M. 19 Apr 1826 in Bound Brook, New Jersey
Husband: James Ross
D. 13 May 1886 in South Branch, New Jersey
When Alletta Van Arsdalen was near the end of her life, she sought the familiar community of her childhood home. Alletta was born in Somerset County, New Jersey on May 7, 1803 to Christopher Van Arsdalen and Sarah Dumont, the youngest of their six children. Her name was written as "Alche” on her baptism, which was a Dutch variation of Alletta, but her parents called her "Letty." The place where Alletta grew up was a rural area, made up of many Dutch families who had farmed there for generations. Alletta’s father had served in the American Revolution, and it’s easy to imagine she heard firsthand stories of that historical time.
Alletta's birth listed in her parents' family bible.
In 1814, a woman named Alche Van Deventer left Alletta $50 in her will. Her mother and sister were also left bequests by Mrs. Van Deventer, but they were smaller; this suggests that the woman may have had a special relationship with Alletta, perhaps as a godmother. Along with the money, Alletta also received “two suits of wearing apparel.” Presumably, the clothing was put away for future use, although it was likely out-of-style by the time she was old enough to wear it.
On March 29, 1826, Alletta married James Ross at the Dutch Reformed Church in Bound Brook. They set up their household on a nearby farm, and three sons were born between 1829 and 1836. When the youngest was 3-years-old, the family made a decision to leave the area to move out west, and Alletta's father loaned them $500 to get started in a new home. Alletta said goodbye to her elderly parents knowing she’d likely never see them again; her father died in 1840, and her mother in 1846.
The place where Alletta and James settled was Jersey County, Illinois, located on the Mississippi River north of St. Louis. As the name implies, Jersey County had many other young farmers who had come from New Jersey, and no doubt some knew each other before they moved there. Alletta and James did well with their farm, which was worth $7,500 by 1850, and they soon became well-respected members of the community.
By 1860, all three of Alletta's sons had gotten married. While younger sons David and James were somewhat successful in life, her oldest son John seemed to be a troublemaker. In 1866, he was convicted of burglarizing a grocery store in Jerseyville, and was sent to Jolliet Prison. This must have been hard on Alletta and James, and the people of Jersey County took action by generating a petition for John’s release. It was suggested they were doing this mainly for the sake of the family; one signer even wrote next to his signature, "for his mother." As a result, John was pardoned by the governor after serving only one year of his 3-year sentence. After he was out of prison, he and his family lived adjacent to Alletta and James, but within a few years, he seems to have died.
Jerseyville in the late 19th century.
Alletta's life was upended in 1874 when James had a stroke that left him partially paralyzed, and he passed away four years later. Even though she still had her younger sons and many grandchildren around her, she decided to return to New Jersey, where she owned some property. Alletta seems to have been missed in the 1880 census, and it’s possible that she was in transit at that time.
By 1885, she was living in the home of Arthur and Catherine Schenck, a couple in their 40s; it isn’t known if they were related to her, or she was a boarder in their house. That year, she sold her New Jersey property for $1,400, and had a will made out. She left her assets to son James, who was described as an invalid; it’s likely she was afraid he couldn’t support his family. She also specified that if James died, her granddaughters would receive everything (curiously she didn’t provide for her grandsons), and that he would be buried in her husband’s plot. Sadly, son David had recently committed suicide back in Illinois, and therefore he was unmentioned from the will.
Alletta's signature on her will.
Alletta died on May 13, 1886 in the Schencks’ home in South Branch, New Jersey. After her death, an inventory was taken of her possessions that seemed to indicate she was living alone in one room, since there was only a bed, a chair and a dresser listed. She was buried in Raritan Cemetery in Somerville, New Jersey, but in her will also asked that she be given a gravestone next to her husband in Jerseyville, Illinois.
1. John Ross – B. 1829, (probably) Bound Brook, New Jersey; M. Ellen Ann Luckey (1829-1882), 3 Apr 1850, Jerseyville, Illinois
2. David R. Ross – B. 1831, Bound Brook, New Jersey; D. 16 Mar 1885, Jersey County, Illinois; M. Eliza McBride (1834-1904), 7 May 1885, Carrollton, Illinois
3. James Christopher Ross – B. 20 Mar 1836, (probably) Bound Brook, New Jersey; D. 27 Jan 1904, Jersey County, Illinois; M. Elizabeth J. Robinett (1842-1905), 22 Mar 1857, Jersey County, Illinois
Sources:
Family Bible of Christopher and Sarah Van Arsdalen
Death certificate of Alletta Ross, Somerville, New Jersey, 13 May 1886
Will of Alche Van Deventer, Piscataway, New Jersey, 23 Jun 1814
Will of Aletta Ross, South Branch, New Jersey, 1885-1886
Prison pardon file of John Ross, Jersey County, Illinois, 1867
1850, 1870 and 1880 U.S. Census, Illinois
Tombstone inscriptions, Oak Grove Cemetery, Jersey County, Illinois
Tombstone inscriptions, Oakwood Cemetery, Parsons, Kansas
Marriage certificate of John Ross and Ellen Ann Luckey, 6 Apr 1850, Jersey County, Illinois
Jersey County, Illinois obituary index
History of Jerseyville, Illinois, Reverend Marshall M.Cooper, 1901
Illinois statewide marriage index, 1763-1900
