Thomas Ross Tombstone

The tombstone reads, “In memory of Thomas Ross of Lancaster, a native of Kincardine, Rosshire, Scotland, who died/departed this life the 22 July 1794, aged 78 years, and Isabella Ross his wife who departed this life the 24 Sept. 1817, aged 74 years. This stone is erected by their affectionate sons Donald, Alex., John and George Ross.”

Thomas Ross was a United Empire Loyalist who served with the British Army at Quebec in 1759. Ross immigrated to America on the Pearl with his wife Isabella and his son Donald in 1773. He became a tenant of Sir William Johnson on the Kingsborough Patent in what is now New York.

During the American Revolution, Thomas Ross fought with the King’s Royal Rifles of New York. When the fighting was over, Thomas was discharged in December of 1783 and moved north to Upper Canada with other Loyalists. As a Loyalist he was granted Lot 28 in the 1st Lancaster Township, which is a mile east of what is currently Lancaster.

This tombstone made its way to the Nor’Westers and Loyalist Museum in 1988, after the descendants of Thomas Ross replaced his tombstone and his son’s, John Ross. Both tombstones have been in storage for several years, and this June it was decided both would go on display. Thomas’s tombstone is now in the northeast corner of the museum property, while John’s is inside on display in our “Wonders from our Attic” exhibit. John’s tombstone will join Thomas’s at the end of August.
​
​Dictionary of Glengarry Biography Royce MacGillivray, 2010
1988.017.001

originally posted to norwestersandloyalistmuseum.ca on June 25th 2013

---