Governor William H. H. Ross

Born on June 2, 1814 in Laurel, Delaware, William Henry Harrison Ross was the son of Caleb and Letitia Lofland Ross. He was educated in local public schools and later attended Claremont Academy in Pennsylvania. As a young man Ross was employed in a variety of business pursuits in his native community including the operation of a general store, mills and a tannery. In 1845 he moved to a farm on the north side of Seaford where he became engaged in extensive agricultural activities. He was among the first Delawareans to embrace the emerging economic importance of fruit cultivation. An active Democrat, Ross served as Governor of Delaware from 1851 to 1855. During his term he played a major role in reviving efforts to extend rail service to the southern portion of the state. A slave holder and a noted Southern sympathizer, Ross spent most of the Civil War years living in Europe. After the war he returned to this community and conducted a successful business as importer and manufacturer of fertilizers and agricultural supplies. Following his death in 1887, William Henry Harrison Ross was laid to rest at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.