J. K. L. Ross

Commander John Kenneth Leveson "Jack" Ross, CBE (31 March 1876 – 25 July 1951) was a Canadian businessman, sportsman, thoroughbred racehorse owner/breeder, and philanthropist. He is best remembered for winning the first United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in 1919 with his Hall of Fame colt, Sir Barton. In 1911, he set the world record for catching the largest tuna () by rod and line at St. Anns, Nova Scotia. After his father, he was the second Canadian to be made a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron.

Early life

Ross was born in Lindsay, Ontario, the only child of James Leveson Ross, who made his fortune constructing the Canadian Pacific Railway and become a prominent art collector and the first Canadian to be made a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron. His mother, Annie Kerr (1847–1915), was the daughter of John W. Kerr (1824–1904) of Kingston, New York, a prominent politician with the Democratic Party and formerly the Sheriff of Ulster County, New York.

Known as "Jack" to his friends, Ross grew up in Montreal's Golden Square Mile at his parents' French château-style mansion at 3644 Peel Street, designed by architect Bruce Price. The home was later bought by John W. McConnell and donated to McGill University, when it was renamed ''Chancellor Day Hall''. Ross was educated at Bishop's College School in Lennoxville, Quebec, and at McGill University. He was an enthusiastic squash and racquets player, and was on the McGill ice hockey team and a member of the university's Canadian football championship team.

Business ventures

In co-operation with prominent Montreal businessman Sir Herbert Holt and others, Ross established Côte St. Luc Realties in 1911, which built the town of Hampstead, Quebec. In 1909, a house was built for Ross in Montreal at 3647 Peel Street, opposite his father's mansion. Designed by Edward Maxwell and his brother William Maxwell, it is now known as J.K.L. Ross House and is occupied by the Biomedical Ethics Unit and the Department of Social Studies of Medicine of the McGill University Faculty of Medicine. After his father's death in 1913 (when he inherited $16 million), he moved back to his childhood home and used the second one to house guests, the newer one being too small for parties. It was purchased by Marianopolis College in 1961 and used as administration offices until 1976, when McGill University acquired the property.

At one time, his father owned a controlling interest in Dominion Coal Company and Dominion Iron and Steel Company. As a result, Ross built a summer home at St. Anns Bay in the northern part of Victoria County, Nova Scotia, on Cape Breton Island. After his father's death, Ross moved to Nova Scotia, where for a time he was involved in the management of the companies.

Tuna fishing

It was while at St. Anns, Nova Scotia, that Ross developed a passion for the sport of deep-sea fishing. He tackled the sport scientifically and was a pioneer among tuna anglers, developing fishing techniques that later became standard practice. He wrote two books on the subject, describing various discoveries and adventures. He had remarkable tenacity, bearing in mind that harnesses were not yet invented, on one occasion he fought a tuna for 19 hours before being forced to cut his line. On 28 August 1911, after a struggle of a mere four hours and forty five minutes, Ross landed a tuna which set a record for the largest fish caught with a rod and reel. The record held for several years until he himself bettered it by catching a tuna. That record was broken in 1950 by his son-in-law, Commander Duncan Hodgson, who in the same way landed a tuna off Cape Breton.

World War I

During World War I, Ross donated three large yachts for use in the war effort by the Royal Canadian Navy and took command of one of them, , in the North Atlantic. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for distinguished naval service. Afterwards, the media would commonly refer to him as "Commander J.K.L. Ross." Ross was the second Canadian (after his father) to be made a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron.

Philanthropy

James Ross had used his enormous wealth to become a major benefactor to Montreal, and his son continued the family's philanthropy. In 1916, acting on his late father's desire to support the Royal Victoria Hospital, Ross donated $1 million for the building of the first major addition to the hospital, which became known as the Ross Memorial Pavilion, one of Canada's first private patient pavilions.

During World War I, Ross donated $500,000 in cash to the Royal Navy. He also gave a further $500,000 to be distributed between the families of enlisted men killed in the war. He donated money to fund a new building (Ross Boarding House) at his ''alma mater'', Bishop's College School, Lennoxville, and also gave liberally to McGill University.

Thoroughbred racing

Ross owned several riding horses that led to an interest in Thoroughbred horse racing and breeding. In 1915, he purchased twelve Thoroughbreds that immediately paid dividends when Damrosch won the 1916 Preakness Stakes. Later that year, he acquired a farm property at Vercheres, Quebec where he established his own breeding operation. Ross contracted jockeys Earl Sande, Carroll Shilling and Johnny Loftus

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