Biography of George Guy Ross

GEORGE GUY ROSS – To point with pride to the fact that the blood of King Charles I of Scotland on his paternal side, and of the royal Stuarts on his maternal side courses in his veins is the privilege and right of George G. Ross, well known and successful sporting goods dealer of Greenfield. But with equal pride does he point to the fact that of his more immediate forebears his father and grandfather were honest farmer folk, who were not ashamed to acknowledge that the earth yielded of her fruit to their labors whereby they were enabled to rear their families in goodly comfort and a homely culture to the point where sons and daughters could go out to meet the world and make their way successfully. The heritage, both ancient Scottish and truly American, has without doubt had its influence in securing for Mr. Ross not a few of the assets which have given him a substantial foundation ac a leading business man of the town of Greenfield, where he caters to a discriminating public. He has lived in Greenfield since 1885, when he began to learn the printer’s trade. He followed that trade in Greenfield for five years, and in 1890 went to Chicago, Illinois, and took charge of the National Printing House of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. Strange as it may seem, he abandoned the printing trade for railroading, having returned to the East in 1892. He entered the employ of the Boston & Maine Railroad, first as a fireman on the Hoosas Tunnel division of the Fitchburg Railroad, a subsidiary of the Boston & Maine, and later being promoted to engineer. Giving up railroad life, he entered the employ of his father-in-law, George G. Yetter, in the latter’s dry goods store in Greenfield. He remained in that connection for seventeen years, and at the end of that period he started in business for himself the selling of high-grade sporting goods-and has called to his establishment a large number of consistent and satisfied customers, as well as receiving a goodly volume of business from the transient trade. Mr. Ross’s fraternal activities are confined to the Republican Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of Greenfield.

George Guy Ross was born January 16, 1868, in Underbill, Vermont, and was educated at the schools of that town. His father John Ross, native of Underhill, born in 1824, died in Greenfield, January 16, 1896, at the age of seventy-two years, was the son of Jacob Ross, descendent of King Charles I of Scotland was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and died in Underhill. He was a farmer. He married Anna Williams, of Stuart ancestry, and they had six sons: Thomas, Alexander, Jacob, William, John, and one other. Five of the sons served in the Union Army in the Civil War. John Ross, the father of George Guy, returning from the war engaged in farming and followed that vocation until 1885, when he left Vermont and came to Greenfield to make his home with his son, living in that town until his death in 1896. His wife was Lucinda Gile, of Underhill, born in 1830, daughter of Peter and Eleanore (Howe) Gile, the latter of Enfield, New Hampshire. She died August 9, 1906, at the age of seventy-six years. Their children:

1. Ira, deceased.
2. Nellie, deceased.
3. Ashton D., of Fitchburg, Massachusetts.
4. Jennie, deceased.
5. George Guy, of Greenfield.
6. Merton W., of Chicago, Illinois.

George Guy Ross married, June 2, 1897, Frances G. Yetter, daughter of George G. and Frances (Sissler) Yetter. They are the parents of three children:

1. John A.
2. Frances A.
3. Helen K.