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Angus Ross (1767-1862)

War of 1812 veteran of Grainger/Anderson County, Tennessee and Knox/Whitley County, Kentucky
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For other people named Angus Ross, see Angus Ross (disambiguation).

Angus Ross
BornOctober 29, 1767
Died1862 (aged 95)
Burial placeDuncan Cemetery, Strunk, McCreary County, Kentucky
Residence • Grainger County, Tennessee
• Anderson County, Tennessee
• Knox County, Kentucky
• Whitley County, Kentucky
Spouse(s)Elizabeth Hawes (1772-1840)
Children
FamilyRosses of Whitney County, Kentucky
Public trees (may need correction)
WikiTreeRoss-8065
FamilySearchLZD1-DDL

Angus Ross (29 October 1767 – 1862) is documented in Grainger and Anderson County, Tennessee, and later Knox (now Whitley) County, Kentucky, where he served as a sergeant in the War of 1812. He and his wife, Elizabeth Haws, are recorded in the family Bible as the parents of fourteen children.

DNA evidence

Y-DNA

Two documented direct male-line descendants of Angus Ross — one through his son Robert Ross, the other through his son John Ross — have taken Y-DNA tests. The two results match each other, both falling within haplogroup R-M269, with one tester's result further resolved to the downstream R-L165 subclade. These two kits fall into Y-DNA R Haplogroup - Family 05, a group that also matches participants in the Clan MacLeod DNA project, raising the possibility of a shared paternal-line connection with men bearing the MacLeod surname at some point in the deeper past. Neither of the two Ross testers has taken the more comprehensive Big Y test, so no fine-resolution terminal SNP has been established for this line, and the match to the Clan MacLeod project is currently based on broader marker-level testing rather than confirmed by Big Y results; it could reflect a specific historical connection, or equally ordinary deep shared ancestry predating both surnames. Further Big Y testing would be needed to clarify.

Biography

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Early life

Transcription of Angus Ross family Bible, 1845.

Angus Ross was born 29 October 1767, according to a transcription of the Ross family Bible copied by his son Asa Ross in 1845 and certified 5 September 1846.[1] No place of birth is given in the family Bible transcription itself, and no independent primary record establishing a birthplace has been located for this article.

The family Bible states that, “Asa Ross was American born.” It goes on to say, “The father of Asa Ross was Angus Ross, whose father was John Ross, whose father was Angus Ross who were Scotchmen.”[1] Beyond these bare names and the description "Scotchmen," the Bible record supplies no further detail — no dates, no place names, no spouse's name, and no mention of emigration — about either Angus's father, John Ross, or his grandfather, the elder Angus Ross. It does seem to be implying, though, that before Asa was born in America, his ancestors, including Angus, were in Scotland.

Tennessee and Kentucky, 1792–1818

On 2 August 1791, Angus married Elizabeth Haws (13 March 1772 – 1840); the marriage date and Elizabeth's birth date are likewise recorded in the family Bible.[1] The couple's first child, John Ross, was born 20 April 1792, the first of fourteen children recorded in the Bible between 1792 and 1816 (see Marriage and children below).[1] The family's early children were born in the part of the "Territory South of the Ohio River" that became Grainger County, Tennessee, in 1796 and, later, Anderson County, Tennessee, formed from Grainger in part in the following decade.

By 1810, Angus and his family were in Knox County, Kentucky. The 1810 U.S. census for Knox County lists Angus Ross's household as five boys and a girl under 10, two boys and a girl aged 10–16, and one boy aged 16–26, with Angus and his wife both recorded in the 26–45 age range.[2] The portion of Knox County in which the family lived became Whitley County upon its formation in 1818.

War of 1812

Angus Ross served as a sergeant in the 7th Regiment (Taui's), Mounted, Kentucky Volunteers, during the War of 1812, mustering in and mustering out at the rank of sergeant.[3]

Later life

Angus Ross is reported to have served as a Justice of the Peace in Whitley County, Kentucky, appointing appraisers for a local estate on 2 May 1824, and to have received land grants in Whitley County in 1851 for his War of 1812 service.[4] No primary record (a court minute book, land grant record, or similar) for either claim has been independently located for this article, and both should be treated as unverified leads pending further research.

Ancestors

Ancestors & Descendants

No primary source located for this article establishes Angus Ross's own parents. A family Bible transcription names his father as "John Ross" and his grandfather as "Angus Ross," with no further identifying detail; see Disputed origins below.

Marriage and children

Angus Ross married Elizabeth Haws (13 March 1772 – 1840) on 2 August 1791.[1] The family Bible transcription, copied in 1845, records fourteen children:[1]

  • John Ross (20 April 1792 – 29 December 1855), m. Elizabeth Chitwood, 18 September 1815.
  • Samuel Ross (28 December 1793 – 24 September 1852), m. Margaret "Peggy" Gray, 6 January 1814.
  • Hiram Ross (16 November 1795 – ), m. Nancy Whitecotton, about 1824.
  • Sabrah Ross (2 November 1797 – 27 December 1862), m. Joseph Smith, 3 June 1819.
  • Robert Ross (18 May 1799 – 30 December 1864), m. Sarah "Sally" Gray, 12 March 1822.
  • Hannibal Ross (14 January 1801 – ), m. Mary M. Hatfield, 4 September 1856.
  • Guy Ross (4 January 1802 – 21 November 1882), m. Rhoda Meadows, 17 November 1822.
  • Matilda Ross (14 August 1804 – 13 August 1872), m. Isaac D. Smith, 11 January 1823.
  • Mannoah Ross (7 May 1806 – ).
  • Asa Ross (13 October 1809 – 29 November 1863), m. Nancy Blakely, 15 December 1831; died in San Francisco, California, and was buried in Sonoma.[5]
  • David H. Ross (7 June 1811 – ), m. Elizabeth Ann Morrison.
  • Malinda Ross (9 December 1812 – 1900), m. Moses Stephens III, 1833.
  • Silvey "Sylvia" Ross (4 May 1814 – ), m. David Smith, about 1837.
  • Helen Annette Ross (19 October 1816 – 27 April 1889), m. Felix Foley, 29 July 1841.

Occupation

Military

Angus Ross served as a sergeant in the 7th Regiment (Taui's), Mounted, Kentucky Volunteers during the War of 1812, mustering in and out at that rank.[3]

Death & burial

Angus Ross died in 1862 in Whitley County (the portion later organized as McCreary County in 1912), Kentucky.[4] He is buried in the Duncan Cemetery, Strunk, McCreary County, Kentucky, under a field-stone marker reading "A. Ross DE (died) 1862."[4]

Timeline

Disputed origins

Angus Ross family Bible.

The family Bible names Angus Ross's father as "John Ross" and his grandfather as "Angus Ross," describing the two of them as "Scotchmen." The Bible gives no further detail about this John Ross: no birth or death date, no place name in Scotland or elsewhere, no spouse's name, and no mention of emigration to America.

It appears that, at some point, the assumption was made that the John Ross mentioned here as the father of Angus was the same man as John Ross who emigrated from Farr Parish to Wilmington, North Carolina, aboard the Bachelor of Leith in 1774.

We can see this stated in Angus's Find a Grave memorial, his WikiTree page, and his FamilySearch page. When Granddaddy was a Patriot was published, covering research done by descendants of several Beaufort County, North Carolina, Ross families, the father listed for John of Farr Parish was Angus, appearing to have come from this bible record.[6] The children listed for him, however, did not include a son Angus, which contradicts this bible record.

The details of this John Ross were recorded when he boarded the ship at the Port of Lerwick in Shetland.

John Boss (Ross) left the Port of Lerwick, Shetland, aboard the Ship Bachelor of Leith, aged 47, a Widower hath six Children, from 20 to 5 years Old, who emigrate with him, by Trade a Farmer, last at Kabel in the Parish of Farr and County of Sutherland, upon the Estate of Sutherland. Goes to Carolina, because the rent of his Possession was greatly Advanced the price, of Cattle which must pay that Rent reduced more than one half, and bread which they must always buy excessively dear. The evil is the greater that the Estate being parcelled out to different Factors and Tacksmen, these must oppress the subtenants, in order to raise a profit to themselves, particularly on the Article of Cattle, which they never fail to take at their own prices, lately at 20/ or 20 Merks, and seldom or never higher than 30/ tho' the same Cattle have been sold in the Country from 50 to 55 sh. By these means reduced in his circumstances, and encouraged by his Friends already in America, he hopes to live more comfortably in that Country.[7]

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Looking for records in Scotland during this time, we find that Farr Parish did not record births until 1790 and marriages until 1801, many years after John and his family left for America.[8]

Trees will sometimes claim that John married Isobell McKenzie in Dornoch Parish or Katherine McKenzie in Girvan Parish. Either way, the date is often given as 18 November 1757. If we look at marriages recorded in the Old Parish Registers in 1757 we find:

  • John Ross married Katharine McKinzie in Glasgow Parish, Lanarkshire, on 30 October 1757[9]
  • John Ross in Achenlay matrimonially contracted in Dornoch Parish, Sutherland, to Isobell Mckenzie in Ardallie on 18 November 1757[10]

Marriages were not recorded in Girvan Parish, Ayrshire, until 1783.[11]

At the time of his immigration in 1774, John was living in the Parish of Farr and County of Sutherland. Farr was a very large parish in the Highlands. It is on the opposite end of Scotland from both Glasgow Parish and Girvan Parish. We do actually find a marriage on 18 November 1757, between John Ross and Isobell Mckenzie. It took place in Dornoch Parish, Sutherland. This is much closer to Farr Parish, but we have no evidence that this John Ross was the same man as the John Ross who immigrated in 1774.

If we look at baptism records in Dornoch Parish during this time period, we find 4 sons born to a John Ross.

  • 27 November 1750 - Baptised in Dornoch Parish, Sutherland, Robert lawful son to John Ross in Skibo[12]
  • 19 May 1755 - Baptised in Dornoch Parish, Sutherland, Alexander lawful son to John Ross in Achormachy[13]
  • 28 March 1757 - Baptised in Dornoch Parish, Sutherland, William son to John Ross in Pronsie[14]
  • 18 November 1759 - Baptised in Dornoch Parish, Sutherland, John son to John Ross in Achormachy[15]

There were also five marriages recorded for men named John Ross during this 20 year period.

  • 24 November 1750 to Isobell Ross[16]
  • 1 June 1751 to Anna Sutherland[17]
  • 8 June 1753 to Helen Munro[18]
  • 19 June 1754 to Christian Mckay[19]
  • 18 November 1757 to Isobell Mckenzie[10]

No records are found during the 1760s, but there were clearly several different John Rosses living in different parts of Dornoch Parish during the 1750s. There is zero evidence that any of these men was the same man as John Ross the Immigrant.

The birthplace for Angus is sometimes listed as Dornoch, Farr Parish, Sutherland. This place does not exist. Dornoch and Farr are separate parishes in Sutherland.[20]

Secondly, it is thought by many Ross researchers that, among the sons who immigrated with John in 1774, were:

Also considered a potential son, but too old to have been one of the children on the ship in 1774, is:

This question is far from settled. There is no solid evidence to connect any of these sons. It is also not clear that it was six sons that accompanied John. The entry says “six children”. If Angus truly was a son who accompanied John of Farr Parish on this voyage in 1774, and any of these other proposed sons are also truly sons, then we should find evidence, DNA or otherwise, of a relationship.

The bible record gives exact dates of birth for both Angus and his wife, Elizabeth Haws. Neither of these births are found recorded in the Old Parish Registers of Scotland. This would suggest that Angus, his father John, and his father's father Angus, were living a parish that was not yet recording births before coming to America.

The lack of evidence in the Old Parish Registers of the birth of any of these proposed sons of John the Immigrant also suggests that John was living and married in Farr Parish, or another parish not keeping records during this time, not Dornoch Parish.

It is possible that the parish that Angus's father John was living in and the parish that John who boarded the Bachelor of Leith was living in were the same parish, but, since there were no events recorded in the parish register, we have no evidence to determine whether they were or were not the same man.

DNA testing will eventually provide an answer. Descendants of Angus are a match to MacLeod test results. Unfortunately, the Ross Surname Project only has results from only one of these other proposed sons, Benjamin. He is currently not a match to anyone else in the Ross Project.

Currently, this project is treating Angus Ross's father as an unidentified John Ross and does not treat Angus as a documented son of John Ross the Immigrant, and asserts no birthplace in Scotland for Angus Ross.

Sources

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 1.33 1.34 1.35 1.36 1.37 Wood 1845, p. 31.
  2. ↑ "United States Census, 1810," Knox County, Kentucky, roll 7, p. 71, image 00080; FHL microfilm 0181352.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Angus Ross," War of 1812 service record, 7th Regiment (Taui's), Mounted, Kentucky Volunteers; rank at induction and at discharge given as Sergeant; Roll Box 179, Microfilm Publication M602; Fold3.com, image 309412740.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 King 2012.
  5. ↑ "Old Citizen Gone," Daily Alta California (San Francisco), 1 December 1863, p. 1; "Gone," Napa County Reporter, 5 December 1863, p. 2; California Digital Newspaper Collection.
  6. ↑ Brewer 2022, p. 10.
  7. ↑ Newsome 1934, p. 136.
  8. ↑ Great Britain 1872, p. 6.
  9. ↑ Dornoch Parish Registrar General 1783, p. 196.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Dornoch Parish Registrar General 1783, p. 309.
  11. ↑ Great Britain 1872, p. 86.
  12. ↑ Dornoch Parish Registrar General 1783, p. 70.
  13. ↑ Dornoch Parish Registrar General 1783, p. 75.
  14. ↑ Dornoch Parish Registrar General 1783, p. 80.
  15. ↑ Dornoch Parish Registrar General 1783, p. 83.
  16. ↑ Dornoch Parish Registrar General 1783, p. 300.
  17. ↑ Dornoch Parish Registrar General 1783, p. 301.
  18. ↑ Dornoch Parish Registrar General 1783, p. 304.
  19. ↑ Dornoch Parish Registrar General 1783, p. 305.
  20. ↑ "Old County of Sutherland". The Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 5 Sep 2026.

Bibliography

Acknowledgments

Disclaimer

It is admittedly impossible that we have been able to evaluate every piece of evidence available for every person included on this site. What you often find on the internet, though, are trees with no sources attached at all. Many of these trees were created pre-internet & have been passed down, uploaded & copied to multiple sites without details of the original sources they were based on. Now, with the advent of DNA testing, we're finding that they don't always match up with what the DNA is telling us. In order to reevaluate these trees in conjunction with the DNA evidence, we need to have available the sources that they might've originally been based on. This site, then, is intended as a repository for these sources and an opportunity to share what the DNA is telling us so that we can work collectively to correct these trees. Over time, more of the old records will be able to be combed through, and the sources cited here will grow.

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