Sutter-Yuba County Biographies

JAMES ALEX ROSS

Transcribed by: Kathy Sedler

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


 
            The fertile acres of Sutter County can be depended upon to bring 
returns to any man industrious enough to cultivate them, and to devote his time 
and energy to the study of soil conditions and crop marketing, realizing the aid 
of modern machinery and irrigating methods, in bringing his crops to fruition.  
One of the up-to-date ranchers of this county, James Alex Ross, was born in 
Texas, in Kerr County, January 26, 1881, a son of John and Margaret Ann (Monroe) 
Ross, his father a native of Scotland, and mother of Canada, of English descent; 
they were married in Canada and moved to Texas, where he was a stockman.  In 
1886 the family came to Ophir, Placer County, Cal., and there the father mined 
and also engaged in ranching, his death occurring at the age of eighty-seven, 
while the mother is still living, in Lake County.  James Alex was third in a 
family of four children born to his parents, and was educated at the Ophir 
Grammar School, and for the last two years of schooling at Altaville, Calaveras 
County.  He worked and took care of his mother until his first marriage, which 
occurred August 9, 1909, at Sacramento, and united him with Miss Maude James, 
born at Pleasant Grove and a daughter of Lewis F. and Mary (Trevathan) James.  
She passed away April 23, 1918, leaving no children.
            Mr. Ross was united in marriage a second time at Stockton, where he 
took for his wife Mrs. Effie J. (Klemp) Richmond, widow of Ira B. Richmond of 
Pleasant Grove, and of this marriage Mr. Ross had one daughter, Alma Effie.  
Mrs. Ross, born in Sutter County, is a daughter of Henry and Anna E. (Slight) 
Klemp, the father a native of the Lorraine section of Germany, and the mother 
born in Sacramento County. Henry Klemp came to California at the age of seven 
years and has lived most of his life in Sutter County and there Mrs. Ross was 
reared and educated.  Her first marriage, on April 30, 1899, united her with Eli 
Trevathan, of Pleasant Grove, a native of California and son of William and 
Sarah (Howsley) Trevathan; he died June 3, 1906, leaving three children:  Elsie 
Irene, Floyd Lester, and Percy Mrul.  December 17, 1907, Mrs. Trevathan became 
Mrs. Ira B. Richmond, her husband a native of Pleasant Grove and a son of 
Billings and Mary (Coppin) Richmond, and two children were the issue of this 
marriage:  Eda Esther, and Roy Edward.  Mr. Richmond died January 21, 1916.
            Mr. Ross devotes his entire time to ranching interests, operating in 
all 480 acres, their combined estate, and has twenty acres devoted to alfalfa, 
the larger tracts being in grain.  He also runs a dairy of Holstein cows.  He is 
a Socialist in politics, and fraternally is a member of Gold Hill Lodge No. 32, 
F.&A.M. of Lincoln, Cal., and also belongs to Auburn Lodge No. 7, I.O.O.F.  
While not a native Californian he has passed most of his life in the state, and 
is a firm believer in the great future in store for all sections of this �land 
by the sea,� where climate, soil and people all combine to make as near 
perfection as can be found on this footstool.
 
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p. 1183-1184