Author: Ross, Alexander
Biography:
ROSS, Alexander (1699-1784: ODNB)
His poem was first published by subscription in 1768 and is included in the database because the 1804 edition was published with later works by other authors. He was born at Kincardine O’Neil, Aberdeenshire, to Margaret (Gellie) and Andrew Ross, a farmer. Educated first at the parish school, he entered Marischal College in 1714 and studied Greek (AM 1718). He became a tutor in the family of Sir William Forbes of Fintray House, Aberdeenshire, and then, successively, schoolmaster at Aboyne, Laurencekirk, and Lochlee. He married Jane Catenach in 1726; they had six children but just four daughters survived their parents. He knew James Beattie (q.v.) who organised the second edition of The Fortunate Shepherdess in 1778, renaming it “Helenore” and having it dedicated to the Duchess of Gordon. Ross died at Lochlee and was buried there. (ODNB 9 Sept. 2020; ancestry.co.uk 9 Sept. 2020) SR