Santa
Clara County
Biographies
FRANK
HARRIS ROSS
Following one of the two great
historic wheelworn trails across the plains, Frank
Harris Ross, in 1853, became numbered with the courageous pioneers of
California, and from that early day until the present time has been a potent
force in advancing the leading interests of the state. Possessing exceptional
energy, ability and sagacity, he has promoted its agricultural and financial
prosperity, and as the real founder of the town of Modesto and the originator
of Mount Hamilton State Company, has acquired distinction and fame. Little even
did our beloved poet, Whittier, dream of the grand outcome of the slow surge of
the emigrants toward the glowing west when he wrote,
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“I
hear the tread of pioneers, Of
nations yet to be; The
first low wash of waves, where soon Shall
roll a human sea. The
rudiments of empire here Are
plastic yet and warm; The
chaos of a mighty world Is
rounding into form.” |
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A native of New York, Frank Harris
Ross was born May 22, 1830, in Hamburg, Erie county. His father, Alva Ross, was
of Scotch ancestry, and a lifelong resident of New York state,
where he was employed throughout his active career as a farmer and carpenter.
His wife, whose maiden name was Ruth Huntley, was of English descent. Going to
Ohio when a boy of eight years, Frank Harris Ross was educated in the public
schools of Bellevue, and there began life for himself as clerk in a mercantile
house. In 1853, inspired by the wondrous stories concerning the rich discovery
of gold in California so boldly proclaimed throughout the land, he joined a
party of forty-five Ohioans who went to Weston, Mo., to outfit, and from there
came with ox teams across the plains, following the Truckee route, and after a
long journey of six months arrived in Stockton, Cal., in November, 1853. Going
directly to Jimtown, Mr. Ross tried mining for five
weeks, when he gave it up, discovering that he was not especially qualified for
that work. Returning to The San Joaquin valley, he bought six hundred and forty
acres of land lying ten miles south of Stockton, and there embarked in farming
and stock-raising.
When the establishment of a railroad
through Stanislaus county became an assured fact, Mr.
Ross purchased a hotel at Paradise, which was on the proposed route of the new
road, giving $8,000 for it. The road, however, was eventually laid out three
miles east of his hotel site. Mr. Ross, in order to secure a railway station on
his side of the town line, purchased eighty acres or more of land for the
company at a sacrifice of $800. The company appreciated his interest in the
project and gave him the first choice of lots. Selecting four lots in the heart
of what is now the city of Modesto, Mr. Ross laid the foundation for a large
town, by putting up the first building in the place. He subsequently let the
contract for moving his hotel from Paradise, three miles away, to a man, who
ditched the building the first thing, and after a trial of ten days gave up the
job. Nothing daunted, however, Mr. Ross undertook the work, and in eight days
had his hotel satisfactorily located in Modesto. Thus encouraged, he took up
contracting for the moving of buildings, and moved nearly all of the houses
from Paradise to Modesto, getting many of them set up before the rails for the
road were laid. He ran the hotel, which was known as the Ross House, for a
number of years, and then sold it to J. C. Trainer. It has since burned down.
In addition to caring for his hotel, Mr. Ross also carried on a substantial
livery business in Modesto, and was extensively engaged in farming, having
three ranches in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties and devoting six thousand
acres of these to grain raising. Also, in connection with his livery business,
he opened a stage line to Coulterville, and one year conducted a stage line to
the Yosemite valley. In 1882, Mr. Ross removed his
business to Santa Cruz, Cal., where he ran a livery for two years.
Locating in San Jose in 1884, when
the Vendome Hotel was opened to the public, Mr. Ross established the Vendome
Stables, and has here built up an extensive and remunerative livery business.
With characteristic enterprise and forethought he originated the Mount Hamilton
State business, which has proved profitable to himself, and a great benefit to
San Jose, its residents, guests, and to all tourists visiting this section of
the state. He incorporated the Mount Hamilton Stage Company, whose stock is all
owned by the Ross family, while he is president, and his son, Frederick C., is
secretary and treasurer. The road, which is twenty-eight miles in length, is
smooth, graded and oiled, and was built by Santa Clara county
as an expense of $100,000. It leads directly to the summit of Mount Hamilton,
on which is located the famed Lick observatory, the greatest astronomical
observatory in the world, and the Mecca of all California tourists, none of
whom are satisfied without a look through the world-famed telescope. Favorable
arrangements for making this interesting trip may be made with the Mount
Hamilton Stage Company at any of the large cities along the line of the
Southern Pacific Railway, of Thomas Cook & Sons, No. 621 Market street, San
Francisco, or at Peck’s Tourist Bureau, No. 11 Montgomery street. Mr. Ross, as
head of the firm of F. H. Ross & Sons, is also carrying on a fine general
livery business furnishing visitors or residents with good teams and suitable
conveyances for driving about the city and its suburbs. The attractions
hereabout being innumerable, and the drives among the most pleasant in the
state, he is liberally patronized. In addition to looking after his livery and
stage business, Mr. Ross retained the ownership of his Stanislaus county
ranches until1901, when he sold out, his attention being required by his San
Jose interests.
In Buffalo, N. Y., Mr. Ross married
Mrs. Cornelia Frazine, a widow, who had one child by
her first marriage, namely: William Frazine, now
engaged in farming in Stanislaus county. Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Ross
eight children have been born, as follows: Clara L., of San Jose; Frederick C.,
secretary and treasurer of the Mount Hamilton Stage company; John W., engaged
in the abstract and real estate business in Modesto; Judson, a farmer in
Stanislaus county; Bert, with the Bacon & Hill Opera Company; Pearlie, of
San Jose; and Cornelia, wife of Frederick Grey, of San Francisco. Politically
Mr. Ross is a stanch Republican, and interested in the public welfare. He is a
member of the San Jose Chamber of Commerce. Mrs. Ross is a member of the
Presbyterian Church.
Transcribed By: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 320-321. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2014 Cecelia M. Setty.