 He was educated in England, joined the British army in 1855, and commissioned in 1856.Ross was appointed to South Australia in 1862 as head of the Commissariat Department and was briefly aide-de-camp to Governor Daly.On 10 August 1865 in Adelaide he married Mary Anstice (d.1867), daughter of John Baker, and bought "Highercombe" at Gumeracha.