George Ross (delegate)
Encyclopedia
George Ross was a signer of the United States
Declaration of Independence
as a representative of Pennsylvania
.
He was born in New Castle, Delaware
, and educated at home. He studied law at his brother John's law office, the common practice in those days, and was admitted to the bar in Philadelphia. Initially a Tory
, he served as Crown Prosecutor for 12 years and was elected to the provincial legislature in 1768. There his sympathies began to change and he became a strong supporter of the colonial assemblies in their disputes with Parliament
.
He was a member of the Committee of Safety
and was elected to the Continental Congress
. He was a colonel in the Pennsylvania militia (1775–1776), and vice-president of the first constitutional convention for Pennsylvania. He resigned from the Continental Congress in 1777 because of poor health, and was appointed to the Pennsylvania Court of Admiralty
, in which office he died at age 49.
George's sister Gertrude married Thomas Till, the son of William Till
, a prominent Sussex County
judge and politician; after his death, she married George Read
, another signer of the Declaration. George Ross was born May 10, 1730 at New Castle Delaware. He was the oldest son in his family. His dad was an Anglican clergyman who had immigrated from Scotland. The Ross children received a sound classical education at home. He studied law at his half-brother John's Law Practice in Philadelphia.
He was the last gentleman who belonged to the Pennsylvania delegation, to affix his signature to the Declaration of Independence, George Ross. He had been loyal to the King but he soon became disgusted with Tory politics and supported the cause of the Patriots.
In 1750, he was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar (member of Pennsylvania) when he was twenty years old and he established his own practice in Lancaster. In 1751, he was then married to Ann Lawler at Lancaster, Pa. He fathered two sons and a daughter. From 1768 to 1776, he was, for twelve years Crown Prosecutor (which is attorney general) for Carlisle (Cumberland County), until 1778 when he was elected to the provincial legislature of his state.
He was elected to Continental Congress in 1774, 1776, 1777. He was a Colonel in the Continental Army in 1776. In 1776, he under took negotiations with the northwestern Indians on behalf of his Colony and that year he acted as vice president of the State constitutional convention, so then that led to helping draft a declaration of rights. He was re-elected to the Continental Congress again in January 1777 but resigned that same year because he had poor health then. He was vice president of the Pennsylvania constitutional convention and He was the Judge of the Admiralty Court of Pennsylvania and that was in 1779. In 1778, while he was acting as admiralty judge, a congressional court of appeals overruled his decision in a case involving dispute between a citizen of Connecticut and the state of Pennsylvania. He refused to acknowledge the authority of the higher court to counter State decisions, which initiated a dispute between manifestation of the States rights controversy and did not subside until 1809.
In 1779 he died in office at the age of 49, and is buried at Christ Church Cemetary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Declaration of Independence
United States Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies then at war with Great Britain regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. John Adams put forth a...
as a representative of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
He was born in New Castle, Delaware
New Castle, Delaware
New Castle is a city in New Castle County, Delaware, six miles south of Wilmington, situated on the Delaware River. In 1900, 3,380 people lived here; in 1910, 3,351...
, and educated at home. He studied law at his brother John's law office, the common practice in those days, and was admitted to the bar in Philadelphia. Initially a Tory
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
, he served as Crown Prosecutor for 12 years and was elected to the provincial legislature in 1768. There his sympathies began to change and he became a strong supporter of the colonial assemblies in their disputes with Parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
.
He was a member of the Committee of Safety
Committee of Safety (American Revolution)
Many Committees of Safety were established throughout Colonial America at the start of the American Revolution. These committees started to appear in the 1760s as means to discuss the concerns of the time, and often consisted of every male adult in the community...
and was elected to the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
. He was a colonel in the Pennsylvania militia (1775–1776), and vice-president of the first constitutional convention for Pennsylvania. He resigned from the Continental Congress in 1777 because of poor health, and was appointed to the Pennsylvania Court of Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
, in which office he died at age 49.
George's sister Gertrude married Thomas Till, the son of William Till
William Till
William Till was a colonial-era American politician, jurist, and merchant.He settled in Sussex County, Delaware around 1720 and served in the provincial assembly and as a Justice of the Peace. Till served as mayor of Philadelphia , as chief justice of the Delaware Supreme Court , and later served...
, a prominent Sussex County
Sussex County, Delaware
Sussex County is a county located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of 2010 the population was 197,145, an increase of 25.9% over the previous decade. The county seat is Georgetown. The Seaford Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Sussex County.Sussex County is...
judge and politician; after his death, she married George Read
George Read (signer)
George Read was an American lawyer and politician from New Castle in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, a Continental Congressman from Delaware, a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787, President of Delaware, and a member of the...
, another signer of the Declaration. George Ross was born May 10, 1730 at New Castle Delaware. He was the oldest son in his family. His dad was an Anglican clergyman who had immigrated from Scotland. The Ross children received a sound classical education at home. He studied law at his half-brother John's Law Practice in Philadelphia.
He was the last gentleman who belonged to the Pennsylvania delegation, to affix his signature to the Declaration of Independence, George Ross. He had been loyal to the King but he soon became disgusted with Tory politics and supported the cause of the Patriots.
In 1750, he was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar (member of Pennsylvania) when he was twenty years old and he established his own practice in Lancaster. In 1751, he was then married to Ann Lawler at Lancaster, Pa. He fathered two sons and a daughter. From 1768 to 1776, he was, for twelve years Crown Prosecutor (which is attorney general) for Carlisle (Cumberland County), until 1778 when he was elected to the provincial legislature of his state.
He was elected to Continental Congress in 1774, 1776, 1777. He was a Colonel in the Continental Army in 1776. In 1776, he under took negotiations with the northwestern Indians on behalf of his Colony and that year he acted as vice president of the State constitutional convention, so then that led to helping draft a declaration of rights. He was re-elected to the Continental Congress again in January 1777 but resigned that same year because he had poor health then. He was vice president of the Pennsylvania constitutional convention and He was the Judge of the Admiralty Court of Pennsylvania and that was in 1779. In 1778, while he was acting as admiralty judge, a congressional court of appeals overruled his decision in a case involving dispute between a citizen of Connecticut and the state of Pennsylvania. He refused to acknowledge the authority of the higher court to counter State decisions, which initiated a dispute between manifestation of the States rights controversy and did not subside until 1809.
In 1779 he died in office at the age of 49, and is buried at Christ Church Cemetary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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