Résumé

Draftsman, John Gash, Architect, San Francisco, CA, 1891. Gash maintained an office in Room #33 of the Merchant's Exchange Building in 1891. (See San Francisco Directory, 1891, p. 1498.)

Principal, T. Paterson Ross, Architect, San Francisco, CA, 1896, 1899-c. 1925. Ross worked in Room #43 of the Columbian Building in 1896. In 1899, Ross practiced in Room #42 of the Columbian Building at 916 Market Street in San Francisco. (See the Crocker-LangleySan Francisco, California, City Directory, 1899, pp. 1488 and 1864.)

Partner, Hatherton and Ross, Architects, San Francisco, CA, 1897. This firm had its office in Room #43 of the Columbian Building, 916 Market Street. (See Hatherton and Ross, Architects, advertisement, University of California, Berkeley (UCB), Blue and Gold Yearkbook, 1897, p. IV.)

From at least 1915 until 1925, Ross practiced alone at 310 California Street in San Francisco. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1915, p. 2068 andSan Francisco, California, City Directory, 1925, p. 1993.)

In 1922, Ross suffered a serious head injury when a wheelbarrow load of bricks fell on his head from about six floors above. He was rided in an unprotected freight elevator at the time. He suffered a fractured skull and significant brain trauma, leaving him paralyzed on his right side and aphasic. The Architect and Engineer wrote of Ross's accident in 1922: "Mr. T. Paterson Ross, well-known San Francisco architect, is reported to convalescent at the St. Francis Hospital from injuries received while on an inspection tour of the Union League Club building, of which he is the architect. Mr. Ross was struck on the head by a wheelbarrow load of brick falling from the sixth story. He was rendered unconscious and for three weeks following the accident he remained in that condition. Physicians entertain hope for his recovery." (See "San Francisco Architect Injured," Architect and Engneer, vol 71, p. 2, 11/1922, p. 109.) Despite this serious injury, his name was still listed in the San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1925, (p. 1993), with an office remaining at 310 California Street.

High School

Ross indicated on the 1940 US Census that the the fourth year of high school was the highest grade that he attended. Since he settled in San Francisco c. 1883 at age 11, it is likely that Ross attended secondary schools in that city.

Relocation

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in July of 1872, nine-year-old Thomas Paterson Ross resided with his family at 6 Forrest Road in Edinburgh Greyfriars, Scotland, as per the 1881 Scottish Census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Parish: Edinburgh New Greyfriars; ED: 77; Page: 10; Line: 5; Roll: cssct1881_290, accessed 01/30/2019.)

At age 10, the Ross Family immigrated to the US at the Port of New York. (This New York entry was noted in a customs document of 05/1930. See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at San Pedro/Wilmington/Los Angeles, California; NAI Number: 4486355; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; Record Group Number: 85, accessed 01/30/2019.) The 1910 US Census corroborated this date approximately, noting that Thomas Paterson Ross entered the US in 1883. In 1886, the Ross Family may have resided at 919 1/2 Howard Street. (See Langley San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1886, p 1014.)

While a draftsman with San Francisco architect John Gash in 1891, he dwelled at 806 1/2 Turk Street. In 1896, the Crocker-Langley San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1896, (p. 1347), noted that Ross lived at "1st av. and Geary." From at least 1897 until 1899, Ross lived in his parents residence at 433 1st Street in San Francisco. (See the Crocker-LangleySan Francisco, California, City Directory, 1897, p. 1476 and Crocker-LangleySan Francisco, California, City Directory, 1899, p. 1488.) He continued to live at home in 1900, when San Francisco County voting records indicated that Thomas and his father had the same address, 1528 Taylor Street, second floor.

He had moved out of his parent's house by 1907, living at 109 Sunset Avenue in San Francisco. Records for 1908, gave his address as 109 Edgewood Avenue. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 01/29/2019.)

Ross made his residence at 109 Edgewood Avenue in San Francisco in 1910. He lived here with his wife, Lillian, and a domestic servant, Ella Desmasias (born c. 1860 in French-speaking Canada).(See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: San Francisco Assembly District 39, San Francisco, California; Roll: T624_100; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 0232; FHL microfilm: 1374113, accessed 01/29/2019.)

In 1930, he and his wife, Bell, lived in the Union Terrace Apartments. He owned an apartment in this building worth about $15,000, according to the US Census. He lived nearby to the architect Charles H. Sawyer and his wife, Georgia, in the same building.(See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 0345; FHL microfilm: 2339942, accessed 01/29/2019.) He and Bell continued to live at 1020 Union in 1935. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1935, p. 1004.)

He and Bell moved to Santa Cruz, CA, at some point between 1935 and 1940. In 1940, they dwelled on 13th Street in Santa Cruz. the value of their dwelling was $2,500 in that year. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California; Roll: m-t0627-00343; Page: 21B; Enumeration District: 44-22, accessed 01/29/2019.) He passed away in that city on 04/26/1957, and was interred at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, CA, near the Little Chapel of the Flowers that he designed.

Parents

His father was Thomas Ross (born c. 1840 possibly in England), his mother, Janet Stevenson Bruce (born 09/10/1848 in Edinburgh, Scotland-d. 04/10/1914 in San Francisco, CA). They married in Edinburgh Parish on 10/05/1871. Her parents were Francis Farquharson Bruce and Janet Bisset Bain.

The Langley San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1886, (p. 1014 and p. 213) recorded that a "Thomas Ross" worked as a clerk for A.L. Bancroft and Company, booksellers, stationers, and printers, located at 721 Market Street. San Francisco County voting records recorded that Thomas Ross worked as a clerk in San Francisco in 1898 and an accountant in 1908. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 115; FHL Roll Number: 977276, accessed 01/30/2019 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 01/29/2019.)

Thomas Paterson Ross had three siblings in 1881: Ellen Ross (born c. 1858 in Scotland), Margaret A. Ross (born c. 1866 in Scotland), and Alexander Ross (born c. 1870 in Scotland). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Parish: Edinburgh New Greyfriars; ED: 77; Page: 10; Line: 5; Roll: cssct1881_290, accessed 01/30/2019.)

Spouse

He married Lillian Ross, c. 1903. This was Lillian's second marriage.

He later wed Bell (or Belle) Ross, (born 12/27/1877 in San Jose, CA).

Children

According to the US Census of 1910, he and Lillian had one child who was not alive in that year.

Biographical Notes

At age 26, Thomas Paterson Ross stood 5-feet, 3-and-3/4-inches tall, had a fair complexion with brown hair and blue eyes. According to San Francisco voter's records of 1898, T.P. Ross had US citizenship through his father's naturalization. His father had been naturalized in US Superior Court in San Francisco on 06/04/1890. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 115; FHL Roll Number: 977276, accessed 01/30/2019.)

In 1907, San Francisco County voting records indicated that Ross registered as a Republican. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 01/29/2019.)

Ross lived very near architect, Frederick H. Meyer, c. 1909, near Vallejo Street and Steiner Street, San Francisco, CA.

In 1930, Ross and his wife took a vacation to Mazatlan, Mexico from the Port of San Pedro aboard the S.S. Dorothy Alexander. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at San Pedro/Wilmington/Los Angeles, California; NAI Number: 4486355; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; Record Group Number: 85, accessed 01/29/2019.)

• Santa Cruz, CA (Architect's Death)
  Santa Cruz, CA

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