| Notes |
- ALEXANDER (Alex) Ramsey RAMSAY---b. Mar 1811, Fleming County, Kentucky d. 22 Mar 1901, Albia City, Troy Township, Monroe County, Iowa; sonof David & Rosannah Wills Ramsey Ramsay; grandson of James & MaryCochran Ramsey Ramsay. NOTE: There are no records to date thatindicate Alex ever married. Alex did return to Parke County, Indianafrom California by 19th Sep 1850 (1850 Federal U.S. Census), and didnot remain in the California gold mines. When he returned he livedwith his brother Andrew in Parke County, Indiana. Between 1865-1870,he moved to Monroe County, Iowa and was living with his brother SamuelW. Ramsay and Samuel?s recently widowed daughter Martha (John)Spencer; There Alex remained even after the death of his brotherSamuel W. Ramsay in c.1884. In the 1900 Federal U.S. Census, Alex, islisted as the landlord for an occupation and his means weresubstantial for the time period. His niece Martha and her daughter,Bessie E. Spencer lived with Alexander until his death in 1901.Samuel W. Ramsay was buried in Oak View Cemetery, Albia, MonroeCounty, Iowa and so was Alexander Ramsay. [Written 29 Nov 2008,SLJuhl RNBSC, Compiler & Family Genealogist; sljuhl1234@yahoo.com]
"WorldConnect: Post-em postedTuesday, November 25, 2008 4:09 PM
From: "sljuhl1234@yahoo.com" To:sljuhl1234@yahoo.com
Database: sljuhl1234
Individual: I21035
Link:http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=sljuhl1234&id=I21035
Name: Alice Ramsay
Email: ajramsayjaneway@yahoo.com
Online: Wyoming State Archives Document Photo Gallery
URL:http://wyoshpo.state.wy.us/westerntrails/photoalbum/archives/documents/ar/index.htm
URL title: Alex Ramsay's Gold Rush Diary
Note:
I found this Alexander Ramsay living with his brother Samuel in 1900census and found his cemetery record on Ancestry.com. He died 22 Mar1901. His diary is fascinating reading."
Wyoming State Archives Barrett Building, 2301 Central Avenue,Cheyenne, WY 82002
(307) 777-7826, (307) 777-7044 FAX
E-MAIL: WYARCHIVE@STATE.WY.US
<http://wyoshpo.state.wy.us/westerntrails/photoalbum/archives/documents/index.htm>
http://wyoshpo.state.wy.us/westerntrails/photoalbum/archives/documents/ar/index.htm
http://wyoshpo.state.wy.us/westerntrails/archives.html
http://wyoarchives.state.wy.us/HistoricPhotographicCollection.htm
?DIARY OF ALEX RAMSAY
WRITTEN WHILE TRAVELING TO CALIFORNIA DURING THE ?GOLD RUSH? 1849.
(38 pages)
EXCERPTS:
Left Park(e) County, Indiana, for California March 21st 1849 incompany with John Ramsay, John Moor, Wm. Lusk, Wm. Inge and Wm. Smock,making six persons, with one wagon and six mules. Arrived St. Louis,278 miles, April 8th. (pg.1)
Left St. Louis April 10th and arrived at St. Joseph, 530 miles, April16th, making 808 miles from home. Etc?(pg 1)
May 6th; Sabbath. Moved two miles to a good camping ground and forthe purpose of meeting with the Springfield Company, consisting ofeight wagons and thirty-one men; our company of two wagons with elevenmen, making ten wagons and forty-two men. The wagons were loaded withfrom twenty-five to thirty-five hundred each. Etc?(pg. 1)
May 10th; Joined by a company of seven wagons and twenty-six men fromDayton, Ohio. Our company now consists of seventeen wagons andsixty-eight men. Etc?(pg. 2)
May 27th; Sabbath, did not travel. Had a pleasant day of rest and atfour o?clock in the afternoon had a sermon preached by a Presbyterianpreacher from Ohio. Had an excellent, practical sermon and anattentive audience. Moor no better. Etc?(pg. 5)
June 1st; Started this morning early and traveled a few miles up theriver, passing an encampment of Sioux Indians. They appearedpeaceable and wanted to sell us horses or anything they had forwhiskey, but we did not trade any with them. Etc?(pg. 6)
June 17th; Sabbath. The most important incident of today was thatsome hunters ran four buffalo into our camp. They were the first thatmost of us have had a plain view of, having seen them before at adistance. There was a good deal of excitement amongst us as the hugeanimals approached our camp in full lope. Every man was hurrying toprepare his gun for a shot and rushed out to meet them and as soon asthey came into shooting distance, every man fired away. One of thebuffalo was killed, the others wheeled off and made their escape.Etc?(pg. 9-10)
July 4th; This is the Great Day of American Independence and on whichour nation will meet in crowds to do honor to the day and to offerthanks to God for the gift. It is from necessity a day of rest withus and as a natural consequence, our minds carry us back to our fardistant homes and friends and relatives, whilst we cannot suppress asecret wish that we could spend this day with them. ?But alas, howfleet is a glance of the mind compared with the spread of its flight.The tempest itself lags behind and the swift winged arrows of light,for alas recollection at hand soon hurries us back to despair.? Weare much worried by the trials and fatigues of the long journey andthe immense numbers of immigrants who are upon the road makes itdoubly tiresome from the fact that they are constantly in each other?sway, and more particularly at the crossings of rivers and difficultplaces on the road; here at this time are two or three hundred wagonswith their accompanying teams and men and the ground is covered with acoat of light dust of two inches in depth, which the wind isconstantly carrying to and fro whilst the sun is pouring down hishottest rays upon us, and the wonder is that some of us only and notall of us are sick. The river at this place runs a south course andis a tributary of the Colorado which empties into the Gulf ofCalifornia. This river, as well as all others in the vicinity of theRocky Mountains, rises and falls alternately once in twenty fourhours, the rise commencing at twelve o?clock of the day and continuingtill twelve at night, when it commences falling. This ebb and flow isowing to the melting of the snow in the mountains and only takes placefor awhile about this season of the year. This evening at fouro?clock I with eleven other immigrants were called upon by the crowden mass to serve on a jury in a case of murder which had beencommitted about a week since, back at Devil?s Gate, and the criminalwas apprehended a short distance beyond this and brought back here fortrial, but the trial failed in consequence of the inability of GeneralSimonson of the U.S. Army and his officers, to whom the immigrantslooked for a fair investigation of the case, but soon after the trialcommenced they quarreled among themselves and came to blows, when thecourt broke up in a row, and the prisoner recrossed the river and wenton his way rejoicing. There is a general expression of disapprovalamongst the people at the result, and in this case we believe we see afair sample of the protection that we may expect of lives and propertyduring our residence in California. Thus ended the Fourth of July,1849 on Green River. (pgs 14-15) Etc
August 15th; Last night about midnight, the alarm of attack byIndians was given, the guard firing his gun calling for help. In ashort time all who could raise a gun were ready and marched forward inthe direction from which the alarm was given, and on reaching thesentinel, it was discovered that he had mistaken a mule for an Indianand had fired at it, but fortunately had missed his mark. He said hehad hailed it three times asking the watchword which it did not give,and then he fired and seeing that he had missed he called for help.There was a good deal of laughing done at his expense. This morningit was found that all were safe and well. We started early andfollowed the gorge all day, etc? (pg.26)
October 14th; I have been sick now about three weeks with the typhoidfever, at this time, by the blessings of a merciful God, I am againrecovering my health and hope to be able to work in a few days. etc? ?(pg 37)
Letter home to his brothers Samuel and Andrew and the sending of hisjournal diary to his brothers for safe keeping???etc?as John Ramsay orWm. Inge, who at this time intend to go straight home to Indiana, theycan tell you all about me?etc?? (pg 38).
NOTE: If you ever wanted to know what it was like in the WestwardExpansion to the Gold Fields of California for settlers, thisjournal/diary is a wonderful piece of actual history. A movie screenwriter would love it. It is full of descriptions and information andadventure. Even if you are not related in any way, this would make awonderful history lesson for adults and children in bringing to life?how it actually was? for traveling settlers to the West in themid-1800?s.
[Transcribed 29 Nov 2008, SLJuhl RNBSC, Compiler & Family Genealogist;sljuhl1234@yahoo.com]
"19 September 1850 United States Federal Census
Name: Alexander Ramsey
Age: 39
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1811
Birth Place: Kentucky
Gender: Male
Home in 1850(City,County,State): Green, Parke, Indiana
Household Members: Name Age
Andrew Ramsay 37 Farmer, laborer
Emely C Ramsay 7
John A Ramsay 4
Margaret S Ramsay 9
Robert A Ramsay 1
Susan Ramsay 32
Alexander Ramsey 39 Farmer
Eliza J Wells 35
Source Citation: Year: 1850; Census Place: Green, Parke, Indiana;Roll: M432_164; Page: 217; Image: 435. Ancestry.com. 1850 UnitedStates Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: TheGenerations Network, Inc., 2005."
"27 August 1870 United States Federal Census
Name: Alexander Ramsay
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1812
Age in 1870: 58
Birthplace: Kentucky
Home in 1870: Albia, Monroe, Iowa
Race: White
Gender: Male
Value of real estate: as below
Post Office: Albia
Household Members: Name Age
Samuel Ramsay 68 Farm Laborer, (head) val. 1580/0, KY
Martha Spencer 37 house keeper, (niece), val. 1/3000, IN
Alexander Ramsay 58 at home, (brother) val. 2500/2500, KY
Adda Spencer 9 IN (gr. niece.)
Besse Spencer 7 IN (gr. niece.)
Source Citation: Year: 1870; Census Place: Albia, Monroe, Iowa; Roll:M593_412; Page: 434; Image: 380; Dwelling 323/330; Lines 2-6.Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line].Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2003."
"1900 United States Federal Census
Name: Alexander Ramsay
Home in 1900: Troy, Monroe, Iowa
Age: 89
Birth Date: Mar 1811
Birthplace: Kentucky
Race: White
Ethnicity: American
Relationship to head-of-house: Uncle
Father's Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Mother's Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Marital Status: Single
Residence : Albia City, Monroe, Iowa
Occupation: View Image
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Martha J Spencer 66 Head, niece, widowed, Aug 1833, 1 child/1 living? (oldest dau. must have died), IN, KY, KY
Bessie E Spencer 35 gr. niece, Jun 1864, single, mother-Martha J.,Sales Lady, IN, IN, SC
Alexander Ramsay 89 single, Mar 1811, Landlord, KY, PA, PA
Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Troy, Monroe, Iowa; Roll:T623 449; Page: 10B; . Ancestry.com. 1900 United States FederalCensus [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network,Inc., 2004."
"Iowa Cemetery Records
Name: Alexander Ramsay
Death Date: 22 Mar 1901
Page #: 92
Birth Date: 1811
Cemetery: Oak View
Town: Albia
Level Info: Grave Stone Records of Monroe County, Iowa; copied byGraves Registration a W. P. A. project. Ancestry.com. Iowa CemeteryRecords [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network,Inc., 2000."
Please check this: _MDCL: CONC for Gold.
- (Medical):Had Typhoid Fever in 1849 in California near Sacramento while panning
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1811 - 1901 (90 years)