186 LUTHER BURBANK 



than the Rosses of Ross-shire, descendants of 

 the ancient Earl of Ross. As early as the year 

 1000 A. D., the chiefs of Ross were powerful 

 nobles, equal to any in Europe, and at one time 

 their wealth and influence were only equaled by 

 those of the King of Scotland himself. In fact, 

 they were connected with the royal family by 

 a number of marriages, as shown in the coat of 

 arms of the earls of Ross which were taken from 

 the shield of the King to show that they were 

 children of the royal house. Of the descendants 

 of the earls of Ross, the house of Balnagown, the 

 first laird was Hugh Ross of Rarichies, second 

 son of Hugh, fifth earl of Ross. From the 

 house of Balnagown sprang many noted 

 branches of the family, and in tracing the 

 descent of these branches almost every event of 

 importance in the history of Scotland is 

 touched upon. Rev. George Ross of Balblair, 

 Ross-shire, the emigrant, was the progenitor of 

 a line of illustrious men who have made as deep 

 impress upon the pages of American history as 

 his ancestors had done in Scotland. He de- 

 scended from the ancient earls of Ross in a 

 direct line through the houses of Balnagown, 

 Shandwick, Balmachy, and Balblair. Though 

 the great feudal power of the family had been 

 broken, great wealth still remained in the parent 



