Hercules Ross facts for kids

Rossie Castle

Hercules Ross (born 1745, died 1816) was a Scottish businessman. He became very wealthy in Jamaica. He was a close friend of the famous Admiral Horatio Nelson. Hercules Ross also played an important, though short, role in the movement to stop the slave trade. One historian described him as a great example of someone who started poor but worked hard. He found many chances in a new country and achieved his dream of becoming rich. He spent his final years at Rossie Castle, a large house he built in Forfarshire, Scotland.

Early Life

Hercules Ross was born in 1745. He was the ninth son of John Ross. His father worked as a tax collector in Port Glasgow, Scotland. His family was not wealthy.

Life in the West Indies

In 1761, when he was about 16, Hercules Ross traveled to Jamaica. There, he became a very successful businessman. He worked as a trader and helped manage prizes captured by naval ships. He also owned ships that captured enemy vessels during wartime. This is how he met Horatio Nelson.

While in Jamaica, he had several children with Elizabeth Foord. She was a woman he later helped to become free. One of their sons, Daniel Ross, became an important mapmaker for ships. He worked for the Bombay Marine, which was a naval force in India. Daniel also became a member of the Royal Society and led the Bombay Geographical Society.

Returning to Scotland

By 1782, Hercules Ross had made a large fortune. He decided to return to Scotland. He made sure Elizabeth Foord had enough money to start a successful guesthouse in Jamaica.

When he arrived back in Scotland, he was honored by the city of Glasgow. He bought land near Montrose called Rossie. Later, he built a large house there, which he named Rossie Castle. In 1784, he married Henrietta Parish. Her father was a banker with many business connections.

Helping to End the Slave Trade

In 1790, Hercules Ross started writing letters to William Wilberforce. Wilberforce was a key leader in the fight to end the slave trade. These letters led to Ross giving evidence to the House of Commons. This is the main law-making body in Britain. He spoke in favor of stopping the slave trade.

Thomas Clarkson, another important abolitionist, wrote about Hercules Ross's words. Ross said that the slave trade should be stopped. He believed it was wrong and went against God's laws and nature. He hoped that if people truly understood the suffering it caused, all European countries would work together to end this "human traffic."

Because Hercules Ross had been part of the system he now spoke against, his words were very powerful. He was made an honorary member of the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade.

Family Life

After speaking out against slavery, some of Hercules Ross's old friends from Jamaica were not happy with him. However, he remained close friends with Lord Nelson. Nelson even became the godfather to Ross's son, Horatio Ross (born 1801).

Horatio Ross grew up to be a famous sportsman. He was known as the best rifle shooter of his time. He was also a pioneer in photography, meaning he was one of the first to experiment with it. Two of Hercules Ross's younger sons moved to the United States in the late 1790s. They both settled in Pennsylvania.

Hercules Ross passed away on December 25, 1816. His wife had died five years earlier. His son Horatio, who was only 15 years old, inherited his estate. His older sons did not inherit the estate because they had moved abroad.

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  Rossie Castle