Book explores life in a Methodist family
Jane Ross, 89, of Jefferson Township, recently self-published her 220-page book, “The Life and Times of One Methodist Parsonage Family,” about growing up in a strict religious family in Greene County.
Larry Jewell stands outside Buckeye Coal Co. in the 1940s. His daughter, Jane Ross, 89, of Jefferson Township, recently self-published her 220-page book, “The Life and Times of One Methodist Parsonage Family.”
KHEDIVE – An 89-year-old Jefferson Township woman this week sold the first copy of her new self-published book about growing up Methodist in Greene County.
Jane Ross, a member of the Jefferson United Methodist Church for more than 50 years, started writing the book, “The Life and Times of One Methodist Parsonage Family,” a decade ago.
“Things in my life were slowing down, and my husband was not well,” Ross said. “I just started writing. My purpose was to preserve my memories.”
Ross’ book, which is 220 pages, tells about her life growing up in a strict Free Methodist family of seven. It follows the story of her father, Larry Jewell, a wild “bad boy” who, before he was married with children, rode around on horses with a belligerent “gang” of trigger-happy buddies.
“His family had pretty much given up on him,” Ross said.
Her father was known as “H. B.,” short for “Hell-Bent,” until he walked into a Methodist revival meeting in Warren County, Ross said.
“He was so sick of being sinful,” she said. “In 15 minutes, all of the evil stuff came out of him and he was changed.”
Not long after that, her father became a Methodist pastor and married her mother, Mary Jewell. They had five children Cora, Jane, Nellie, Louis and Douglas. All but Louis are still alive.
As a family, they moved to different parishes around Western Pennsylvania every three years before ending up in Greene County in 1939. Her father pastored the Fairdale Free Methodist Church and worked for Buckeye Coal Co. in Nemacolin.
Her husband, Ray Ross, also worked for Buckeye as a coal miner. Ross, who died in 2010, was a World War II army veteran stationed in the Philippines and Okinawa.
Just one week before they were married in June of 1947, when she was 19, Ross’ 15-year-old brother Louis died. He and Ray were swimming in the creek at Stony Point when Louis drowned.
“It was beyond words for our whole family,” Ross said about her brother’s death. “It couldn’t have been worse.”
Ross and her husband built the house where she still lives on Havers Hill Road in Jefferson Township.
They raised three daughters Margaret, Patricia and Judith, and Ross now has four grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Ross said her life’s work serving in Methodist churches has paid off with “a good feeling in my spirit.”
“My family has all been taught to trust in God and my children – each one is in church and that’s another blessing,” Ross said. “It’s a lot to be thankful for.”
Her first book signing is set for 2:30 to 5 p.m. March 19 at the Jefferson Community Center. The book can be purchased for $12, plus shipping.
“My hope is that when people read this, they’ll feel the need to become a Christian,” Ross said.