Henry Ross Limited? need info.

[Peter Drescher]

My father owns a wood canvas canoe, (without canvas) that he has had for a number of years in his barn. I was examining it the other day to see if I could identify it or get some history on it. It has decals on the bow and stern plates that say ...ry Ross Limited and below that "Loretteville, QUE". I searched a bit on line and found a snow shoe company named Henry Ross Limited. I am going to assume that is the canoe maker. My question is:
Anyone know more information about this company? Is there a serial number somewhere on these canoes? Is there any way to trace a history the way you can with Old Town's? It is a nice canoe, or could be, it needs restoration, but has a unique style to it and seems to be thinner profile than I am familiar with. Anyways, any info. would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[peterng]

revival

I wanted to revive this thread in hopes that someone might have some info on henry ross ltd.

Anything at all ??
Thanks,
Pete

 

[Bob Holtzman]

Peter,
I'll bet you found this, but just in case not:
http://www.archivescanada.ca/englis...2&l=0&lvl=1&v=0&coll=1&itm=242291&rt=1&bill=1
Reference is to photos of a trade show display by Ross in England. Since they don't use snowshoes in the UK, maybe he was displaying canoes? Doesn't look promising, but thin leads may be better than none.

 

[peterng]

Bob,

Thanks for your efforts. I don't know why I get so intrigued by the source of these items. Probably the same reason why I need more than one pair of snowshoes and more than one canoe eh?
Pete

 

[Kathryn Klos]

Any pictures of the Ross canoe?

 

[northern canoer]

Hi - my gr gr grandfather was Henry Ross of Loretteville Quebec and he owned the Henry Ross comapny that made snwoshoes. I hadn't heard they made canoes but maybe they did. Or perhaps the cane seats?

I'd love to hear how your father came about the canoe? And perhaps a picture? Are you in Canada somewhere?

 

[kipper1]

northern canoer i have an old padde

Hi - my gr gr grandfather was Henry Ross of Loretteville Quebec and he owned the Henry Ross comapny that made snwoshoes. I hadn't heard they made canoes but maybe they did. Or perhaps the cane seats?

I'd love to hear how your father came about the canoe? And perhaps a picture? Are you in Canada somewhere?

this old paddle has a sticker with Henry Ross Limited on it with a silhouette of a beaver. I think your grandfathers company made it. I can send you a picture of the paddle if you wish
thanx! kipper1 Belleville, Ont.

 

[burred]

The Henry Ross Company Ltd employed Quebec Huron Natives to make canoes, paddles, moccasins, slippers, snowshoes and other native crafts for quite a few years in the late 1890's to the early 1900's. If your canoe is a HRC Ltd canoe, you have quite the collectors item! I looked up this company when I found an old pair of sealskin moccasins with the company logo still intact inside.

 

[MateoTimateo]

Apologies for the necro.

I have been looking for information on a pair of snowshoes that were given to me as a gift in the summer of 2011. They were purchased at the Brimfield Antique Show in Brimfield, Massachusetts. The frame and lacing were in pretty good shape, and with some fine grit sandpaper and spar varnish I got them up and running for the winter. They have been my go-to powder snowshoes since. I had them out just last weekend after the first winter storm of the season in western Massachusetts.

The label was difficult to read (see below) and I have been searching for information on “Henry Rossi Limited” all this time. Earlier today it occurred to me to search “Henry Ross Limited” instead, and this thread popped up.

​

I am a raquette anorak, and if there is anything more you would be willing and able to share with me about your great-great-grandfather and his business I would love to know!

 

[Graham]

There was a canoe builder, JH Ross, in Orillia, well established by 1911. Maybe related?

 

[northern canoeist]

picture of paddle

this old paddle has a sticker with Henry Ross Limited on it with a silhouette of a beaver. I think your grandfathers company made it. I can send you a picture of the paddle if you wish
thanx! kipper1 Belleville, Ont.

Hi - I would love to get a picture if possible! Finally reconnected with this site. It was my Gr Gr grandfather company Henry Ross Ltd in Jeune Lorette Que that made the snowshoes, moccasins, canoes so would love pictures (until I can actually own one!)

 

[Homebilt]

My father was a tourist outfitter in northern Ontario and Quebec taking Americans on extended canoe trips lasting up to 2 months from 1905 to 1937. Then he stooped, got married at the age of 53 and I was born in 1938. He used Ross canoes exclusively. Now at the age of 77 I would like to restore one for my family in his memory. Would this canoe be available for sale? If so please e mail me at cfwqi1421@gmail.com. My name is Robert Melville and I currently live in Nova Scotia, Canada. I can drive to pick up a canoe anywhere on the east coast.Thank you. If you mail me personally I won't have to revisit this forum.

My father owns a wood canvas canoe, (without canvas) that he has had for a number of years in his barn. I was examining it the other day to see if I could identify it or get some history on it. It has decals on the bow and stern plates that say ...ry Ross Limited and below that "Loretteville, QUE". I searched a bit on line and found a snow shoe company named Henry Ross Limited. I am going to assume that is the canoe maker. My question is:
Anyone know more information about this company? Is there a serial number somewhere on these canoes? Is there any way to trace a history the way you can with Old Town's? It is a nice canoe, or could be, it needs restoration, but has a unique style to it and seems to be thinner profile than I am familiar with. Anyways, any info. would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Mark Beese]

Hi - my gr gr grandfather was Henry Ross of Loretteville Quebec and he owned the Henry Ross comapny that made snwoshoes. I hadn't heard they made canoes but maybe they did. Or perhaps the cane seats?

I'd love to hear how your father came about the canoe? And perhaps a picture? Are you in Canada somewhere?

I just bought a 15’ Henry Ross. Would love to learn more

 

[Murat V]

Found some biographical info on Henry Ross at:
https://cousinsam.blogspot.com/2011/03/henry-ross-chart-r-6-bio-exhibits.html

Explains that he was appointed Agent of Indian Affairs for the government in 1890 and moved to Jeune Lorette (now Wendake) near Quebec City. There he setup a factory next to his home and employed locals to make canoes, snowshoes and moccasins as well as operating a general store. Henry died in 1926 but it is likely the company continued after his death. One of surviving sons, Percy Drummond Ross, continued to live there until 1938

 

[Andre Cloutier]

Reviving this thread, collected a really nice paddle today - very well made, shaft tapered to oval at the handle, very nice in the hand and a great decal.