# Dad Ross — Oil! character guide > Dad Ross in Oil! by Upton Sinclair. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Dad, II Dad, Meantime Dad, kind old Dad, The same old Dad **First appearance:** 0001-oil ## Who they are A self-made oil magnate with calloused hands and a soft heart, drilling wells and buying land while quietly dreading the labor storm he can feel coming. ## Relationships ### [Bunny Ross](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/characters/bunny_ross) _family_ Bunny and Dad Ross share a close, often tense father-daughter bond marked by his protective yet controlling nature. ### [Paul Watkins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/characters/paul_watkins) _rivalry_ Dad Ross views Paul as a threat to his daughter and family, leading to open hostility and manipulation. ### [Harvey Manning](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/characters/harvey_manning) _professional_ Dad Ross and Harvey Manning are business partners or employer-employee in the oil industry, with mutual respect. ### [Aunt Allie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/characters/aunt_allie) _family_ Aunt Allie and Dad Ross are siblings who share a strained but familial bond, often disagreeing on family matters. ### [Eli Watkins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/characters/eli_watkins) _professional_ Dad Ross and Eli Watkins are business rivals in the oil industry, competing for land and resources. ### [Bunny Ross](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/characters/bunny_ross) _family_ Bunny and Dad Ross share a close, often tense father-daughter bond marked by his protective yet controlling nature. ### [Bunny Ross](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/characters/bunny_ross) _family_ Bunny and Dad Ross share a close, often tense father-daughter bond marked by his protective yet controlling nature. ### [Paul Watkins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/characters/paul_watkins) _rivalry_ Dad Ross views Paul as a threat to his daughter and family, leading to open hostility and manipulation. ### [Harvey Manning](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/characters/harvey_manning) _professional_ Dad Ross and Harvey Manning are business partners or employer-employee in the oil industry, with mutual respect. ### [Paul Watkins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/characters/paul_watkins) _rivalry_ Dad Ross views Paul as a threat to his daughter and family, leading to open hostility and manipulation. ### [Eli Watkins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/characters/eli_watkins) _professional_ Dad Ross and Eli Watkins are business rivals in the oil industry, competing for land and resources. ### [Aunt Allie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/characters/aunt_allie) _family_ Aunt Allie and Dad Ross are siblings who share a strained but familial bond, often disagreeing on family matters. ## In the story ### [Oil!](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/oil) The father figure, involved in oil dealings and representing pragmatic capitalism. ### [I: The Ride](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/i-the-ride) J. Arnold Ross, oil operator, reflects on his past and teaches Bunny about business and life. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/i) The father, a disciplined driver who maintains a strict speed of fifty miles per hour and embodies the ethics of motoring. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ii) The father, a powerful man driving fast to a business meeting with Ben Skutt, embodying the force of capital and industry. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iii) The father, a meticulous and determined driver who challenges speed laws and has a history with Judge Larkey. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iv) Drives the car, shares maxims about machinery, tips generously, and joins the chase with sporting spirit. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vi) Drives, discusses oil and land, tips the waitress generously, and complains about speed traps. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vii) Drives the car, explains the tricks of real estate and roadside commerce, and has a scheduled business meeting with Ben Skutt. ### [II: The Lease](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ii-the-lease) Gives a speech at the lease meeting, threatening to take his business elsewhere to pressure the landowners into agreement. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vii) Leads the lease negotiations, using tactics to pressure the landowners into agreement. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ix) Decides to abandon the lease deal after the fight and plans to pursue another lease. ### [III: The Drilling](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iii-the-drilling) Teaches Bunny the oil business, oversees the successful Ross-Bankside No. 1 well, and comments on the Bonanza Syndicate scandal. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/i) The impatient boss waiting for the drilling rig to arrive; he has signed a lease and is overseeing the operation. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ii) Negotiates with Mr. Ascott and bribes Mr. Benzinger to expedite his drilling plans, teaching Bunny about business pragmatism. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iii) Mentioned as being out in the field with the geologist; Bunny knows Dad is emphatic about offset wells and won't take a small lease. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iv) Supervises the drilling operation, teaches Bunny the business, and gives the signal to start the engine. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/v) Quickly leases a beach house and manages the family's move; proud of his mother's painting. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vi) Fusses over drilling mishaps, fires and rehires workers, and frets about the shiftlessness of his men. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vii) Brings in the Ross-Bankside No. 1 well, explains the oil game's risks, and deals with drilling troubles at Lobos River. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/viii) Dad is the experienced, hands-on operator who manages the drilling, prevents accidents, and insists on careful core-sampling and cementing to ensure the well comes in safely. ### [IV: The Ranch](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iv-the-ranch) Discovers oil on the ranch and buys it from the Watkinses for a low price, instructing Bunny to keep the oil a secret; dismisses Paul's concerns. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/i) Mentioned as the father who avoids discussing his ex-wife and keeps his affairs private. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ii) Expands his oil operations after the success of Ross-Bankside No. 1, but agrees to Bunny's request for a trip. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iii) Drives the car, gives Bunny advice about not mentioning oil. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iv) Leads the camping trip, cooks the meal, and diplomatically handles Abel Watkins' religious questions. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/v) Sets up camp, lies about the Church of the True Word to silence Mr. Watkins, dismisses the earthquake as local, and avoids the Watkins' religious excitement. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vi) Hunts with Bunny, discovers the oil seep, and schemes to buy the Watkins ranch without revealing its value. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vii) Offers to buy the Watkins ranch and pay off the mortgage. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/viii) Executes the purchase of the Watkins ranch and begins a secret land-buying campaign in Paradise. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ix) Dad is preoccupied with oil deals and dismissive of Paul, referring to him as a 'queer-looking chap.' ### [V: The Revelation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/v-the-revelation) Profits from war by selling oil to both sides, gives Bunny a car and a serious talk about smoking, drinking, and women. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/i) Gives Bunny a serious talk about driving, smoking, drinking, and women, revealing his own past struggles and double standards. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ii) Expands oil operations, becomes the biggest independent operator, and waits to drill at Paradise. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iii) Profits from war by selling oil to both sides; goes quail hunting; proposes starting a new religion to prevent girls from being beaten. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iv) Attempts to preach the Third Revelation to the Watkins family, suggesting Paul as its messenger, but is challenged by Eli. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/v) Inspects the domain, plans improvements, and dismisses Eli's preaching as degrading lunacy. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vi) Negotiates with Paul to work the ranch, shows interest in scientific ideas, and plans to build a shack on the property. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vii) Negotiates the Bandy ranch purchase, decides to drill on the Watkins place after hearing about Excelsior Petroleum, and shows his protective and strategic nature toward Bunny. ### [VI: The Wildcat](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vi-the-wildcat) Laughs off the burned derrick, hires Paul, manipulates road repairs, and reveals his bitter views on women and money. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/i) Decides to drill the well, negotiates with contractors and county officials, and justifies bribery as a necessary business practice. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ii) Negotiates a corrupt deal with Jake Coffey for a road to the Paradise tract, explaining the realities of political machinery to Bunny. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iii) Plans the bunkhouse, signs the road petition, and pays Paul five dollars a day. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iv) Explains to Bunny his harsh views on money and women, rooted in his wife's abandonment; his drive for success is motivated by proving himself. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/v) Oversees the well and invites Eli Watkins to speak. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vi) Takes charge of the accident scene, retrieves the body, and tries to teach Bunny about the costs of the oil game; shows his care for his men. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vii) Orders equipment and manages the well, showing both caution and excitement. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/viii) Takes charge of the firefighting efforts, retrieves dynamite, and comforts Bunny after the well is capped. ### [VII: The Strike](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vii-the-strike) Dad is financially constrained by the Employers' Federation, unable to grant concessions despite his sympathy for the eight-hour day, and struggles to explain the realities of business to Bunny. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/i) Busy with the expansion of the oil field, Dad is pragmatic and focused on technical and financial details, leaving social issues for later. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ii) Debates unions with Paul, admits to belonging to the Petroleum Employers' Federation, but is too busy with business to engage deeply with labor issues. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iii) Attends the Federation meeting, argues for the men's side but is overruled; explains to Bunny the financial realities that bind him to the open-shop crowd. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iv) Defends the need for guards and insurance, is preoccupied with the financial losses from the shut-in wells, and makes a concession to let strikers stay in the bunkhouse. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/v) Offered to keep Paul on during the strike but accepted his resignation without hard feelings. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vi) Returns from the strike scene, tries to mediate between family and workers, and faces financial strain. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vii) Insists on the harsh realities of capitalism and the law of strikes, pressuring his men to return to work despite the consequences. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/viii) Referenced as being tied to the operators and financially troubled due to the strike. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ix) Receives the news early in the morning, expresses relief that wells can resume production, and acknowledges he couldn't have held on another week without the intervention. ### [VIII: The War](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/viii-the-war) Happy with new oil gushers and development; tactfully sympathetic to Bunny's distress, but avoids direct discussion. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/i) Mentioned as the giver of Bunny's new car, indicating his wealth and generosity. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ii) Bunny's father; questions Bunny about Eunice and advises him to 'take it easy.' ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iii) Cool, slow-moving father focused on settling the strike and selling oil to the government, skeptical of grand ideals. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iv) Offers to get Paul exempted from the draft, has power over the exemption board. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/v) Notices Bunny's declining health and confronts him about his late hours. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vi) Happy with new oil gusher and development plans. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/viii) Expresses horror at the Bolshevik Revolution and its consequences, urging Bunny to consider his responsibilities. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ix) Arranges temptations to keep Bunny at Paradise; is gentle and sympathetic, understanding Bunny's turmoil without speaking of it. ### [IX: The Victory](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ix-the-victory) Reluctantly accepts Bunny's wish for college, organizes family excursion to visit Paul, discusses Russian Revolution with Paul, arranges for Bunny to avoid overseas service, moves to a palace in Angel City and plans Ross Consolidated. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/i) Organizes the excursion, debates Paul about the Russian Revolution, defends American and allied perspectives. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ii) Influences Bunny's placement in officer's training camp; his forebodings about the war are mentioned. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iv) Deeply moved, he asks Bunny to stay and help; begins negotiations with Vernon Roscoe for a merger. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/v) Drives Bunny to Paradise; compares war to a fire in a tank-farm; debates the Bolshevik Revolution with Paul. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vi) Quietly influences Bunny's assignment to military transportation to keep him from going overseas. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vii) Has moved the family to a palace in Angel City and is finalizing the Ross Consolidated corporation, justifying the complex financial structure as standard business practice. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ix) Dad wields mysterious power to secure Bunny's furlough, becomes vice-president of Ross Consolidated, and offers Bunny a position in the oil business. ### [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/x) Takes charge of finding Paul by calling Jake Coffey and using his political influence to get a War Department inquiry; jokes with Ruth about her geography knowledge. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/xi) Initially shocked and disappointed by Bunny's announcement, he fears college will alienate Bunny from the oil industry and family values, but ultimately concedes. ### [X: The University](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/x-the-university) Wealthy oil man who worries about his son's education and political views; probes Bunny's mind and blames the university for his idealism. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/i) Visits the university, impressed by its buildings and President Cowper, and approves of the institution's money-conscious ethos. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iii) Explains the Allied intervention in Russia and the need for censorship; later becomes disturbed by Bunny's revelations about the secret treaties. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iv) Referenced as someone who might be able to help the soldiers in Siberia if he knew the truth. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/v) Worried about Paul's letter but preoccupied with oil wells and market gyrations. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vii) The elder Ross is dissatisfied with Wilson's diplomacy, prioritizes oil interests, and suspects the university is corrupting Bunny's practical sense. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/viii) Hosts Irving at Paradise, proudly shows off the refinery and chemist McEnnis, discusses oil politics and the need for a business president. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ix) Makes a jest about Bertie's possible wedding to Eldon, but is frozen out by Bertie. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/xi) Attended President Wilson's speech in Angel City with Bunny. ### [XI: The Rebel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/xi-the-rebel) Attends a Socialist meeting with Bunny, horrified by the radical crowd and its implications for his oil business. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iii) Mentioned as having gone to Lobos River, missing the first meeting with Paul. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/xi) Supports Bunny without question, understanding his son's mind and the inevitability of generational mistakes. ### [XII: The Siren](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/xii-the-siren) Continues to run the oil company, longing for Bunny's interest; defends the oil business as necessary; agrees to fund the purchase of the Republican convention. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/i) Seen as an old horse in a treadmill, devoted to the oil business, unaware of Bunny's doubts. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ii) Present at Paradise, greeting Roscoe and discussing development on the Bandy tract. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iii) Hosts Vernon Roscoe and agrees to fund the political scheme to secure oil rights. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iv) Present at dinner, teased by Roscoe about needing a girl, blushing like an old maid. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/v) Defends his actions as necessary for survival in the oil industry, argues that politics is just part of the game. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/xi) Dad Ross navigates the financial panic, lays off workers, and reluctantly gives Eli Watkins $500. ### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/xii) Alarmed by Bunny's request, he is skeptical of the labor college and fears it will promote socialism. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iii) Explains to Bunny the domestic arrangements at the Monastery, including Annabelle Ames's role as Vernon Roscoe's mistress. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ii) Refuses to intervene in other departments' firing of union men, prioritizing organizational harmony. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iii) Mentioned as one of the voices echoing 'Why not?' in Bunny's mind. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vi) Bunny's father, who is delighted by the news of Bunny's relationship with Vee and sees her as a good match. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ix) Reluctantly agrees to Bunny's plan to post bail, though worried about publicity. ### [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/x) Uses his wealth and connections to bribe Ben Skutt for Chaim's release. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/xi) Dad Ross telephones Vee and pressures her to keep Bunny away from socialists, promising to remember her in his will. ### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/xii) Mentioned as having presented Vee with a pearl collar and headdress. ### [XV: The Vacation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/xv-the-vacation) Plans a vacation to Canada with Vee and Bunny to keep Bunny away from the labor troubles; trusts Vernon Roscoe completely. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/i) Carries the burden of the campaign, swears outrageously, and wishes he had left politics to others. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ii) Implied as a powerful figure who could intervene for the prisoners but won't; previously gave Eli $500. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iii) Mentioned as having a copy of the new wage schedule; Bunny acts without telling him. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iv) Ailing and manipulated by Verne, he asks Bunny to accompany him to a New York conference. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/v) Accompanies Bunny and Vee, paying all bills and lending his respectable presence to legitimize their arrangement. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vi) Sent home in a taxi after the theatre; likely behind Vee's efforts to distract Bunny from labor politics. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vii) Attends to business in the East, planning a Canadian corporation to bribe government officials for oil leases; defends Vernon Roscoe and the scheme. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/viii) Bunny suspects he may have known about the arrest; he is out when the telegram arrives. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ix) Accompanies Bunny and Vee to the camp; mentioned as part of the vacation group. ### [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/x) Arranges the tutoring and approves of Vee's flirtation as good business. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/xi) Travels to Toronto to finalize his Canadian corporation; receives telegrams about the strike's end. ### [XVI: The Killing](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/xvi-the-killing) Dismisses Carberry's lease, negotiates with Pete O'Reilly, and later reveals Ben Skutt's fraudulent title-scheme. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iii) Profiting immensely from the oil boom, scheming to make tens of millions. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iv) Acts as intermediary between Bunny and Vernon Roscoe, showing discomfort with the situation. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/v) Dad appeals to Vee to keep Bunny away from radicals, showing his concern over Bunny's political leanings. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vi) Negotiates with Old Pete O'Reilly about new leases; reveals the financial and political difficulties of securing government oil leases. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vii) Mentioned in relation to his business affairs and political pull in Washington; Bertie hopes to use his influence to secure a diplomatic post for Eldon Burdick. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/viii) Dad is worried about the Navy's move on the Sunnyside reserve but later announces the leases have been approved and plans a trip with Bunny. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ix) Explains to Bunny how Ben Skutt extorted money from lot owners through a quitclaim deed scheme. ### [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/x) Thrilled by the new oil development, dismisses Bunny's concerns about corruption as 'jist politics' and refuses to investigate Vernon Roscoe's dealings. ### [XVII: The Exposure](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/xvii-the-exposure) Reluctantly supports Bunny's demands, conveys ultimatum to Vernon Roscoe, and arranges a fund for education. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/i) Has spells of bad health and relies on Bunny to drive him to Paradise. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ii) Reluctantly conveys Bunny's demands to Vernon Roscoe, secretly proud of his son's nerve. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/v) Listens to Eli's sermons during his daily walks; originally inspired Eli's religious ideas. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vi) Dismisses government corruption as proof that business should control oil lands; suffers anxiety over the blackmail threat. ### [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/x) Shocked and saddened by Bunny's decision, tries to dissuade him but ultimately cannot. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/xi) Suffers a severe flu that keeps Bunny home; later proposes a compromise giving Bunny a thousand dollars a month for educational work. ### [XVIII: The Flight](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/xviii-the-flight) Recovering from illness, anxious about the oil lease investigation, fleeing to Europe. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/i) Slowly recovering from illness, reads Bunny's paper with loving censorship, manages oil business from home. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ii) Takes malicious delight in Eli's scandals and discovers Eli's hotel tryst. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iii) Alarmed by the Congressional investigation of oil leases, which threatens his interests. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iv) Flees to Canada to avoid Senate investigators and subpoenas related to the Canadian corporation. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/v) Flees to Canada and then Europe, holds court with businessmen on the train, defends the leases, shows signs of weakening. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vi) Arrives in London a poor sailor, forlorn, but is revived by Vernon Roscoe's boisterous encouragement. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vii) Shows no interest in historical sites; is impressed by Rachel Menzies's writing. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/viii) Ill and bored in Europe, contemptuous of the idle rich, prefers company of other American businessmen. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ix) Enjoys Paris, meets Annabelle Ames, and is urged by Verne to remain in Europe to suppress the Canadian corporation scandal. ### [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/x) Old, tired, and sick, he finds comfort in Spiritualism after Aunt Emma's marriage, attending séances and believing he spoke with his mother. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/xi) Discusses the disappearance with Bunny and recalls seeing Eli at the beach hotel. ### [XIX: The Penalty](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/xix-the-penalty) Marries Alyse, gives Bunny a million dollars in stock, then dies of double pneumonia while Bunny is at sea. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/i) Enjoys the premieres with enthusiasm and attends a séance in Vienna with Mrs. Olivier's letter. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ii) Mentioned as being involved in the lease of a Romanian oil field to an American syndicate, a fact Bunny conceals. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iii) Unworried about legal troubles, absorbed in spiritualist sessions with Mrs. Olivier and a new medium. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iv) Mentioned as someone who would have called both Paul and Eli crazy. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vii) Used by Bunny to distract Vee with a séance invitation. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ix) Gives Bunny a million-dollar stock gift, marries Alyse, and plans a Spiritualist honeymoon. ### [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/x) Dies of double pneumonia; his spirit is said to have passed on, and he forgives Bunny and Bertie. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/ii) Dad Ross is deceased; his estate is in chaos, with no will found and his business holdings in jeopardy. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/iv) Deceased; his missing securities and alleged arrangements with Mrs. Olivier are central to the legal dispute. Bunny recalls his secretive financial habits. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/vii) Appears posthumously through a séance transcript, with a specific detail about gold teeth that unsettles Bunny. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/i) Mentioned in Bunny's memory of Paradise and quail. ### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/chapters/xii) Mentioned as having been drunk at the Admiralty Hotel with Bunny. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/characters/dad_ross - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/oil_se/characters