Clarke, Elizabeth Ross

One of nine children, Elizabeth Ross Clarke (b. 1878) was the daughter of Lawrence Sullivan Sul Ross (1838-1898) and the former Elizabeth Dorothy Tinsley. Sul Ross was the son of Shapley Prince Ross (1811-1889) and his wife Catherine, who moved to Texas in 1839. After serving in the Texas Rangers (1842-1847), Shapley settled in Waco, where he built the town’s first hotel, served as its first postmaster (1850), and was an Indian agent (1855-1858).

Upon graduating from Wesleyan University in Florence, Alabama, in 1859, Sul Ross joined the Texas Rangers and eventually raised his own company, who recovered Cynthia Ann Parker from Comanche Indians in December 1860. The next year, Ross joined the Confederate Army, commanding the Texas Cavalry Brigade, also known as Ross’ Brigade. Following the war, he entered politics, serving as sheriff of McLennan County (1873-1875), Texas state senator from the 22nd District (1880-1882), and governor of Texas (1887-1891). Upon leaving the governorship, Ross became president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, now Texas A&M University, a position he held until his death in 1898.

Sources:

Benner, Judith Ann. Ross, Lawrence Sullivan [Sul]. Handbook of Texas Online . Accessed November 8, 2010. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fro81 .

Kemp, L. W. Ross, Shapley Prince. Handbook of Texas Online . Accessed November 8, 2010. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fro86 .

From the guide to the Clarke, Elizabeth Ross, narrative, [ca. 1920], (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)