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William Sterling Ross was born in Wilkes-Barre, Aug. 11, 1802, the son of William Ross and Elizabeth Sterling. He was married Ruth Tripp Slocum, daughter of Joseph Slocum and Sarah Fell, on Dec. 1, 1825, in the Slocum house on Public Square. Ruth's grandfather was Jesse Fell.
Ross was born in the same room in which he died, in the southeast part of the Ross family mansion. This house was purchased from Timothy Pickering (a member of Washington's cabinet) by William Ross, Sr., on the 9th of January. 1796.
William Sterling Ross passed through the preparatory schools and entered and was graduated at the College of New Jersey. He had little inclination, however, toward a professional career and devoted his attention, chiefly, throughout his life, to farming. He was enthusiastic and practical in his agricultural ventures and no man produced better crops or enjoyed successes in his chosen line more than he.
He naturally had an inclination for military affairs. For over thirty years he was the acknowledged head of the volunteer system in Luzerne Co. and was ever regarded as an authority. He passed through all the official grades from that of captain of volunteers to that of brigadier general. At drill he customarily wore the sword presented by the State to his father.
General Ross possessed a sound and discriminating mind and filled the numerous offices of trust to which he was elected with much credit to himself and the approbation of his constituents. He was for many years a member of the Borough Council and generally its presiding officer; he represented the Luzerne district in the senate of the State during the sessions of 1845-46-47 and the last year of his term was speaker of that body. He was also elected to the General Assembly for the session of 1862. He was commissioned associate judge of the county courts in 1830 and filled that position until 1839.
He was many years director and general manager of the Easton and Wilkes-Barre Turnpike Company, down to 1840, the only great thoroughfare leading easterly to the seaboard from the Susquehanna.
He was long a director in the Wyoming Bank and at the time of his death was its president.
At the time of his death he was president of the Wyoming Insurance Company and a director in the following corporations: The Wilkes-Barre Water Company, the Wilkes-Barre Bridge Company, the Wyoming Historical and Geological Society, and the Home for Friendless Children.
General Ross was particularly interested in the Home for Friendless Children and at different times donated a total of $10,000 toward its support. He was also a member of St. Stephen's church and one of the organizers of the Historical Society of his town to both of which he contributed liberally.
At the outbreak of the Rebellion he did all in his power to assist in the defense of the Union, giving of his means with his accustomed liberality and encouraging the enlistment of volunteers. General William Sterling Ross died July 11, 1868, leaving a large estate to his widow and relatives.
Mrs. Ross was a public-spirited woman of fine character and graciousness. She successfully brought to a conclusion the efforts of the Wyoming Monument Association and was elected a director of the Wyoming National Bank, in which she was a stockholder, being, it is said, the first woman in the United States ever elected to a similar position. She died June 23, 1882.
(Partially from The Sterling Genealogy)
