13) David Ross: Elected mayor for the Town of Welland in 1888, 1889 & 1890

Vital statistics

Birth: November 7, 1847 at Hawthorne Dam, Scotland

Death: May 30, 1933 at Welland, Ontario, Canada (age 85)

Burial place: Woodlawn Cemetery (Find a Grave)

Parents: David / Margaret (née Tullis)

Spouse: Emma (née Warrington)

Children: Gordon B. / Nellie

Occupation: Merchant

Religion: Presbyterian

Political affiliation: Liberal

Community affiliations: Welland Board of Trade / Public School Board / Board of Education / Town Councillor / Board of Parks Commissioners / Welland Fire Department honourary member / Boy Scouts / Sea Cadets / Welland County Commissioner / Pastmaster at Merritt Masonic lodge / District Superintendent of Niagara District of the Royal Arch / Hamilton Scottish Rite member / St. Andrew’s Church / Welland Club / Lookout Point Golf and Country Club

Profile

David Ross was born in Scotland, near Edinburgh, on November 7, 1847 to David and Margaret Ross. At 14 years old he came to Canada, entirely on his own at such a young age, and it was said that he only had fifty cents in his pocket when he landed. He landed in Portland, Maine, then he found work in a general store in the village of Morriston, just south east of Guelph, and worked there for seven years. He had had little schooling by this point, so in his early twenties he was educated at Bryant & Stratton’s Commercial College in Toronto, then became a salesman in a Toronto dry goods store called Page & Panel, until it was bought out by the large Eaton’s department store.

Around 1875 when he was 28 he moved to Welland County, partnering in business with Mr. Bull in the town of Thorold. In 1878 their firm opened a branch store in Welland (Bull & Ross stores at one time had four general stores along the canal, at St. Catharines, Thorold, Welland and Port Colborne). David chose to reside in Welland out of the four places, moving here permanently around 1879. Unfortunately in 1882 Bull & Ross ran into financial difficulty and faced bankruptcy. David took over the Welland store and he eventually paid off all the creditors of the old partnership, his ability credited to his sterling Scotch character. Welland historian Louis Blake Duff later called him “the outstanding Scot of this county and was so for half a century.” His store was now named Ross & Company, and came to be known as one of the busiest dry goods depots in Welland County, with a large, choice and complete stock of goods. He was located at 3 East Main Street, and over time this location came to be known as the Ross Block, as he absorbed the businesses next door and kept expanding the footprint of his department store. Today you can still see the words “Ross Building” in stone at the top of the building.

In addition to his busy store and successful business ventures, David made many social contacts in the community with the Masons, being a member of Merritt Lodge and Wilson chapter, No. 64, and also a Scottish Rite Mason, and being a member of the Rotary Club. Becoming one of the most well-known men in the county, along with his boundless energy and interest in public affairs, it was natural he would fill positions in public office. He was elected twenty times, seventeen as councillor and three as mayor, all between the years 1881 and 1907. His twenty electoral victories is third only to Richard Morwood, who was elected twenty-three times, and George Hamilton Burgar, who was elected twenty-two times. Also during his three years as mayor between 1888-1890 the first water works plant was built in Welland.

Besides his work on town council for a number of years; he was a member of the Board of Education and the Park Commission. He took a lively interest in the fire department too and for a number of years was its treasurer. He he gave much of his time to civic business and community organizations and he was credited as giving the town valuable assistance using his wise business methods. His son in law G. R. T. Sawle wrote of him in his book “Hometown”: “Most of his evenings were devoted to this work. Although a teetotaler he spent many evenings in hotels with commercial travellers or on some committee meeting, but one usually knew where to find him as his little Scotch terrier always sat outside the door waiting for him.” He went on to write that David was a loyal supporter of every movement made for the welfare of Welland, and was a sincere friend of the children of the town and in his later years became known as “Daddy” Ross to everyone. On the day of his funeral in 1933 school children lined up on both sides of Niagara Street out of respect as the funeral procession passed by.

David was married to Emma Warrington, and they had four children, but with two not surviving past childhood. David became a widower in 1891 when Emma passed away, herself at a relatively young age.

David died in 1933, and in his obituary his character was described as thus: “Welland’s grand old man was of a quiet disposition and he performed his daily tasks and those pertaining to the welfare of this city in an unassuming but nevertheless effective way. It is open to question if he had an enemy in the world.” There is no question that David Ross was among the most respected, revered, and influential citizens of Welland of all time. Immigrating to a new country at 14 years old, on his own with no money and little education, with hard work all through his life he left an amazing impression and legacy, and made Welland a better place to live. Another former mayor Edward James Anderson said that David “had been closely associated with every medium of progress of the city during the past half century.”

In addition to the “Ross Building” in stone above 3 East Main St., you can also see the legacy of David Ross today in Welland in the name of Ross St., and of Ross Public School on Niagara St., which was built in 1926 and given his name due to his tireless work on the school board. He was associated with the educational system in this city as perhaps no other man.

Sources

Coombs, Albert Ernest, “The History of the Niagara Peninsula” (1930), 384-386.
“David Ross died this afternoon in 86^th year.” Welland Tribune, May 30, 1933.
“Flags at half mast as tribute late David Ross.” Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, May 31, 1933.
Sawle, G. R. T., “Hometown” (1959), 12-14.
“Up against big prices for school site.” Welland Tribune, June 4, 1914.
Welland Tribune Printing House, “The History of Welland County” (1887), 577.