Southern-Style
A Downhome Perspective on All Things Southern

James Polk Ramsey, son of A. C. Ramsey's brother William Ramsey

Shubridge Information:

One or two other sons who, like William Ramsay, "came to America from Scotland" but, unlike William Ramsey did not come to Mississippi (Thomas Evans Ramsay of Vancleave, Mississippi , his questionaire number 633 for the Ramsey-Ramsay Reunion at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair ( R 2 23:6821)

Danny’s line goes:  My mother was Clara Mildred Ramsey of Sumner Co., TN who was descended from Shubridge Ramsey of Chatham Co., NC and Simpson Co., KY, who was son of William Ramsey of Chatham Co., NC, and grandson of Samuel Ramsey of Onslow Co., NC.  I wish I had dates for these.   

March 6, 1742, William Shubridge to Samuel Ramsey, his son-in-law and his daughter Izabella , wife of said Ramsey, 125 acres on the Sound. Tests: Wm. Crawford, John Starkey

Ramsey, Samuel. Apr. 8, 1768. To daughter Elizabeth Ramsey; to son Shubridge; son William . (Mentions land of the grandfather,William Shubridge, as gift to son Shubridge.) Exrs; son Shubridge, daughter Elizabeth, Moses Johnston. Tests; Joseph Collins, William Gray.

We are trying to find the progenitor of William Ramsey Sr. father of William Ramsey, Jr. (b. 27 Jul 1770 Mecklenberg, County d. 19 Jul 1833 Red Creek, Mississippi ) and the common ancestor of those listed in the first part of this email.   

The book, Memoirs of a Methodist Circuit Rider, is in the Birmingham Southern Library.  I do have a copy of the book.  The book is referred to by (Jean Strickland (editor) Autobiography of A.C. Ramsey ( Moss Point , MS :  1879) (R233) ().  I do not have Jean Strickland’s book.  I am assured of the authenticity of Memoirs of a Methodist Circuit Rider.

 My husband, Joel Wardlaw Ramsey, and I both hail from Wilcox County , Alabama where his great grandfather, David Wardlaw Ramsey and my grandfather, Elkanah Burson, mustered out with the Wilcox County True Blues to go off to the Civil War together.  David Wardlaw Ramsey married Emma Virginia Hawthorne, went to Tulane medical school after the war and later became a preacher.  They are buried behind Hawthorne House in Pineapple, Alabama in the Friendship Baptist Church cemetery. 

 A.C. Ramsey married Elizabeth Amanda Wardlaw Bonham Ramsey and they lived in Oak Hill , Alabama .  We have visited the home they lived in and their graves their on the property.  He was a Methodist circuit rider. 

 A.C.’s father, William, Jr., (b. 27 Jul 1770 Mecklenberg, County d. 19 Jul 1833 Red Creek, Mississippi) married Nancy Huey (b. 15 Sep 1787 Ireland d. 18 Jun 1836 Red Creek, Mississippi) entered Creek country from Georgia before the Creek War with his wife, brother Andrew and a slave girl Dinah.  He cleared land in the vicinity of the Creek country, probably closer to the Choctaw, but removed from there to go further into Mississippi where many Ramsey descendants still live. 

Memoirs of a Methodist Circuit Rider is a serious primary document that provides autobiographical information about A.C. Ramsey and his family.  It definitely needs to be in Allen’s hands if he is to make sense of Elizabeth Ramsey’s notes.   

Ramsey, A. C., Memoirs of a Methodist Circuit Rider, p.1

"I was born in Jackson County , Georgia, November 4^th 1807.My father, William Ramsey was born in Mecklenburg County , North Carolina July 27^th 1770.  My mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Huey, was born in Ireland September 15th, 1787.  Her parents Andrew and Nancy Huey came to America when she was an infant and settled in Pennsylvania .  How long they remained in that State I do not know but moved from there to Georgia and settled in Franklin County ; if my memory is correct.  And here let me remark that this with many others narrated is this sketch, are given from recollections of what my parents told me, many long years ago.  My father was twice married, his first wife was a Miss Woodside, who lived but a short while, after their marriage and left no issue.  And whether their marriage took place in North Carolina , or Georgia I am not prepared to state positively, but think it was in the former state. Father moved to Georgia, but at what time, I do not know. He thus became acquainted with Mother and at a proper time, married her. They settled in Jackson County , to which Grandfather Huey had moved. Here my brother Andrew and myself were born, the only two out of five who were native Georgians.

 This is confirmed by: September 14, 1787--Elizabeth Huey was born ( Jean Strickland (editor) Autobiography of A.C . Ramsey (Moss Point, MS: 1879))R233) in Ireland   (Jean Strickland (editor) Autobiography o f A .C. Ramsey (Moss Point, MS:1879) (R233) and Andrew Houston Longino of Jackson, Mississippi , his questionaire number 678 for the Ramsey-Ramsay Reunion of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fai r (R2 23:678)) the daughter of Andrew Huey and of his wife Nancy _______  ( Jean Strickland (editor )Autobiography of A.C. Ramsey (Moss Point, MS: 1879) (R233))

 Now, where I have gotten confused is the time beyond A.C.’s father William to William, Sr.  This is what we know:

• William Ramsey served under General Hancock (Mississippi Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, Family Records: Mississippi Revolutionary Soldiers (N.p.: c 1956, pp. 178, 243)) 

From those World’s Fair Records comes this confirmation of A.C. Ramsey’s statement:

• Ancestors were from Scotland
  Ramsey, A. C., Memoirs of a Methodist Circuit Rider, p. 9

*Grandfather Ramsey's ancestors were from Scotland , and belonged to the old Covenantaers and of course his religious training was in that school of Calvinist Theology .

•   There were other siblings other than Noah and William.  One or two other sons who, like William Ramsay, "came to America from Scotland " but, unlike William Ramsey did not come to Mississippi .

 (Thomas Evans Ramsay of Vancleave , Mississippi , his questionaire number 633 for the Ramsey-Ramsay Reunion at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair (R 2 23:6821)

• William and Jemima (_____) Ramsey were the parents of:
  Noah W. Ramsey (1764-1850) in 1810 married Elizabeth Dearling.
  William Ramsey (1770-1833) (Jr.) by 1805 married 1st Margaret Woodside and married (2nd) Elizabeth Huey (1787-1836)

A.C. Ramsey, Memoirs of a Methodist Circuit Rider, p. 21. 

In the Fall of 1818 I think it was, he with Brother Andrew made a visit to Tennessee, to see his Father and relations; and on his return brought with him a nephew, William N. Gracey , a son of one of his sisters;  who remained with us the next year, at our next home on the Pascagoula River, and which refreshes my memory so that from this circumstance I know that his visit to Tennessee was in 1818.
 

Confirmation:

Revolutionary War Period Bible, Family and Marriage Records under John Greacy who married Rachel Ramsey "daughter of William and A. Ramsey Sol b. 30 Jan 1759 in Rowan Co., N.C. d. 8 Oct 1839.

 A.C. writes:

Ramsey, A. C., Memoirs of a Methodist Circuit Rider, p. 119.

 During this time Brother William had married Miss Mary Fairly, daughter of Judge John Fairley; and was living at our old homestead. Brother Daniel was living there also with them, had not yet married. Brother William soon after, settled a place between Red Creek and the coast, which he improved, and is still living at the same place, has never moved; done well.  His wife after bearing him nine children died; and since he has married again a Miss Sabra Davis has been blessed with two good wives.

 According to my records, A. C. Ramsey’s brother Williams’ children by Miss Fairley were:  John (m. Sarah Cunningham), William “Rufus”, Andrew Jefferson (m. Mary Myers),  Armanda, Nephy Ann (m. Daniel John Reid),  James Polk (m. Mary Margaret Reid), Isabel “Emma”,  Lewis C. 

 From Danny Hoogue:  

I offer some things I have pieced together on the John Gracey and Rachel Ramsey situation.  This is all based on assumptions. 

   William Ramsey Sr b. 1742/1743 md 1765  Jemima    (we may have to assume that she is also Mrs. A. Ramsey because she lived till 1795 I think and children born in 1760s-1770s)

    Children were:   Rebecca  b. abt 1766 (just my estimate)

                             Noah       b.  1768

                             William Jr.  b. 1770

                             (Rachel)   b. 1773    She married John Gracey after his first wife Jane Lourance or Lowrance died in 1787 (1st md 1784)  The dates given in the Rev. War Bible were for John Gracey.  b. 30 Jan 1759, d. 8 Oct 1839 in Pulaski, Giles , Tennessee (Familysearch.org database).  His parents were Patrick and Rebecca Maria (Barnett) Gracey.  His dad was from Ireland .  John and Rachel would have married after the 1st wife died in 1787 so I estimate that William N. Gracey may have been born about 1792. William N. Gracey would have been first cousin to A. C. and Andrew Ramsey who visited him in TN in 1818.  The boys would have been about 12-13 years old. 

Rachel and William Jr Ramsey would have been sister and brother. So that seems to be how everything fits together although there needs to be other proof as this is my best guess of what happened.