E. B. Ramsey
Fifty
years ago when the slaveholders' rebellion broke out with all its fury at Fort
Sumter and when it looked as if the Union, which all love so much, would be
dissolved, E. B. Ramsey, a venerable and esteemed citizen of Newton, Jasper
County, enlisted to save the federation of states, being perfectly willing,
notwithstanding the grave dangers and certain hardships, to do what he could in
this direction. It was a time when there could be no temporizing and no
halting—no half-way position—for all who were not for the Union were against
it, and both sides hated the man who claimed to be neutral because he had not
the courage to go upon the field of battle and had no principles to sustain.
Mr. Rarnsey was alive to the gravity of the national conflict, realizing
that the struggle impending was something more than a holiday undertaking and
knew that it meant great sacrifices and the shedding of much precious blood
before the flag could again wave from Maine to Florida and from the Atlantic to
the Pacific seaboards; but he did not hesitate, be it said to his everlasting
credit. So for this and many other
reasons the name of Mr. Ramsey should be included in this history, not the least
of which is the fact that he has been a loyal booster to the city of Newton
since taking up his residence here, forty-four years ago, having played no
inconspicuous part in the general progress of the town, and led a life so free
from aught that is paltry or ignoble that its parallel is not frequently met
with, and now that the twilight shadows of life are enshrouding him he can look
backward over a road well traversed and forward with no apprehension.
Mr.
Ramsey was born in 1827, in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, and he
is
the son of Thomas and Sarah (Weaverling) Ramsey,
both natives of Pennsylvania.
The father, who devoted his life to farming, was an old-line Whig and a
man of upright character. His death occurred on December 20, 1861, at the age of
fifty-nine years, while his son, E. B., was away from home, fighting for the
flag which they both loved. The
mother lived to be seventy-seven years of age.
E.
B. Ramsey, who was the third child in a family of six children, is of
Scotch-Irish
ancestry; the other children are: James, now deceased, formerly a wagon maker in
Pennsylvania; John died in Bucyrus, Ohio, when twenty-eight years of age; Henry
W., who served in the Union army, enlisting in a Pennsylvania regiment, is a
shoemaker and lives in that state; Sophia is also living there; Oliver, now
deceased, also served in the Civil war from Pennsylvania.
E. B.
Ramsey, of this sketch, received his education in the public schools in Bedford
County, Pennsylvania, but his educational advantages were limited. When fifteen
years of age he was apprenticed to a tailor, and after learning the trade he
worked at it for a period of fifteen years in different towns in Pennsylvania
and Ohio, and won a reputation for very skilled workmanship. When the Civil war
began he was one of the first to offer his services to the Union, April 25,
1861, in Company G, Thirteenth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.
He was stationed at York, Pennsylvania, and later at Chambersburg,
Pennsylvania. He was accidentally
wounded by the carelessness of Lieut. William Barndollar. The subject found a
revolver while doing picket duty and having seen one similar in the hands of his
lieutenant, he took it to him, the latter carelessly taking hold of the weapon
which was discharged as he did so, the bullet passing through Mr. Ramsey's hand.
The lieutenant was
also
injured. The result was that the
subject received a discharge for disability and was sent home.
On February 20, 1863, leaving his young wife at home (for he had in the
meantime married), he re-enlisted, this time in Company E, One Hundred and
Eighty-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He was in various engagements and
skirmishes, but most of his duties were performed while on detached service.
After the close of the war he received an honorable discharge and was
mustered out in August 1865, in Philadelphia.
Mr.
Ramsey was married on February 18, 1862, to Sarah E. Widell, who
was
born in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, the daughter of George and Mary (Millborn)
Widell, both natives of Pennsylvania. Her parents were of German and English extraction. They came
to Iowa and located in Newton in 1867 and here Mr. Widell lived until his death
on
December 20, 1888, at the age of seventy-eight years. They were the parents of six children, the eldest, Sarah E.,
who married Mr. Ramsey, was born on November 26, 1840; Amanda died when
twenty-two years of age; Mary is the wife of Hess Parsons, a prominent stock man
and farmer in Malaka township, this county; Georgia, wife of James Woods, lives
in Newton; Henrietta, who married Charles Clark, lives in the state of
Washington, where he owns a fruit ranch; William lives in Newton.
E.
B. Ramsey came, unaccompanied, to Iowa in the fall of 1867, reaching the city of
Newton on November 23d, his family following soon afterward.
He was able to foresee a great future for Newton and decided to settle
here. First he worked at his trade, that of tailor, later conducting a
dray
and express business for over thirty years, or until he retired from active
life, he having been sole owner of the same. By careful and honest management he
succeeded in building up an extensive patronage and accumulated a competency for
his old age.
Three
children were born to Mr. Ramsey and wife, named as follows:
Elmer
Elsworth lives in Des Moines; Charlie Preston, who makes his home with
his father here in Newton, married Almira Stewart, and they have two children,
Katherine W., who teaches school, and Florence E., who is attending high school
in Newton. They keep house for their grandfather, the subject, his wife being
deceased. William Albert, the
youngest child of the subject, died in infancy.
After
traversing happily and harmoniously the winding path of life together for nearly
a half century, Mr. Ramsey was called upon to undergo his greatest sorrow, that
of parting from his faithful life companion, who passed to her rest on August 9,
1910. She was a woman of remarkable
intellect, broad-minded, kind-hearted and who was always willing to lend her
assistance in forwarding any good cause. By her efforts, probably more than those of any other woman,
was the public library in Newton established.
There being much local prejudice against it, she was compelled to work
for it for a number of years. She presided over the "reading room,"
patiently working with other right-minded citizens, until the public library
became a fixture in Newton. She was
its first librarian, and served as such for a period of thirteen years in a
manner that reflected much credit upon herself and to the satisfaction of all
concerned. She was a faithful
member of the Lutheran Church, a charter member of the local congregation, and
she was a teacher in the Sunday school until ill health compelled her to resign.
Mr.
Ramsey is a member of the same church, having been loyal to this
denomination
for a period of sixty-seven years, and he was an officer in the church for a
period of forty-five years, having been elder until recently, when his hearing
grew too poor to perform his duties adequately, but he is still elder emeritus.
He is a member of Garret Post, Grand Army of the Republic. When he
enlisted for service in the army he was postmaster at Everett, Pennsylvania; his
wife, having been made his deputy, looked after the office while he was at the
front. She was a member of the Woman's Relief Corps, also the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union. Politically, Mr.
Ramsey has always been a stanch Republican. He owns a pleasant cottage on Farmer
and Washington streets, and is spending his declining years in peace and
comfort.
The Past and Present of Jasper County, Gen. James B. Weaver, Editor-In-Chief,
1912 B.F. Bowen Co., Indianapolis, IN, p. 525.
