History of Fulton County, Illinois; together with
Sketches of its Cities, Villages and Townships, Educational, Religious,
Civil, Military, and Political History; Portraits of Prominent Persons
and Biographies of Representative Citizens. Chas. C. Chapman & Co.,
Peoria, Illinois, 1879, page 893-894, Union Township
Gen. Leonard F. Ross. This well-known and distinguished
gentleman is a native son of Fulton Co., having been born at Lewistown,
July 18, ’23. His father, Ossian M. Ross, was the founder of Lewistown,
and figured very prominently in the early history of the county. His
mother, Mary Ross, nee Winans, died in Peoria in 1875, at the ripe old
age of 82. The General received most of his education in his father’s
private school, tutored by Chas. E. Blood, who since died in Knox Co.
He attended Illinois college, at Jacksonville, one year. He was the
first Secretary of the Fulton Co. Agricultural Society, and the first
President of Avon Agricultural Society. During the Mexican war the
General served as Lieutenant of Co. K, 4th Ill. Inf. He has in his
possession a blood-stained sword taken at Cerro Gordo. Mr. R. organized
the first company (Co. H, 17th Ill. Inf.) that went from Fulton county
during the Rebellion. Of this company he was chosen captain, but upon
arrival in camp he was elected Colonel, and in April, 1862, was
promoted to Brigadier General. He participated in some of the most
hotly contested engagements during the entire struggle for Union and
supremacy of the General Government, and by superior judgment and
having the unshaken confidence of his men, won some great victories.
Prior to the war he was a Democrat, politically, but took a determined
stand for the Union, and won laurels while defending it that will cause
his name to live through future ages in American history. He then acted
with the Republican party until the “salary grab” in 1872, when he
affiliated with the Independents until, recently, he returned to the
Republican party. Besides occupying responsible positions in both the
Mexican and civil wars, Mr. Ross has filled the offices of Probate
Justice and County Clerk of Fulton Co., also Police Magistrate,
Collector of Internal Revenue, Supervisor and minor positions. He was
twice defeated for Congress, but was a strong candidate for his ticket.
He never sought any office except that of County Clerk. He was married
to Catharine M. Simms Nov. 13, 1845. She bore him 7 children. He
married a second wife in the person of Mary E. Warren Jan. 10, 1865, by
whom he has 4 children. Of all his children 1 {?} is living. The
General is engaged in farming and breeding Devon cattle. He has some
fine herds, some of which took the premium last year (1878) at the St.
Louis National Fair, and some at the Illinois State Fair. P. O., Avon.
