[p. 751] one of Ellwood City's leading business men and representative citizens, was born in Washington Township, Greene County, Pennsylvania, March 28, 1866, and is a son of Abner and Margaret P. (Mitchell) Ross.
The late Abner Ross was a man of distinction in Greene County. He was born in 1838, in Greene County, Pennsylvania, and died May 2, 1907. In his early life he was a school teacher, later was in a manufacturing business and also engaged in farming. He was active in politics and when thirty years of age was elected sheriff of Greene County and later represented the senatorial district composed of Greene and Fayette Counties, in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. He was a man of generous impulses which caused him financial losses at one time in his life, but every dollar of indebtedness was subsequently paid. He was a man of honorable intentions and both in public and private life was a citizen, neighbor and friend who commanded respect. His burial was at Waynesburg, where he was a valued member of the Baptist Church. His father, Benjamin F. Ross, was an associate judge in Greene County, where he was one of the early settlers. He was a well known member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to the Blue Lodge at Waynesburg and to the Chapter at Washington, Pennsylvania. Abner Ross married Margaret P. Mitchell, who was born in Greene County, Pennsylvania, March 30, 1840. She survives and lives in the home of her son, Benjamin Ross, an honored member of the family circle. Her father, Isaac Mitchell, who lived in Greene County until his death, at the age of eighty years, had settled there at an early day. His widow survived about three years, dying in 1901, aged eighty-two years. Four children were born to Abner Ross and wife, namely: Benjamin Franklin; Albert Lee, who died aged thirty years; Isaac W., who died aged thirty-one years; and Fannie E., who died aged fourteen years.
Benjamin F. Ross is the only survivor of his parents' family of children. When he left school he learned the printing trade and worked at this for seven years at Pittsburg and then entered the Carnegie mills, where he remained employed until the great Homestead strike. For several years he was his father's manager at Duquesne, in Allegheny County, where the latter had interests and then engaged there in a wholesale business for three years, after which he conducted a hotel at Homestead for several years. In 1902, Mr. Ross came to Ellwood City, living for two years across the line in Beaver County, but for the past four years he has been identified in every way with the interests of this place. He is a stockholder in the Portland Cement Company, owns property here and also at Duquesne and Homestead, and is vice president of the National Supply and Construction Company, a corporation which has a capital stock of $50,000. He has engaged in business as a wholesaler ever since he came to Ellwood City, where he is recognized as one of the able and successful business men. Mr. Ross has been largely the builder of his own fortunes, circumstances interfering in his early business life with his receiving financial aid from his father, and his success certainly proves a large amount of native ability and persistent and persevering effort on his part.
Mr. Ross was united in marriage in 1889, to Miss Margaret J. Smith, who is a daughter of Jacob B. and Mary (Strong) Smith, farming people in Greene County. To this marriage four children have been born, the two survivors being: Fannie E., who is a bright student in the Junior class at the Ellwood City High School, and Edna P., who is also in school. A son, Jesse I., died aged three and one-half years and a daughter died in infancy.
Mr. Ross belongs to a number of fraternal organizations. He is a member of Eclipse Lodge, No. 892, Odd Fellows, of Duquesne; of Vesta Lodge, No. 352, Knights of Pythias, at Duquesne; to Aerie No. 1246, order of Eagles, at Ellwood City; and to Lodge No. 348, Elks, at Beaver Falls. In politics, he is a Democrat, but he takes only the interest which all good citizens display in the management of public affairs.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
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