George Carlos ROSS

 

George Carlos ROSS is one of the veteran and distinctly representative members of the bar of San Mateo County, where he has been established in the practice of law at Redwood City, the county seat, since the Centennial year, 1876.

 

Mr. ROSS was born at Vermont, Fulton County, Illinois, on the 16^th of March 1854, and is a son of Harvey Lee ROSS and Jane (KIRKPATRICK) ROSS, the former of whom was born in the State of New York and the latter in Missouri, where her parents were pioneers.  The subject of this review is one of the four survivors in a family of five children: Harriet is the wife of Thomas W. HALL; Frank W. ROSS, now deceased; Mary F. is the wife of William A. CHILDS; George C., of this sketch, was the next in order of birth; and Dr. Joseph L., a leading physician at Redwood City, is individually mentioned elsewhere in this publication.

 

The public schools of his native state afforded George C. ROSS his preliminary education, which was advanced by his attending Illinois College, at Jacksonville.  In preparation for his chosen profession he entered and was duly graduated from the law department of the celebrated University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, and thereafter he was engaged in the practice of law in Illinois until 1876, in July of which year he established his home at Redwood City, California, where he has continued his active professional services during the long intervening period and where for many years he has enjoyed a substantial, representative and lucrative practice.  As a vigorous and resourceful trial lawyer he has appeared in connection with many important litigations in the various courts of this section of the state, and he has high reputation also as a consulting lawyer of broad and accurate knowledge of law and precedent.  Mr. ROSS was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of San Mateo County and the San Mateo County Savings Bank, respectively, the first commercial bank and the first savings bank incorporated in the county, and is now a large stockholder in and the president of both banks.  Mr. ROSS is a republican, but has no ambition for political preferment.  His has been an helpful influence in connection with community affairs and he has served as school trustee of his home city. Two of his sons are now associated with him in practice, and the firm is one of the strongest at the bar of San Mateo County.  Mr. ROSS is affiliated with the Sons of the American Revolution, the Masonic fraternity, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

 

In the year 1879 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. ROSS and Miss Mary DONALD, who was born and reared in California, where her parents were pioneer settlers.  Mr. and Mrs. ROSS have three sons.  The eldest, Donald H., is a prominent dentist at San Jose.  The other two are representative younger members of the bar of their native county, where they are associated with their father in practice, as noted previously.  Donald H. married Miss Lina BRADLEY of Los Angeles, and they have three children: Dorothy, Virginia and Mary.  Hall C. married Miss Julia BEEGER, and their one child is a winsome little daughter, Betty, named after the maker of the first American flag.  Lee, the youngest son, still permits his name to remain on the roster of eligible young bachelors in San Mateo County.