Person:Ross Stout (1)

1880 Census Dist 114, Elk Dist. Harrison Co., West Virginia Stout, Benton W M 39 married farmer VA VA VA Stout, Josephine W F 35 wife married keeping house VA VA VA Stout, Ross W M 15 son WV VA VA Stout, Alfred W M 8 son WV VA VA Stout, Sara W F 6 dau WV VA VA Stout, Ella W F 3 day WV VA VA

Transcribed by Valerie Crook (vfcrook@earthlink.net) The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II, pg. 537 Harrison

ROSS FARIS STOUT. While in former years and at present a number of diverse interests claim his attention-mer- chandising, farming, stock dealing, coal operating-the dis- tinctive accomplishment most widely associated with the name of Ross Faris Stout is as a horseman, breeder and racer of some of the most notable animals owned in West Virginia. His home and business offices are in Clarksburg, and the citizenship of Harrison also recalls his record as a former sheriff of the county.

He was born on his father's farm five miles south of Clarksburg, October 2, 1864, being the oldest of the six children of Benton and Josephine (Faris) Stout. Five of these children are living. The parents were also born in Harrison County, and spent their lives here on a farm. Benton Stout was a very successful farmer and a highly respected citizen, lived to the age of seventy, and his wife is still living at the age of seventy-eight. They were active Methodists and reared their children in the same faith. Benton Stout was a democrat, but never a seeker for political honors. His parents were James M. and Celia (Basil) or (Bassel) Stout, natives of Harrison County. Josephine (Faris) Stout was a daughter of Ross and Sarah (Green) Faris, also natives of Harrison County.

Ross Faris Stout, who was named for his maternal grandfather, grew up on the farm, and there learned lessons of industry and perseverance that have been invaluable to him in all his subsequent experiences. He was his father's diligent helper on the farm until he was twenty-one and in the meantime acquired a common school education, supple- mented by the training of the school of experience. His first independent undertaking was as a merchant at Quiet Dell in Harrison County. The instinct and talents of a trader have always been prominent in Mr. Stout's character, and while he was a merchant at Quiet Dell, he engaged in trading in horses and cattle, and gradually developed an extensive business buying and shipping cattle. The last four years he was in this business he bought and shipped cattle for exporters. Beginning about 1896 Mr. Stout for ten years was in the lumber industry, operating a lumber camp in Webster County. Fire eventually destroyed the plant bringing him heavy losses. About that time he was also suffering ill health, and his physician advised a change of climate since his physical condition suggested tuberculosis. Acting on this advice Mr. Stout went to Denver, Colorado, and for two years lived in the high altitude. The second year of his residence there he became interested in gold mining, and ever since has had some interests in the mining of this precious metal, though never on a large scale.

On returning to West Virginia Mr. Stout resumed the operations of his timber claim in Webster County for about four years and in the meantime again dealt in cattle. At the end of this four years he was called back to Harrison County to take the management of the estate and affairs of his father who had recently died, leaving a farm of over eight hundred acres and a number of other interests. Since that date Mr. Stout's business affairs have largely revolved around the homestead farm. For years he was one of the leading dealers in cattle. In 1912 he was aaked to stand as democratic candidate for the office of treasurer and high sheriff of Harrison County, was nominated and elected, his official service of four years beginning in January, 1913, being an interruption to his regular business as a farmer and stock man and at the same time constituted a most efficient service to the county. When he went out of office his books balanced to a cent. The republican state auditor paid him the following tribute, "that his books were the very best kept in the state."

From boyhood Mr. Stout has been fond of horses and horse racing. While still on the old farm as a boy he became the owner of a standard bred horse. He suspected that his father's attitude toward horse racing was unfavorable, and therefore the training of the horse was conducted on a remote meadow at night. One night while returning the horse to the barn, his father inquired the meaning of the heavy pounding of the horse's feet on the turf, and the son gave a frank exposition of his plans to enter the horse in "the green ring" at the county fair. Mr. Stout will never forget his father's laconic reply: "Young man, horse racing is very uncertain." The truth of that statement has frequently been verified in his experience, for he has won many races he never expected to win, and lost many he never expected to lose.

Mr. Stout began his active career as a racer about 1908. Since then he has owned and raced many standard bred horses including the following: Major Hunter, M. F. D., Major Stout, Lord Stout, Blanche Carter, Lotto Watts, Birdona, Lady Venus, Lady Bennett, King Stout, L. Stout, El Canto and Lord Roberts. He has had a few pacers in his stables. Besides owning a string of horses that have appeared at a number of circuits, Mr. Stout is senior member of the firm Ross F. Stout and Brothers, and ranks as one of the leading breeders of standard bred horses in the East. Their stock farm embraces the old homestead in Harrison County. The brothers associated with him are Alfonso and Carl C. Stout. In their stables they own and keep several standard bred mares, including Blanche Carter and others, while their stallions are El Canto sired by San Francisco, and Lord Roberts sired by Aaron.

As noted above Mr. Stout has his home in Clarksburg, his business offices being in the Union Bank Building. He has a number of business connections, and some years ago became interested in coal mining, and as an owner has de- veloped some valuable property now leased. He is vice president and director of the Clarksburg Trust Company and president of the Greenview Brick Company of Clarksburg. Mr. Stout is a Knight Templar and a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner, an Odd Fellow, and has been affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church since he was twenty years of age.

During a portion of his boyhood on the old home farm there lived in the same community Thomas Johnston and family. On leaving West Virginia, Mr. Johnston removed to Brooklyn, New York, taking his family, including his daughter, Minnie C., then about twelve years of age. Mr. Stout never forgot this companion of his youth and in later years through correspondence arranged a visit, and from that visit there resulted a marriage in 1893. Mr. and Mrs. Stout became the parents of three sons. The oldest Johnston Stout was killed at the age of thirteen in his father's lumber camp. The second son, Ross F. Stout, Jr., died at the age of two years. The youngest son and the only one now living is Edson Stout, age seventeen.

1. ↑ West Virginia, United States. Vital Research Records Search Selection. (West Virginia, United States: West Virginia Archives and History).

   http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view.aspx?Id=30936&Type=Birth

2. ↑ Rootsweb chart of Bill Stout: 12 Generations of Descendants of John Stout wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.
3.   United States. 1880 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication T9)
   Elk Dist., Harrison Co., West Virginia.