Los Angeles County, CA, Biographies

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JUDGE ERSKINE MAYO ROSS 
 
was born at Belpre, Culpepper County, Virginia, June 30, 1845, he being the 
fourth of five children�four boys and one girl. Two of his brothers and the one 
sister are still living in Virginia. One brother was killed in battle near 
Richmond. Judge Ross's ancestors on his father's side were English, and on his 
mother's side Scotch. His father's name was William Buckner Ross, and his 
mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Mayo Thom. Judge Ross's early days were spent 
with his parents at their home, which was called Belpr� (Beautiful Meadow). The 
first school he attended was one established by a few neighbors for the benefit 
of their children. Subsequently, when about ten years old, he went to a military 
school at Culpepper Court�house, where he continued most of the time until the 
summer of 1860, when he entered the Virginia Military Institute, an institute 
modeled after West Point. At the outbreak of the war the corps of cadets of that 
institution was ordered to Camp Lee, at Richmond,. which they reached the night 
of the day Virginia seceded. The corps was the first to arrive there, and the 
cadets, of which Ross was one, were put to drilling the raw recruits as they 
came in. Like most of the others, Ross was too young to be mustered into the 
army, but he acted as a Lieutenant in various commands, and was in several 
battles on the Confederate side. In 1863 his father insisted that he should 
return to the institute, which he did. In 1864 the Confederates were in such 
straits that the corps of cadets was again ordered out, and as a body took part 
in the battle of New Market, sustaining a loss of fifty-five killed and wounded 
out of a total number of 190. At the close of the war young Ross returned to the 
institute and graduated in 1865. In 1868 he came to Los Angeles County, 
California, to engage in the study of the law in the office of his uncle, 
Cameron E. Thom, having but $66.50 remaining of a few hundred dollars he 
borrowed to come to California. On May 7, 1874, he was married to Miss Ynez 
Hannah Bettis; and March 30, 1875, there was born to them a son, Robert Erskine 
Ross, who is still living. In politics Judge Ross is a Democrat, and he is a 
member of the Protestant Episcopal Church. In 1869 he was admitted to the bar of 
the District Court of Los Angeles County, and in 1875 to the bar of the Supreme 
Court of the State. In 1879 he was elected justice of the Supreme Court of the 
State of California, and having drawn one of the short terms, he was, in 1882, 
again elected to the Supreme Bench of the State for a term of twelve years. In 
1886 Judge Ross resigned his seat on the Supreme Bench, his resignation taking 
effect October 1 of that year, and resumed the practice of law at Los Angeles. 
Two months later he was appointed by President Cleveland Judge of the United 
States District Court for the Southern District of California, then lately 
created, which position he still holds, but for which he was not a candidate 
when appointed. As a horticulturist Judge Ross has done something, having 
invested most of the money he made in the practice of his profession and some 
that he borrowed, in clearing land and planting an orange orchard on the San 
Rafael Rancho, in Los Angeles County. The place he has established he calls 
Rossmoyne; and on it he has now, in vigorous condition, something over seventy 
acres in orange trees, the oldest of which are about seventeen years old. He has 
also planted there about eighteen acres in olives, and some lemons, and he 
contemplates increasing the planting of each. Judge Ross has always stood high 
as a man, as a lawyer, and as a judge. He has that sensitive regard for natural 
justice which is the crowning glory of the judge, and without which no justice 
is thoroughly equipped, however learned he may be in the law, or however 
brilliant he may be intellectually Judge Ross's record on the Supreme Bench of 
this State was most admirable; and to the people of Southern California his 
occupancy of a seat thereon for some seven years was most useful, because of his 
intimate knowledge of the distinctive economic interests of this part of our 
great commonwealth, including the vital question of water, or irrigation. His 
influence with his brother justices in these matters was exceedingly valuable, 
and it must be gratifying to him to know that his services were appreciated by 
our people. The high qualities exhibited by Judge Ross on the Supreme Bench 
plainly indicated his fitness for the position of United States District Judge, 
when the Southern District of California was established by Congress; and his 
appointment by President Cleveland without solicitation was but giving 
expression to the general voice that he was the man for that place. Judge Ross 
is still in the prime of life; and he has a prospect of a useful and glowing 
future before him.
 
An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California �  Chicago, The Lewis 
Publishing Company, 1889   Page 633
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler