children. He died the 22nd July, 1858 at Toronto, Ontario. Samuel Blow Ross in 1820 was an ensign in His Majesty's Seventy Sixth Regiment of Foot at Quebec. There is no record of his birth or death.
Drummond Ross, their third son, born at Quebec, was baptized at St. Andrew's Church. He married Maria Jame Beamish, daughter of William and Marguretta Beamish, in 1835 and they had ten children. their names and other items about him and his family are contained in the separate biography of Drummond Ross.
The last will and testament of J. William Ross was signed by him in the presence of witnesses on the 6th of October, 1820, and it was probated on the 23rd of January, 1824, after his death, the exact date of which is not known. He was survived by his widow and all his children. A true copy of this legal document and the probate thereof follows:
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The 23 January 1824
LAST
WILL & TESTAMENT
of the late
WILLIAM ROSS
&
Probate thereof
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Miss Clarissa Ross
59.47.96 7.6
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In the name of God, amen, J. William Ross, Esquire,
of the City of Quebec in the Province of Lower Canada, Deputy
Assistant Commissary General to the forces, being sick and weak in body,
but of sound mind, memory and understanding (praised be God for it) and
considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time
thereof; and to the end I may be the better prepared to leave this
world, whenever it shall please god to call me hence, do therefore make
and declare this my last will and testament in manner following (that
is to say) first and principally I commend my soul into the hands of
Almighty God, my creator hoping for free pardon and remission of all
my sins, and to enjoy everlasting happiness in his heavenly kingdom,
through the sole merit of Jesus Christ my Saviour; My body I commit to
the earth at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter named And as
to My Real and personal Estate i give and bequeath the same unto my
loving wife Sarah Blow Ross, particularly my house Lot of land situated
in the Town of Kingston in the Province of Upper Canada and twelve
hundred acres of land in the township of Pickering in the Province last
aforesaid, or elsewhere, and all and every the Estate real, personal
that I may be possessed of at the time of my demise, for and during her
life, provided that she does not remarry provided always never the less
that in case of her death or remarrying their and in that case the said
real personal estate which I shall die possessed of I give and bequeath
unto my daughters, Eliza, Eleanore, Clarissa Catherine their heirs and
assigns; and in case any of my daughters shall die during the natural
life of my said wife or afterwards, then i give the share and part of
the said Real personal estate of such of them as shall so first die as
aforesaid unto the survivor or survivors of them and to their heirs &
assigns
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assigns the said real estate being particularly exemplified in two
certain deeds, at present in the possession of Samuel Blow Ross ensign
in his Majesty's Seventy Sixth Regiment of Footes and for the due
execution of these presents I do hereby name and appoint the said
Samuel Blow Ross as the executor of this my last will and testament
jointly with Sarah Blow Ross my wife and my son William Ross.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal at
Quebec this sixth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and twenty.
Signed, sealed published and )
declared by the above named )
Testator in the presence of us ) signed Wil. Ross
who have at his request, sub- )
scribed our names as witnesses, )
hereunto -
signed Henry Blakston
Robert Raby Burrage priest
J. Edouard Muckle
The above named William Ross the Testator doth make this
present codicil; that in case of the death of all my daughters without
lawful issue then it is my intent that the above described real estate
should revert to and be vested in such of my sons as shall be living
at the demise of the survivor of my said daughters to be equally
divided share and share alike.
Quebec 6th Oct. 1820
Signed in the presence of us
signed H. Blackstone
R. R. Burrage Priest
Edward Muckle
BE it remembered that on the twenty third day of January in
the
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the year of our lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty four before
ME the Honourable Oliver Perrault one of the Justices of his Majesty's
Court of the King's Bench for the District of Quebec personally came and
appeared Henry Blakstone, Coroner for district of Quebec residing in
the City of Quebec, Robert Raby Burrage of the said City of Quebec
priest the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing last will and
testament and codicil thereto of William Ross Esquire late of the City
of Quebec, Deputy Assistant Commissary General to the forces, deceased
who being duly sworn did severally and respectively depose and say that
they were present and did see the said William Ross sign, seal publish
and declare the said foregoing will and Testament as and for his last
will and Testament and also sign seal publish and declare the said
codicil as and for his codicil thereto, in the presence of Edward Muckle
the said deponents who did all severally and respectively subscribe
their names to the said Will and Testament and Codicil thereto as
witnesses of such the execution thereof in the presence of the said
Testator and of each other.
The said Henry Blakstone ) (signed)
Robert Raby Burrage severally ) H. Blakstone
sworn before me at Quebec the ) Robert Raby Burrage
day and year first above written )
(signed) Ol. Perrault
L.B.R.
Province of Canada)
District of Quebec)
We, Edward Burroughs & Louis Fiset, Esquires, joint
Prothonotory of Her Majesty's Superior Court for Lower Canada do hereby
certify to all to whom it doth, shall or may concern, that this page
and the preceding page contain a true copy of the last Will and
Testament of the late William Ross in his life time of Quebec, Deputy
Assistant
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Assistant Commissary General to the forces and of the Probate of the
said Will:- and we do hereby further certify the said Will and Probate
have been duly proved and enregistered in the said Superior Court, now
remains of record according to law.
In Faith and Testimony Whereof we have set and
subscribed our Joint - Signature of Office, and affixed the Seal of
the said Superior Court, at Quebec, this twenty third day of October
one thousand eight hundred and fifty.
(sgd.) Burroughs & Fiset
P.S.C.
(SEAL)
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Mr. Wiggs included photocopies of the hand-written memorials of H. Blackstone, R. R. Burrage Priest and Edward Muckle. I have not included them here, as they are very difficult to read, and do not appear to add much to the above. --CousinSam
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