Aaron Yearksey Ross (aka "Dad" Ross, "Hold the Fort Aaron"; March 22, 1829 - April 3, 1922) was a gold miner, stage coach driver and guard, and train guard in the American

Old West The American frontier, also known as the Old West, and popularly known as the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that bega ...

. He was legendary for having fought off a number of robbery attempts, some against overwhelming odds.

Biography

Born in

Old Town, Maine Old Town is a city in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 7,431 at the 2020 census. The city's developed area is chiefly located on the relatively large Marsh Island, but its boundaries extend beyond it. The island is su ...

on March 22, 1829, Ross sailed to California in 1856 to mine for gold at Sutter's Creek, California, and later in Oregon and Idaho. In 1867, he became a stage coach driver and guard for

Wells Fargo Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational financial services company with a significant global presence. The company operates in 35 countries and serves over 70 million customers worldwide. It is a systemically important fi ...

. That same year, between Fort Benton and

Sun River The Sun River (also called the Medicine River) is a tributary of the Missouri River in the Great Plains, approximately 130 mi (209 km) long, in Montana in the United States. Geography It rises in the Rocky Mountains in two forks, the ...

, Montana his stage was accosted by 25 Native Americans, whom he repulsed in a running battle, killing five. He successfully fought off another robbery attempt by an outlaw gang at Silver Star, Montana and shot and killed the outlaw Andrew Jackson "Big Jack" Davis in Nevada in 1877 during another failed stage robbery. For one or more of these exploits, Wells Fargo gave him a $650 gold watch.Passing of "Dad" Ross
''The New York Times'', July 9, 1922, p. 9 In 1883, at the age of 54, Ross was guarding an express train filled with $80,000 in gold bullion, traveling from San Francisco, when it was attacked by robbers in

Montello, Nevada Montello is a small desert village in Elko County, Nevada, Elko County, Nevada, United States. It is home to Montello Elementary School, which is part of the Elko County School District. The population of Montello was 50 as of the 2018 American C ...

. Fortifying his car, Ross held them off with gunfire until they threatened to burn him out. He reportedly yelled that he'd see them "in a hotter place" than the one they'd make by burning the train. After a five-hour stand-off in which he wounded three, the gang retired and the train reached its destination in

Ogden, Utah Ogden ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Weber County, Utah, Weber County, Utah, United States, approximately east of the Great Salt Lake and north of Salt Lake City. The population was 87,321 in 2020, according to the United States Census ...

. The railroad company presented Ross with a $1,000 reward. He retired to Ogden and died there on April 3, 1922, at the age of 93 . His obituary appeared in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ross, Aaron Y. 1829 births 1922 deaths People from Ogden, Utah People from Old Town, Maine People of the American Old West