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biography from Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
Nimrod Ross, deceased, who was an honored resident of Mahaska County for more than thirty years, was the son of Meshach and Eleanor (Jones) Ross, and was born in Harrison County, W. Va., Jan. 9, 1800. He departed this life in Scott Township, this county, May 17, 1876. The father of Mr. Ross was of Scotch-Irish and his mother of Welsh descent. At the age of nineteen years he was apprenticed to the blacksmith trade, and in 1824 procured a shop and tools in Bridgeport, W. Va., where for ten years he worked at his trade, boarding in the meantime with the family of Dr. David Davisson. On Sept. 20, 1834, he was married to Miss Ann Eliza, the daughter of Dr. David and Maria (DeVecmon) Davisson. She was born Jan. 5, 1811. Her father was of English and Welsh, and her mother of French and Swiss descent. In 1834 Mr. and Mrs. Ross emigrated to Tazewell County, Ill.; in 1837, to Darke County, Ohio; in June, 1839, to Henry County , Iowa; in April, 1840, to Washington County, and in April, 1845, to Scott Township, this county, where our subject resided until his death, as above noticed. His brother, John Ross, a practical surveyor, owning a complete set of instruments, who was afterward a member of the first bar of Oskaloosa, and emigrated to California in 1850, came to Mahaska County, May 1, 1843, and staked off a claim on section 9, Scott Township, which he persuaded Nimrod to settle upon as a home for his family. They were happily engaged in building up this home for themselves and their children in this then new land, when Mrs. Ross was called from earth, Jan. 7, 1848, in the thirty-seventh year of her age, dying as she had lived, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Six children were born to them, namely: David Davisson, Meshach, Eleanor M., John O. D., A. C. and Ann Eliza. Meshach died in Henry County in 1839; the others are living. In the fall of 1865 Mr. Ross moved to Oskaloosa, that his children might enjoy the educational privileges its excellent schools afforded, returning to the farm in April, 1870. In August following, a stroke of paralysis disabled the left side of his body, which was followed by a second and fatal attack May 10, 1876. He was a member of Olivet Presbyterian Church. On his decease his remains were laid to rest beside those of his wife, in Smith Cemetery. Mr. Ross was a man of decided views, never hesitating to express himself upon all questions where good morals and good government were concerned. He was a friend of education, and took a lively interest in the upbuilding of our common schools. In polities he was a Republican.
Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogy