The subject of this biography was the son of Elnathan Ross, who was born June 15th, 1772, and married Olive Storrs, whose birth occurred December 7th, 1774. The children of this marriage were eleven in number, as follows Roxana, born in 1796; Harriet, in 1797; Ebenezer Storrs, in 1798. Olive, in 1800; Schuyler, in 1801; Earl, in 1808; Lydia Storrs, in 1805; Almyra, in 1S06; William, November 24th, 1807: Caroline, in 1810; and Austin, in 1812. William, the fourth son in order of birth, was a native of Chaplin, where the chief part of his life was passed. He received no other advantages than those afforded by the schools of that early day in the town of his birth. When six years of age he went to live with his uncle, Abel Ross, in Chaplin, living with him till he was twentyone years old. He soon after went to live in Ashford with General Palmer, with whom he lived two years.
In the spring of 1832, he married Miranda, daughter of John Hamilton Grant, of Ashford, a revolutionary soldier. The next day after his marriage he returned to Chaplin, having purchased the Avery farm, where he resided until his death. This farm is now the property of his only son William. Mr. Ross was in his political principles a staunch whig and later a republican. He gave some attention to the affairs connected with his town and county, held the offices of selectman and assessor, and was in 1846 elected to the state legislature. He was an earnest and exemplary member of the Congregational church and a liberal supporter of the gospel. The death of Mr. Ross occurred on the 7th of August, 1885, and that of Mrs. Ross, May 22d, 1886.