Catharine, a daughter of Adam and Elizabeth (Wade) Peckinpaugh, married (1) Soloman Ellsworth, and (2) Joseph Ross.

Solomon and Catherine had two known children, namely - Alvin and Hannah.
1. Alvin Ellsworth was born 20 Sep 1836, and died 16 Apr 1838.

2. Hannah E. Ellsworth was born 19 May 1838.

Joseph and Catharine had seven known children, namely -- Hiram, Melissa, Jane, Mary, Berney, George, and Polly Ann.

1. Hiram Ross was born 18 Jun 1843 in Sterling, Wayne Co., Ohio. He died on 7 Aug 1904 in California. He married a Sarah.

2. Melissa Ross was born 15 Apr 1845 in Milton Twp., Wayne Co., Ohio. She died 23 Apr 1891 in Sterling. She married, 16 Apr 1863 in Wayne Co., Abraham C. Lance, a son of Henry Lance and Elizabeth "Betsy" Hofstetter. Abraham was born 19 Oct 1839 in Milton Twp., and died 23 Sep 1901 in Sterling. The couple was buried in Mound Hill Cemetery

3. Jane Ross was born 4 Mar 1847 in Sterling and died on 1 Apr 1901 in Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan. She married (1) 30 Mar 1865, William Lee. The marriage ended in divorce between 1870-1880. Jane married (2) in 1885, Henry O. Cotton, a son of Benjamin A. Cotton and Hester A. Shipman.

4. Mary L. Ross was born 30 May 1848 in Sterling, and died on 19 Sep 1933 in Canton, Stark Co., Ohio. She married, 6 Dec 1866 in Wayne Co., Jacob Ephriam Halliwell , a son of Joseph Halliwell and Catherine Coolman. Jacob was born 14 Sep 1846 in Guilford Twp., Medina Co., Ohio, and died 2 Oct 1922 in Stark Co., Ohio. The couple was buried in East Akron Cemetery, Summit Co., Ohio.

5. Barney Ross was born 6 Aug 1851 in Sterling, and died 16 Mar 1912 in Mentor, Lake Co., Ohio. He married Barbara Kaufman.

6. George W. Ross was born 8 Jun 1854 in Sterling, and died 11 Oct 1917 in Findlay, Hancock Co., Ohio. He married, in Oct 1880 at Findlay, Carrie Beardsley, who died 8 May 1947 in Findlay. The couple was buried in Maple Grove Cemetery, Findlay, Hancock Co., Ohio.

7. Polly Ann Ross was born 28 Jan 1857 in Sterling, and died 5 Nov 1923 in Milton Twp., Wayne Co., Ohio. She married Jacob Ihrig Goodyear, a son of Daniel Goodyear and Rachel Ihrig. Jacob was born 13 Jun 1848 in Wayne Co., and died 30 May 1926. The couple was buried in Mound Hill Cemetery.

Joseph and Catharine were enumerated 16 Sep 1850 Milton, Wayne, Ohio [Roll M432_739, p146] Joseph Ross 37, born in MA, farmer, Real estate value $700. Catharine 35, born in VA. Hannah (Peckinpaugh) 11. Hirmm 7. Melissa 5. Jane 3. Mary 2.

26 Jul 1860 Milton, Wayne, Ohio; PO Guilford Twp. Medina Co., Ohio [Roll M653_1051, p 221]. Joseph Ross 46, born in NY, farmer, Real estate value $4000, personal value $795. Catharine 44, born VA. Children, born in Ohio: Hiram 17, student. Melissa 15 , student. Jane 13 , student. Mary 10 , student. Barney 8 , student. George 5. Polly 3.

The family fails to appear on the 1870 census. We presume that they were away on a summer holiday. Their daughter and son-in-law, Jane and William Lee were enumerated 17 Aug 1870 in (modern day Sterling Village) Milton Twp., Wayne, Ohio [Roll M593_1281, p258].

The family was once again enumerated 2 Jun 1880 (Sterling) Milton, Wayne, Ohio. Joseph Ross 68, born in MA, as were his parents, farmer. Catharine 64, born in VA. Jane Ross daughter 33, divorced. George W. son 26, born in Ohio, lawyer. Cora B. Lee granddaughter 14. Willie M. Smith 18, farm laborer.

The Town That Time Forgot - Sterling is a village that likes being a village above all else. A dozen potentially upsetting enterprises have tried to speed up the pace there, and for a time almost succeeded. In the end, peace and calm prevailed.

Adam Peckinpaugh was first on the scene, arriving from Morgantown, West. Virginia, about 1821. He brought his wife Elizabeth and eight children, the youngest being Thomas, four, and Catherine, three. It appears that Adam bought the southeast quarter of section 8 on patent deed from the United States, though no record has been found.

Halliwell notes, that Rufer Ferris obtained the W1/2 of SE1/4 of Sec 8 on 8 Jun 1822, patent 186, at the Wooster Land Office. Abner Johnson obtained the E1/2 of SE1/4 on 20 Jul 1826, land patent 1041, at the Wooster Land Office.

Lindsey continues -- However, he is listed, but exempt, on the 1826 county tax list; and original (new) owners were allowed a five-year tax grace. He also is carried as an entry in Peter Hoff's blacksmith ledger on Aug. 26, 1826, in the amount of 15 cents "for putting on two old shoes." Adam was a farmer and teacher in the manner of William Doyle three miles to the east. He tended his fields in proper season and conducted a subscription school at his home on the Jackson Road (Route 504) during the non-productive months.

Peckinpaugh was joined very shortly by the Abner Johnson and Benjamin Ellsworth families. Their location was a strategic one, affording comparatively easy passage between Center Swamp to the east and Creston Swamp to the west. Roads were cut early on to Doylestown via Lancetown and New Trenton (Rittman), and to the Hosmer Opening (Seville).[Arise Wild Land by Lindsey Williams, 1982, Chapter 15, pp55-9].

Historian Ben Douglass tells us that Peckinpaugh was elected a township trustee in 1822, and constable in 1837 and 1838. Johnson is said to have "made the first improvements in the place," selling off the first two commercial parcels to Ellsworth and a man named Hugh Hartshorn who started a distillery. They were joined about 1836 by the Michael Bessey and Wiseman Cotton families.

Love blossomed in the wilderness as Ben Ellsworth's son, Solomon, married Catherine Peckinpaugh. Solomon was killed tragically in 1838 when thrown from a horse, leaving his widow with a small child (Hannah). Three days after Christmas, Catherine bought 29 acres of land along Seville Road (Kauffman Avenue) north of Johnson's Corners. She paid $350 for the property, apparently intending to take care of herself and child.

Two years later, Catherine and her father went to West Virginia for a visit. They traveled by way of the Ohio Canal. On board the canal boat they met a twenty-nine year-old widower named Joseph Ross whom they invited to join them in evening prayers. Ross was a silversmith and thermometer on a maker of thermometers and barometers in New York City. Upon reaching home, Ross wrote to Catherine asking her to marry him. The letter was less than romantic but not unusual those days when marriage was more of a practical matter.

"And now to come right to the point," wrote Ross. "I do not ask you to pledge your self without any further information. Neither should I wish to be understood to make such a pledge in regard to myself, for I may not be so much taken up with you when.1 come to see you again." "What I wish to come at is whether there is a probability we both can give satisfaction and put confidence in each other. That will be for our best interest and happiness here below in this unfriendly world, and in the best interest of our little ones which the Lord has committed to our care."

Catherine accepted Joseph's proposal. [They were mMarried in Fayetteville, on the 28th day of November last, by Rev. John Smitzer, Mr. Joseph Russ, of Nassau, Rensselaer county, N. Y., to Mrs. Catharine Ellsworth, late of Milton, Wayne Co., Ohio, 12/2/1841]. The couple went to his house and business in New York, but Catherine was homesick. A year later, Ross sold his property; and the couple moved back to Catherine's little acreage. There he built a log house where six more children were born. Ross continued to make thermometers in his home and managed the farm, adding acreage in 1854. He then built a frame house in "Western Reserve" style.

Adam Peckinpaugh in his old age moved to Huron County, Ohio. Thomas Peckinpaugh followed in his father's role of educator by becoming a teacher, serving for awhile at Rittman. He went on to be a lawyer, and a state legislator from 1869 to 1873. He married Jane Cotton, a granddaughter of Wiseman Cotton. One of their grandsons, Roger Peckinpaugh, is remembered as a prominent baseball player and manager of the Cleveland Indians.