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Permanent LinkSenator Lewis William Ross View All Years
LEWIS W. ROSS was born in Hanover township, Butler county, Ohio, Oct. 15, 1827; he died at Council Bluffs, Iowa, Nov. 22, 1902. Mr. Ross entered Farmers College in his native state in May, 1848, remaining until 1850, when he changed to Miami University, where he graduated in 1852. He settled in Cass county, Iowa, in 1856, removing to Council Bluffs in 1861, which became his permanent home. He was elected State Senator in 1863, from the district composed of the counties of Fremont, Mills, Cass and Pottawattamie, serving four years. As a legislator he ranked with the first. He was elected a trustee of the State University in 1864, and re-elected in 1868. In 1874 he was chosen to the board of regents of that institution for the term of six years. In 1880 he was made a resident professor in the law school, and the following year was promoted to the office of chancellor of the law department. He was largely instrumental in organizing and establishing the law, medical and homeopathic medical departments. He was author of “An Outline of Common Law and Code Pleading,” and “An Outline of the Law of Real Property.” He ranked high as an equity and real estate lawyer. Chancellor Ross was an honored member of the Iowa Pioneer Law Makers Association, and was always in attendance upon its biennial meetings. He took a deep interest in the State historical department, and gave it words of the heartiest approval and encouragement from the first. Says Congressman Walter I. Smith, “He was an ideal lawyer, a conscientious citizen, and a man of unusually clean life and character.”