Edwards and Ramsey Family

EDWARDS, RAMSEY, CLOUSE, DOWDEN, HUKILL, ADAMS, KEHLER, HART

Posted By: Mary H. Cochrane, Volunteer
Date: 6/29/2019 at 14:42:34

BIOGRAPHY ~ THE EDWARDS - RAMSEY FAMILY

Reflections of Grand River, Iowa: 1881 - 1981
Clarke Pub. Co. p. 206. Osceola IA. 1981.

Abel Edwards was one of eleven children whose parents were Arthur and Freelove Clouse Edwards early pioneers of Decatur County, Iowa, who established homes in the early 1800's.

Abel, born in 1819, married Eliza J. Dowden. They had nine (sic) children: Lydia Edwards Hukill, Jennie Edwards Adams, Joseph H., Freeland E., Mary Edwards Kehler, Thomas P., John, Charles J. and Franklin P. [Two children, William and Eva, died in childhood.]

All grew to adulthood in the Grand River area receiving their education in rural schools. Thomas P., know to many as "Carpenter Tom," built many houses and barns in and around Grand River some of which are still standing. He also made many cement caves and sidewalks. John was the town barber for many years. Other brothers were farmers.

Tom married Margaret A. Hukill in 1887; and two sons were born to them, Albert L. (Bert) and Owen LeRoy. Albert L. died in 1968. His wife...... Owen LeRoy died in 1974. His wife....

Alvice Ramsey, eldest of six children and the son of Alexander and Sarah Jane Edwards Ramsey, was born on September 25, 1864. His parents came to Decatur County, Iowa in 1851 from Hancock County, Tenn.

Alvice's mother was twelve years of age when she traveled by covered wagon in company with relatives and friends to where they settled on the Long Creek in Richland Township. At the time of their settlement in Decatur County, it was sparingly settled by whites and yet the home of the Indians.

Alvice taught schools in the rural schools of Decatur and Clarke Counties. Near the 1880's he operated the Green Valley General Store and Post Office in the Tennessee neighborhood west of Van Wert, Iowa. Later he farmed and then moved to Grand River.

Alvice was married to Mary C. Hart, February 20, 1895, daughter of Sam and Emmaline Hart. Six children were born to this union: Amy, Jud, Della and Nellie (twins), Floyd and Harley. All are deceased except Amy Edwards and Della Day. Mrs. Ramsey passed away February 15, 1957, at the age of 92 years.

NOTES from "Edwards-Ramsey Family Record" by Wilma (Ramsey) Foland:

Arthur Edwards was born September 17, 1786, Tennessee, and died April 28, 1866, Osceola, Iowa. He married in Hancock County, Tennessee, to Freeland Clouse February 26, 1807, and they were the parents of eleven children: Johana, Owen, Catherine, William, John, Nancy, Thomas, Abel, Polly, Isaac and Elizabeth. Freelove (Clouse) Edwards was born in 1788, Virginia, and died January 1, 1859, Clarke County, Iowa. They were interred at Sanders Cemetery, Doyle Township, Clarke County, Iowa.

Abel Edwards wasa born in November of 1819 near Cumberland Gap, Tennessee, and died at the age of 72 years in 1891. Eliza Jane (Dowden) Edwards was born in 1834, and died in 1905. Nine of their children survived to adulthood:
Lydia (Edwards) Hulkill, born in 1850; Jennie (Edwards) Adams, born in 1853; Joseph Hall Edwards, born in 1855; Freeland Edwards was born in 1857, died in 1912, interment at the Young Cemetery east of Grand River; Mary (Edwards) Kehler, born in 1860; Thomas P. "Tom" Edwards was born in 1863, died in 1936, interment at Grand River Cemetery; John Edwards, bron in 1867; Charles J. Edwards, born in 1869; and Franklin P. Edwards, born in 1872.

Alexander Ramsey was born January 1, 1832, Hancock County, Tennessee, and died November 5, 1915. His wife, Sarah Jane (Edwards) Ramsey was born February 11, 1839, Hancock County, Tennessee, and died July 4, 1926. They were interred at Wheelis Cemetery, Richland Township, Decatur County.

Alvice Ramsey was born in 1864, and died in 1957. Mary Catherine (Hart) Ramsey was born in 1868. They were interred at Maple Hill Cemetery, Osceola, Iowa.

Amy (Ramsey) Edwards was born June 4, 1896, and died September 18, 1992. Interment was made at Maple Hill Cemetery, Osceola, Iowa.

Jud Harty Ramsey was born September 28, 1897, and died October 31, 1966. His wife, Nola Pearl (Page) Ramsey, was born February 24, 1893, and died February 7, 1974. They were interred at Maple Hill Cemetery, Osceola, Iowa.

Nellie Ramsey was born November 3, 1898, and died in 1899 at the age of 10 months with interment made at Union Chapel Cemetery, rural Clarke County, Iowa. Floyd Ramsey, also interred at Union Chapel Cemetery, was born in 1900 and died in 1900 at the age of 8 months.

Harley A. Ramsey was born Augut 16, 1902, and died September 6, 1970. His wife, Ethel M. Ramsey, was born August 25, 1907, and died February 16, 1982. They were intered at Maple Hill Cemetery, Osceola, Iowa.

When the Edwards and Ramsey family lived in Tennessee, Hancock County was known as Clairborn County.
Notes courtesy of Sharon R. Becker

Copied from "Reflections of Grand River, Ia. 1881-1981" by Stacey McDowell Dietiker