RICHARD L. ROSS, druggist and county treasurer of Colbert county, was born near Triana, Madison county, October 26, 1825. He is a son of Alexander and Elizabeth (Cooper) Ross, the former of whom was a native of Spottsylvania [sic] county, Va., born there about 1783, and the latter was also a native of Virginia, born in 1810. After their marriage they removed to Frankfort, Ky., where he carried on brick making and contracting till 1825, and then located near Triana, Madison county, ala., where he engaged in farming; in 1834 he removed to Decatur; in 1847 to Tuscumbia, and finally, in 1848, he removed to Lawrence county, where he died in 1849. The Ross family came originally from Italy in the person of Vincent Ross, father of Alexander Ross, who came to this country when eighteen years of age, locating in Virginia, and raising a large family. Richard L Ross was well educated, receiving five years’ schooling at Tuscumbia. He entered a grocery store as salesman when eighteen years of age. In 1846 he engaged in the drug business and has ever since then been engaged in this business with the exception of two years during the war, when he was clerk for the chief surgeon of Gen. Roddy’s men, on-half of this time from May, 1864, to the close. In 1883 he was appointed by the governor of the state, treasurer of Colbert county to fill the unexpired term of Mr. Patterson, who had resigned. In 1884 he was elected by the people to that office for a term of four years. In 1888 he was defeated in his candidacy for re-election, but in 1892 he was again a candidate and was elected by a handsome majority of 430 votes. He has always been a democrat in politics. He was married in October, 1871, to Martha e., daughter of L. b. Cooper, deceased, one of Tuscumbia’s most brilliant lawyers, and to this marriage has been born one child, a daughter. Mr. Ross is a prominent member of the Knights of Pythias, Knights of Honor and Knights and Ladies of Honor.

[SOURCE: Memorial Record of Alabama. A concise account of the state’s political, military professional and Industrial progress, together with the personal memoirs of many of its people. In Two Volumes. Illustrated. Brant & Fuller, Madison Wis., 1893. Volume I. pp. 698 – 99.]

RICHARD L. ROSS, Druggist, Tuscumbia, was born October 26, 1825, near Triana, Madison County, Ala.  He received a good English education, having attended school five years at Tuscumbia.  Leaving school at the age of eighteen years he entered a grocery store as salesman, where he remained until November, 1846, when he engaged in the drug business.  With the exception of two years during the war he has continuously followed this latter business, and has been quite successful in building up a large trade. 

He entered the Confederate service in May, 1864, and was detailed to the medical department as clerk for the chief surgeon of General Roddy’s command, where he served until the war closed.  In 1883 he was appointed county treasurer of Colbert County, and was elected to that office in 1884 by a large majority.

Mr. Ross had lost all of his hard earnings by the results of the war, but by indomitable will and energy, and by close application to business, he has succeeded in recuperating his fortune.  By his well-stocked shelves and pleasant home one would scarcely believe that he had ever met with any loss or reverse during his life.  He is much respected by those who know him, and is regarded as one of Tuscumbia’s best business men. 

He was married in October, 1871, to Martha E. Cooper, daughter of L. B. Cooper, of this city, and one bright, interesting and highly accomplished daughter, Frances H., lives to cheer this happy union. 

Mr. Ross is a leading member of the I. O. F. F., Knights of Honor, Knights of Pythias, and knights and Ladies of Honor.  His wife is an active and devoted member of the Presbyterian Church. 

Our subject’s father, Alexander Ross, was born in Spotsylvania County, Va., about 1783, and learned the trade of brickmaker.

He married Elizabeth Cooper, of Virginia, and in 1810 migrated to Frankfort, Ky., where he followed brick-making and contracting until 1825; then located near Triana, Madison County, Ala., where he engaged in farming, and also at his trade to some extent.  In 1834 he located at Decatur; moved to Tuscumbia in 1847; and finally located in Lawrence County, where he died in 1849.  He reared an interesting family of eleven children:  Ann, Elizabeth, Francis H., Mildred Ann, William J., Frederick A. (now postmaster at Tuscumbia), Mary B., Henry V., Richard L., Martha E. and Amanda M.  The Ross family came originally from Italy, in the person of the grandfather of our subject, Vincent Ross, who came to America when but eighteen years of age and located in Virginia, where he married and reared a large family.  From this family descended many of the leading citizens of Northern Alabama.

[SOURCE: Northern Alabama Historical and Biographical. Illustrated. Smith and De Land, Birmingham, Ala. 1888., p. 435] Typed for inclusion here by Linda Ledlow.

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