John & Joseph Ross

It is widely believed that John Ross who was a convict and shoemaker was my fourth Great-Grandfather. I started this post with the intention of outlining my research for John Ross but as I familiarised myself with some of the convict John's story, I realised that there are stories where the articles talk about Joseph and in the courts he is also called John. Is it possible that they both used the name John?

While there is a question about who John Lees' father was, we do know from St Johns Parramatta baptism records his mother was Ellen Ross, a spinster living at Bankstown in September 1836. John Lees' death records name his father as John Ross, a land selector. Edward, John Lees' son, registered these details but declared the mother unknown. Edward was an adult when the family left Araluen to move to Tingha. Ellen had been alive then and married to John Seeley, why he declared her unknown is puzzling other than wanting to perhaps hide John Lees' bastard birth or the possibility that Ellen was Aboriginal (maybe when asked her surname the answer was "Unknown" so whole field was recorded as "Unknown"). 

Christine Wright, a researcher for St Bede's church at Braidwood gave some interesting insight into the marriage record of John Lees' and Catherine Tormey. It tells us John Lees' was born in Parramatta (connecting him to Ellen Ross and the baptism register), he named his father as John Ross, farmer, and his mother was Ellen (no surname given). Christine said that many Aboriginal people are named in the register and they do not have surnames. In this case there is no reason given as to why John Lees' did not give his mother's maiden name. Ellen used the surname Ross when she married John Seeley in 1847 at Braidwood and was noted as a spinster. The minister who performed the Presbyterian marriage, Christopher Eipper, had been a missionary to the Aboriginal clans at Morten Bay before moving to Braidwood to continue his mission with the Aboriginal people there. 

As we can see we have information about John Lees' father that tell us he was John Ross, a farmer, but why is it that so many people have connected the convict with John Lees?

The answer is time and location. John Ross, the convict, was living in the same general area when he died in 1838 and his death was registered at St Johns Parramatta. We can also see, from Trove articles, that a John Ross continued his life of crime after reaching Australian shores. The following are articles for the same crime. What we notice is that the name is referred to a John Ross in the first article and then Joseph Ross in the following two. If Sarah Bird is Joseph Ross' sister-in-law, does that mean she is living with John or Joseph Ross, or is it possible that her sister is married to John Ross. Could it be that Sarah's sister is Ellen Ross? Are there two Ross brother's living in the area with Sarah Bird? We might just have to go back to their early years to find out what happened to the Ross brothers on arriving in Australia. Two names to look at in the 1828 census are Mary Ann Bird (and her daughter Mary Ann Bird junior) and Catherine Bird (convict born Dublin, living with Sarah Bird). Sarah is noted as a Protestant and Catherine and Mary Ann and daughter (residing at the Parramatta female factor) are Catholic. Catherine Clarke mentioned in the third article could perhaps be Catherine Bird. I wonder if this could be an incator that the "ladies" took on the surname of their master or mistress in regards census and birth details?

"Sydney Quarter Sessions." Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser,
31 January 1833, p.3, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2210566

"RESULT OF THE SYDNEY QUARTER SESSIONS.", Sydney Monitor, 
6 February 1833, p. 3, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32143043

"SYDNEY POLICE REPORTS." Hill's Life in New South Wales,
30 November 1832, p.3, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article252650062>.

---------------John & Joseph Ross Early Years------------

Wigton Parish records show John Ross was born  3 May 1794 to John Ross & Hannah Stagg. The year matches his transportation records. Joseph's transport record shows 

---------------John & Joseph Ross' Crimes------------

John & Joseph were caught selling stolen lead. They were transported together. The newspaper article hints that Joseph was going to be transported for a second time. 

---------------Connection to Sarah Bird---------------

I was searching transportation records for John and Joseph when I came across this record. You will see Sarah Bird's name written toward the top. Perhaps the relationship between the Ross brothers & Bird goes back to before any of them were transported. Sarah's husband Robert was sentenced for transportation in 1818, also at Cumberland.

Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892

---------------Robert & Sarah Bird---------------

Sarah Hill married Robert Bird in 1816 in Whitehaven, not far from Wigton. To date my research hasn't provided a connection other than close proximity with the Ross family. Robert was transported and it appears that the couple were never together again.

---------------Prostitution---------------

It is clear reading newspaper accounts that the Ross brothers and also Sarah Bird were unsavoury types. Sarah ran a place of ill repute and John helped to run it. Both the Ross brothers and Sarah reoffended after arriving in the Colony. It is possible Ellen worked as a prostitute for Sarah. John Lees Ross's  father may not ever be known if it was one of the clients.