Ross / Roswarski Family Genealogy
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John Roswarski
John Roswarski was born December 26, 1846 in Poland. The census records and his obituary list his birthplace as Germany but this is probably due to Poland being absorbed by Prussia in the 19 th century. His sons list him as being Polish on the later census records. According to the 1910 census, John Roswarski came to the U.S. in 1868. He filed a declaration for naturalization April 1, 1878 and was naturalized November 2, 1896. By 1900 he could speak English but could not read or write.
His first wife was Josephine Sulkowski, who died June 24, 1879. He married Mary Demska (spelling uncertain), January 16, 1880. She was born January 16, 1861 in Germany, and came to Tippecanoe County at age 30 (c.1891).
John Roswarski moved to Wea Township, Tippecanoe County, about 1883. He farmed a small 10-acre farm on the southeast corner of what is now Poland Hill Road and Ortman Lane (300 South) in Lafayette’s sprawling south side. John Roswarski resided in Wea Township, Tippecanoe County for 34 years until his death on June 13, 1917, at age 71. Mary (Demska) Roswarski died April 16, 1931, at age 70. They were members of St. Boniface Catholic Church and are buried in St. Boniface Cemetery.
His sons Peter (1892-1971) and Leo "Tim" Roswarski (1902-1958) changed their last name to "Ross." My great-grandfather, Matthew Frank Roswarski (1894-1944) was the 10th of John Roswarski's 12 children.
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| A Roswarski family picture, probably taken on the farm in Wea Township, c.1920 |
Matthew Frank Roswarski
Matthew Frank Roswarski, was born September 8, 1894. He married Theresa Gertrude Bollock (1896-1977), September 7, 1921, at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Lafayette. Matthew Roswarski was a watchman at the Lafayette Stock Yards in 1921 and the couple set up housekeeping at 618 S. 6th Street after September 15, 1921. They later relocated to Lafayette's "North End" near the Monon Railroad Shops.
Matthew would play euchre with his brothers, made home-brew and they drank wine while they were playing cards.
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| Matthew Frank Roswarski, c.1920 | Matthew Frank Roswarski, c.1920 |
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| Matthew & Theresa (Bollock) Roswarski, c. early-1920s | Theresa & Matthew Roswarski, 1930s |
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| The Roswarski House at 21st and Hall Streets, 1940s |
Matthew Roswarski was working as a janitor at Purdue University and was washing windows at Ag Hall on a very hot day in August, 1944, when he had a heart attack. He died a few days later on August 12, 1944, at the age of 49.
Paul Eugene Ross
My grandfather, Paul Eugene Roswarski,was born October 3, 1928. He began working at the Monon Shops at age 16, in 1944, shortly after the death of his father. He married Ruth Esther Zeigler, January 28, 1950. One June 10, 1950, he changed his name from Paul E. Roswarski to Paul E. Ross. My father, Jerry Paul Ross, was born February 2, 1952. Randall Lee “Randy” Ross was born April 24, 1954.
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| Ruth, Jerry Paul, and Paul Ross, January, 1952 | The Ross house, c.1956 |
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| 12-25-1955 Jerry, Paul, Ruth, Randy at Grandma Roswarski's house | 12-25-1955 My dad (Jerry) in a classic 1950s picture |
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| September, 1970. My dad in his 1966 Chevelle |