The Ross Homestead, at the intersection of Fostertown and North Plank Roads, dates back to 1789.
By Alan Crawford
How many of us have driven down State Route 32 and passed a bit of our history, the Robert Ross House, just north of the intersection with Fostertown Road? This magnificent stone structure has survived for 230 years and is a reflection of the strength and fortitude of the original settlers in our community.
On October 30, 1789, Joseph Penny sold 220 and ½ acres from the Wallace Patent to Robert Ross for the sum of $80. If you dig about for the history of the house, there is a mention in a Newburgh News article from 1932, that Robert Ross built a tannery there in 1770. Where this information was gleaned from it doesn’t say. I’m more apt to believe the house was built after he purchased the property and started the tannery. Would you build a house on property you didn’t yet have title to? I’m thinking a more realistic date would be between 1789 and 1793. Of course, things did move a bit slower and different back then.
Mr. Ross was an active participant in the Revolutionary War, serving with the rank of Sergeant in Captain Jacob Conklin’s Company, which formed May 4, 1778, under the command of Colonel Jonathan Hasbrouck. Perhaps he had begun setting up the tannery before the call of duty lured him away. Thanks for your service!
Joseph Penny divided up the remainder of the property between his seven sons. As the area developed, it took on the name of Rossville, allegedly for Robert Ross’s son, Alexander, from what I’ve read. Robert Ross was born in 1739, in Scotland. He married a lady named Hannah. I have not discovered any mention of her maiden name. On a headstone erected on her grave by her granddaughter, Mary Ross Housten, there is only her married name. This marker is newer than the weathered, unreadable, older red sandstone marker next to it, though it is the same shape and contour. Records indicate Robert Ross is also buried in the Plattekill Valley Community Cemetery, so we may consider this is Robert’s final resting place, next to his wife.
This union produced two daughters and four sons. Interestingly, there were twins, Alexander and Rachel. Alexander lived his entire life here and is believe to be the reason the area was referred to as Rossville. Reviewing some of the Ross Family Trees on Ancestry, it appears there was a mingling of the Penny and Ross families. Back in the late 1700’s there really weren’t that many families and people in this area as travel could be arduous and was limited, so it isn’t surprising.
A tannery isn’t the easiest of work. No sir! After the animal is slaughtered, the hide is washed in water to remove any blood, flesh and dirt. It’s then allowed to soak in the water until it’s ready to be processed. The next step of the process is to place the hide into a vat containing a lime solution, with the hair side facing down. This begins to remove the hair.
After sufficient soaking, the hides are removed. The accumulated bleached and fat solution on the hide from the bath was scraped off, to later be used for plastering. The hair still remaining of the skin was scraped off and the skin returned to the lime bath for further soaking.
This cycle of soaking and scraping would continue over time, often lasting up to six months, to remove all the hair. The next step was to treat the hides with oak, beech or willow bark which provided the tannic acid to color and preserve the leather. Other acidic additives, depending upon availability based on the location, could be and were added to aid in the process. A pit would be dug and the bark placed in the bottom, followed by a layer of leather, then another layer of bark, and so on.
When the pit was full, the material would then be tamped down and covered with more bark, kept moist and allowed to age for three months or so. The skins would then be carefully removed, being subject to easy tearing and then treated with an alkaline solution to stop the process. Lastly, they would be finished with oils or greases to prepare them for their final use.
You couldn’t just swing by Dollar General back then and pick up what you needed. Nope, it took perseverance, hard work and effort to survive in those times, paving the way for future generations. The area where Robert decided to locate and build his home was well suited to his endeavor. The ample water supply from the Quassaick Creek was probably the biggest consideration.
The craftsmanship and skill of Robert Ross is reflected in the stone work of his home.
Considering its age, it has held its own against the elements and the ravages of time. A bit of old Scottish know - how? An addition has been added to the rear of the original main structure, enlarging the living area. A few of you may remember a few years ago, an evergreen on this property was taken to New York City for the annual Christmas celebration!
But this is not the end of the story of this outstanding structure. In a few weeks or so, I will be adding more.