WI BIO - Richland Co - ROSS, O.

History of Crawford & Richland Counties, Wisconsin. Springfield: Union, 1884, 
Part 2, p 1234

O. ROSS, the first physician to locate at Excelsior [Richwood Township, 
Richland County, Wisconsin], was born 17 March 1834 in Lawrence County, 
Pennsylvania. His father was a farmer and civil engineer. In 1837 the 
family moved to the State of Ohio, when at the age of fifteen the subject of 
this sketch commenced the study of medicine. During the winter of 1851-1852 
he attended school at Hiram [established in 1850 as Western Reserve Eclectic 
Institute, Hiram, Portage County, Ohio, now Hiram College], with James A. 
GARFIELD as schoolmate. [James GARFIELD attended Hiram College from 
1851-1853, and later taught there, becoming principal.] In 1856 he [O. ROSS] 
graduated at the Ohio State Medical School at Cincinnati [County], and in 
1857 commenced practice in Hancock County, Ohio, but on account of poor 
health afterwards located on a farm, and for two years dealt in livestock. 
In 1860 he resumed practice in Van Wert County [Ohio], from whence in 1864 he 
came to Excelsior [Richland County, Wisconsin], where he has since continued 
to reside, with the exception of one year, which he spent in the State of 
Missouri. Dr. ROSS has a large practice, in which he has treated a large 
number of cases of smallpox, and is able to say that he never lost a patient 
by that disease, so much dreaded.

In 1853 he [Dr. O. ROSS] married [Miss?] Amanda AGIN. By this union [of Dr. 
O. and Amanda ROSS] nine children were born, six of whom are now living: 
Ransford, Milissa [Melissa?], Charlie, Levi B. [died November 1930 in 
Richland County, Wisconsin?], Isaac M. [died September 1921 in Richland 
County, Wisconsin?], and Emery H. Politically Dr. Ross is a Democrat, and 
has frequently stumped his district for other persons, but has never sought 
office himself. He is an active temperance worker, being a member of the 
Independent Order of Good Templars.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly