WILLIAM LACY ROSS

William Lacy Ross, BIRTH: December 13, 1857, DIED: June 20, 1959, was my Great-Grandfather. He died the year that I graduated from High School.   He would come to the farm and stay during the summer for a vacation.   I loved sitting on the porch in the evenings and talking to him about "the olden days".   We were some of the first families to have a television in Lonaconing and we always had a house full of company.   Great-Grand pap used to seat in the living room and if the television was turned off he would ask me to "Make that thing talk for me". My uncle Charles Dayton had the Television, but lived at a low attitude where there was not signal, so Dad gone it and we lived on top of Dans Mountain where we could get a lot of channels.

He as a child could remember hearing the roar of Cannons of the Civil War, the day Lincoln died till the first Satellite was in orbit.   I asked him if we would ever make it to the Moon.   He quick answer was "Yep". There was no doubt in him about, the abilities of man.

He would talk about seeing both armies of the Civil War.   There was a time when he said an Enemy entered his home and slept in his bed with his Saber across his chest.   "He never took off his muddy boots" Great Grand pap said.   He still acted a little upset about that.   He talked about the "Roar of Canons going off", he lived on the East side of Dans Mountain and could see the road from Cumberland to Keyser from the Height that he lived.

I remember, I asked him about the first Airplane that he saw.   He got all excited and said that he heard a terrible racket coming.   Then he saw a heavy machine flying through the air, he saw a man moving his arms and legs in this machine and he thought that that was the Lord returning for his people.   He said he never prayed so hard in all his life, but it just kept on Going.   I still remember how his motioned in there air, from that porch swing, with the palm of his hand and making a signal on a slow wave.   I can't help, but feel that those eyes saw the greatest change in History.

There were plenty of "5 Generations" pictures taken with this man and he always loved to have his picture taken.   I have one of his 100th Birthday, with his cake.

His way of life was farming and cutting timber.   After the heavy work of the farming was to much, he and his wife walked off the Mountain to Cumberland to the "Poor Farm".   His Son Simeon saw a article in the Cumberland Times that they were in the Nursing Home, celebrating their "65th Wedding Anniversary" at the nursing home.   Grand pap went and make them come stay with him in his home.   Great Grand pap said "They didn't want to both anyone" because the depression was just over and things were rough for everyone.

He loved the throat lozenges, the pink and white, and he always had some in his sweater.   He would offer us kids one if we were "good boys and girls".   I can still hear him when he would set in the living room and whistle "Amazing Grace".

He was Sharpe minded to his death at almost 102 years of age.   He was a large man at over 6 foot, with a large mustache and his wife was short at 5 foot 4 inches.   I don't recall Great Grandma, she passed away, before I was 2 years of age.   I will repeat things I was told about her in her "notes" section.

Before anyone went to bed around him (he always went to bed when it got dark) he would have us gather around the kitchen and pull out the chairs and we had to kneel down and he would lead us in prayer.   Which to me was always a very long prayer.   Then he would get some coffee bread and sugar and go to bed.   Coffee Bread was just that broken up bread in a bowl and pour coffee over it and add sugar to it.

"Great Grand pap I Love You",



Buddy