Frederick B. Ramige (1848-1923)

RAMIGE

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 8/16/2022 at 17:47:52

Frederick B. Ramige
(December 29, 1848 - November 19, 1923)

The subject of this personal narative is one of the most enterprising and prosperous farmers within the borders of Lake Creek township. He has made his special field of industry an eminent success, and is highly esteemed and respected by all with whom he is brought in contact either in business or social life. Mr. Ramige was born in Tazewell County, Illinois, December 29, 1848, and is a son of George and Barbara (Eyer) Ramige, both of whom were natives of Germany, the former born October 26, 1810, the latter February 24, 1813. The father was eighteen years of age when he came to this country, and for about twenty years he made his home in New York state, removing thence to Tazewell County, Illinois, in 1849. His last years, however, were spent in Calhoun County, Iowa, where he died in 1892, at the age of eighty-two years. His early life was dedicated to the ministry, in connection with the Evangelical Association, but later he followed farming in connection with local preaching. His wife also passed away in this county in 1891, at the age of seventy-eight years. They were the parents of ten
children, seven of whom reached man and womanhood, namely: Christina, who married Solomon La Rosh and is now deceased; Mrs. Mary Iwig, a resident of Minnesota; George, of Woodford county, Illinois; Plenry, of Lake Creek Township, Calhoun County, Iowa; William, of Ontario, California; Fred B., of this review; and Emma, of Minnesota.
Frederick B. Ramige spent his boyhood and youth in Illinois, and acquired his early education in the public schools of his native county. He also attended college at Naperville, Illinois, and took a course at a business college in Peoria. He taught school for several years during the winter months, while the summer season was devoted to agricultural pursuits. In the spring of 1875 his brother William came to Calhoun County, Iowa, from Illinois, where their father had purchased six hundred acres of land. They settled in Lake Creek township, and together they engaged in farming for five years, at the end of which time they were joined by their brother Henry. The three now own over nine hundred acres of land in Lake Creek Township. Our subject has two hundred acres where he now resides and one hundred and forty acres in another farm, and has made many useful and valuable improvements upon these places. Each year he plants from fifty to sixty acres in corn and about the same amount in small grain, leaving the remainder for pasture and meadow land. He keeps from forty to sixty head of cattle, his specialty being short-horns.
On the 30th of March, 1876, Mr. Ramige led to the marriage altar Miss Elizabeth Fischer, also a native of Illinois, born on the 11th of October, 1856, and a daughter of John and Margaret Fischer. Her father, who was a farmer by occupation, died in that state, and her mother spent her last days at the home of our subject. Mr. and Mrs. Ramige have three children, namely: William F., Bertha R. and Laura I. Politically Air. Ramige is a stanch supporter of the Republican party and its principles, and as one of the representative and prominent men of his community he has been called upon to fill various official positions of honor and trust. He has served as trustee and secretary of the school board and township clerk, and was also county supervisor for two terms, from 1893 until 1899. In all the relations of life he has been found true to every trust reposed in him, and well merits the confidence and respect so freely accorded him. He is an active member of the United Evangelical church in his township, and is a trustee of the same. He belongs to an old and honored family of this community that has long been identified with the growth and development of the county, and is deserving of prominent mention in its history. [Source – Biographical Record of Calhoun County, Iowa, by S. J. Clarke, 1902, p.320]