Commerce

1776 — pp. vi, (2), 262. LACKS 2 pages of advertisements. Slight loss at bottom of pp. 235/236. 8vo. 210 mm. Full leather binding; boards detached. Full title: SIX SKETCHES ON THE HISTORY OF MAN. Containing, the Progress of Men as Individuals. I. The Diversity of Men, and Languages. II. Of Food, and Population. III. Of Property. IV. The Origin and Progress of Commerce. V. The Origin and Progress of Arts. VI. The Progress of the Female Sex. With an Appendix, concerning, the Propagation of Animals, and the care of their Offspring. Age stain. Foxed. Loss bottom margin and a few lines of text on pages 235 & 236. Manuscript ownership of Robert Ross on title page. Capt. Robert Ross (1753-1823) was born in Lancaster, PA, and died in Nicholson Twp, Fayette Co. PA. In 1776 Robert took the oath of allegiance before Col. Miller of Lancaster Co. PA. and enlisted in the Revolutionary War as a private in Capt. James Taylor's company, 4th Penn. Battalion. Ross was regimental color bearer in 1776, under Gen. Anthony Wayne, at the storming of Stony Point (NY). In 1779 at Brandywine and through the Canadian campaign to the close of the war. Robert Ross fought also in the Indian Wars of 1790-1794. Robert Ross was an early settler, of Nicholson Twp. It does not appear that in the early part of the Revolutionary war he was reckoned among the adherents of the patriot cause, but in June, 1779, he took the oath of allegiance to Pennsylvania, and afterwards served to the end of the war under General Wayne. At the close of the struggle he, like thousands of others, was paid the arrears due him for services in Continental money, which was depreciated to one-fortieth of its face value. He afterwards served in the various Indian campaigns in Ohio and Indiana, rising to the rank of captain. In the Whiskey Insurrection of 1794, Capt. Ross was on the side of the insurgents, and commanded a company of about one hundred men of the western and southwestern parts of the county, a part of the (supposed) available force of the insurrectionists to be used in opposition to the government. At the head of this company Capt. Ross marched to Uniontown in August, 1794, to raise the 'liberty poles' in the town, and two miles south of it at Gaddis' place. When Gen. Lee came in with his army to suppress the insurrection, a squadron of cavalry was sent towards the Monogahela for the capture of Robert Ross as insurgent leader, but the expedition was unsuccessful. Evans 14801. Scarce. EVANS1