WI BIO - Kenosha Co - ANDRUSS, Rosson
The City of Kenosha and Kenosha County, WI. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 
1916, Vol II, pp 682-683

Long since called by death, but yet remembered by those who knew him and 
entertained for him warm regard, Rosson ANDRUSS was born in Saratoga 
[County], NY, 25 Dec 1805, his parents being Benajah and Abigail (NASH) 
ANDRUSS, both of whom spent their entire lives in NY State. After attending 
the common schools of NY, Rosson ANDRUSS engaged in teaching school for 
several terms, and in 1839 arrived in Zion City [Lake County], IL, but the 
following year crossed the border into Bristol Township, Kenosha County. 
[Kenosha County, WI, was created in 1850, and in 1839 was still part of 
Racine County, WI.] Rosson ANDRUSS first purchased five 80-acre tracts of 
land and a 40-acre tract from the Government, paying the usual price of $1.25 
per acre. That the land might be secured in that manner is indicative of the 
slightly developed condition of the country at that time. Only three years 
before had Chicago, IL, been incorporated, and Racine and Kenosha were but 
tiny hamlets. There were still traces of Indian occupancy in this section of 
the country, and upon many a broad acre now highly cultivated not a furrow 
had been turned nor an improvement made at that time. Mr. ANDRUSS at once 
began to clear, till and develop his farm, and continued to reside thereon 
until his death.

In 1834 Rosson ANDRUSS wedded Miss Parmelia TOWNSEND, a daughter of John and 
Hannah (FOX) TOWNSEND, who were natives of PA. They [Rosson and Parmelia 
(TOWNSEND) ANDRUSS] became [p 683] the parents of six children: (1) Esther 
Ann, the eldest, now deceased, taught school in this county for nine terms; 
(2) George Emery, also deceased, served as Justice of the Peace for many 
terms; (3) Charles Rosson, who was in the regular army for three years, 
married Emma WASHBURN, of Bristol [Kenosha County, WI], and they became the 
parents of a daughter, Eda, who married F. E. McCOLLUM, of Chicago [Cook 
County, IL], by whom she has four children. Mrs. Emma (WASHBURN) ANDRUSS 
passed away in 1883, and Charles Rosson ANDRUSS afterward married Mrs. Emma 
(KING) BAKER, their home now being in Sterling [Rice County], KS. (4) 
Marvin J. taught in the county for some time; he wedded Mary NOLAN, who died 
in 1873, after which he married Alice O'CONNELL, of Salem [Kenosha County, 
WI], who died, leaving a son, Rosson J., also now deceased. For his third 
wife, he [Marvin J. ANDRUSS] chose Mary DRUMMOND, of Cherry Valley [Winnebago 
County], IL, and they have one child, Joy May. They are all now living in 
Alberta, Canada. (5) Mary B., the next of the family, died in infancy. (6) 
Adelia E. attended the common schools in Bristol [Kenosha County, WI], also 
an academy at Waukegan [Lake County, IL], and has since lived in Bristol. 
She still owns and occupies a portion of the original farm purchased by her 
father from the Government. She is very prominent in lodge circles, holding 
membership in the Easter Star, with the Mystic Workers, the Royal Neighbors, 
the Tribe of Ben Hur, and the Equitable Fraternal Union.

Rosson ANDRUSS died in 1873, at age 67 years, while his widow [Mrs. Parmelia 
(TOWNSEND) ANDRUSS] survived him until 1904 and had reached the remarkable 
age of 97 years at the time of her death. They were laid to rest in the 
South Bristol cemetery [Bristol Township, Kenosha County, WI], as were the 
son [George Emery ANDRUSS] and two daughters [Esther Ann and Mary B.] of the 
family who have departed this life. In politics Rosson ANDRUSS was a 
Republican, and although he never sought political office he was officially 
connected with the schools. Both he and his wife belonged to the Christian 
church, and they were interested in all that pertained to the moral progress 
of the community, displaying in their lives many sterling traits of character 
which gained for them the confidence and high regard of those who knew them.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly