Ramsey, John 1841-1918

RAMSEY, RICE, BEACH, FRANKFORTH, STOAKS, HANNA, LOTZ, FISH, NICHOLS-HOUSEN, MARTIN

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 3/28/2011 at 15:40:55

The Grinnell (IA) Herald

OBITUARY

JOHN RAMSEY

Mr. Ramsey was the seventh child of James and Nancy Ramsey and was born Feb. 7, 1841 near Altoona, Pa. When a boy of 10 his family moved to near Dixon, Ill., where his parents died a short time later. At the age of 25 he was united in marriage with Miss Fannie E. Rice, at Dixon, and the same year moved by team and wagon to the Ramsey homestead, two miles east of Gilman.

Mr. Ramsey was the father of six children, three of whom are dead. Chauncey died in infancy, Martin E. died Oct. 8, 1895, aged 27, leaving a wife of a few months, who was before her marriage Miss Lulu Beach, a teacher in the Gilman schools. A daughter, Mrs. Abie Frankforth, died Sept. 20, 1904. A son, Jesse B. Ramsey, lives on the Ramsey homestead, and another son and daughter, Grant Ramsey and Mrs. Rilla May Stoaks, live in Grinnell. Mr. Ramsey is survived also by three sisters, Mrs. Nancy Jane Hanna, of Chicago; Mrs.Lucinda Lotz, of Lockport, Ill., and Mrs. Melissa Fish of Great Bend., Kan.

In the spring of 1896 the Ramsey family left the farm and moved to Grinnell, where Mrs. Ramsey died on Jan.29, 1903. Mr. Ramsey was again married Nov. 10, 1909, to Mrs. Ida Elnora Nichols-Housen at Dixon, Ill. After a residence of two years and three months near Franklin Grove, Ill., his second wife died in February, 1912. May 23, 1917, he took for his third wife, Mrs. Lucy Martin at San Diego, Calif., who survives him.

The funeral was held Monday afternoon at 2:30 from the Congregational church, in charge of Rev. R.F. Lavender, of Newton, assisted by Rev. H.B. Gebhart.