Biographies
from
The History of Otsego County, New York
1740-1878
D. Hamilton Hurd
Published by Everts & Fariss, Philadelphia
GROSS, Ellis - New Lisbon
Mr. Ellis GROSS was one of the early inhabitants of the town of
New Lisbon, having assisted in its organization. Over three-fourths
of a century ago he was born in an almost unbroken forest. Like
all pioneers he struggled with the inconvenience and trials incident
to the settlement of a new country. He has lived to see cultivated
fields drive the forest to swamps and rock-crested hills, - to see the
beautiful farm-house, with its modern conveniences, dot every hill
and valley around him; and to see villages, one on either side of him,
with their stores, mills, churches, schools and comfortable residences.
Mr. Gross maintained a character for unsullied integrity in his
intercourse with his fellow-men. He enjoyed the implicit confidence
of his neighbors, and for many years occupied, by their suffrages, the
responsible offices of the town.
He represented them in the board of supervisors for several years.
He took a deep interest in the temporal welfare of this entire region.
Himself a model farmer, he sought by example and precept to induce
thrift, good taste, and the highest success in that department of
human action. In connection with his farming, he was proprietor
of a saw-mill and blacksmith-shop.
Crowell Gross, his father, was born in Massachusetts about 1762,
and came to Otsego County about 1791, bought a farm of fifty acres, -
an entire wilderness, - which he cleared with his own hands. In a
few years he added three hundred acres more. A few years after
his purchase he added more, making enough to give a small farm to
each one of his children. His family consisted of twelve children,
seven sons and five daughters, viz.: Jarvis, Daniel, David, Ellis,
Cromwell, Seth, Barzell, Priscilia, Phebe, Azubah, Asenath, Anna.
The subject of this sketch was born in 1804, in Otsego Co., N.Y.,
town of New Lisbon.
He lived with his father on a farm until he became twenty years
of age. He then took a farm, which he managed very successfully
for four years. Then he united in marriage to Miss Nancy, daughter
of John PATRICK; of this union were born six children, viz.:
Marvin, Erasmus, Dilason, Orsemus, Freeman, Alphonso, three of
whom are living.
The mother of these children was an example of high moral worth
and true womanhood to all who knew her, although obliged to leave
her husband in his prime of life.
Mr. Ellis Gross married for his second wife, Mrs. Roby MORE,
widow of Col. G. W. More.
Mrs. Gross had one daughter by her first husband, Hallalies More.
She is the wife of Dewitt C. DAVIS, wholesale merchant in New
York City.--
Excerpt from History of Otsego Co., NY, between pages 222 & 223