George Ross

First Post! With Independence Day right around the corner, it's appropriate to start out with George Ross. His house and farm is the predecessor and origin of the name to our neighborhood, Rossmere. Below is a photo of the house he owned while practicing law in Lancaster around 1751 at the age of 20. The house sat south of Ross Street and East of Shippen close to where the memorial stands today. During his stay in Lancaster he was elected a member of the Assembly of Pennsylvania representing Lancaster from 1774 to 1777. Being so well respected by his fellow Lancastrians and colleagues the General Congress voted to gift him a sum of 150 pounds the equivalent of $30,000 in today's money, Mr. Ross graciously declined. It should also be noted that George Ross was the last signer of the Declaration of Independence from Pennsylvania. The tangible legacy of Mr. Ross today is the Ross Memorial on the 300 Block of Ross Street, George Ross Elementary School and a doorway from another property owned by Mr. Ross.

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Contributed by Josh Shultz. Josh, a lifetime resident of Lancaster, is a founding member of Lancaster's 6th Ward HistoryMakers. ​

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