Ramsey Family Letters
This page was originally
created by Denny Thomas----Thank You!
I have recently had the privilege of transcribing 6 previously unpublished letters written to Ramsey relatives living in Lancaster, SC. Two were written by Robert Givens Ramsey, then living in Maury Co., TN: (1) dated 27 July 1834 "Handed by Mr. Crage" (the well-known minister of The Waxhaws in NC/SC around 1800) (2) dated 6 January 183[6?]. The "father and mother" spoken of in the letters living in Henry Co., TN, is Rev. War soldier Robert Ramsey who m Sarah Givens, d/o William. They are signed "Robert Ramsey Elizabeth Ramsey" The other four were written during the same era from Crawford Co., GA, by Thos. D. Barr and his son James R. so would not be of as great an interest, although one details an Indian skirmish 1836 that is downright exciting. What The Volunteers are doing is extremely nice! I would like to know who "mother-in-law" of Robert Ramsey mentioned in his letters might be. One letter says "mother in law requests...let her Brother and Sister no that she is in the land of the living..." I am descended from Robert & Sarah Givens Ramsey's son, William Givens, and would like t correspond with any researchers of these lines. I am trying to tie the earlier lines together, ca 1700-1850. Mary Lu Johnson 132 Skyview Trail Trafford, AL 35172-9288 Ph 205-681-0441/FAX 205-680-5712
The following letter was transcribed by Mary Lu Johnson, 9 April 1999, from photocopy of provided by John W. Glenn of Lancaster, SC. Mr. Glenn has the original. Letter single sheet, with two lines, signature and address on the back. Anything not original to the letter is in different type font and in parentheses.
Tennessee maury county July 27th
1834
Uncle and aunt after our compliments to you and
yours, these lines will inform you that we are all in reasonable helth at
present. Thanks be to the lord for his mercys to us Hoping our lines will find
you all in good helth I can inform you that I receved your letter which I was
thankful for and I sent the contents of it to father and family I received a
letter from them a weeck or two back tha ware all well but father and mother
tha are old and frail and crippled Mother has a bad couch (cough) and has
fainty fits and expected to leve this world in some of them I can inform you
that we had a cold backward spring May and June was very dry our cotton was all
kild with the frost or nearly all the cotton looks very well in our settlement
at this time and corn is better in this settlement than we could expect in as
dry a season we have good seasons at this time (word scratched through,
maybe "are") our wheat crops was very
good but crops is very light in a grate many places in this country thare has
been a good many deaths in this country with the scarlot fever chiefly children
it is tollarable helthy at this time I have not heard from uncle John Ramsey in
some time he still lives in kentucky the children is all married I have nothing
worth riting to you at this time I wold be glad youd rite to us by Mr Crage and
every conveniant oppertunity and I will do the same if if you should rite to
father direct your letter to Paris post office henry county tennessee and send
them word whare to direct a letter to you. Mother in law requests you to let
her Brother and Sister no that she is in the land of the living yet and in
comon helth and wishes them to remember her if they have time and oppertunity
she wold be glad to hear from her friends and old neighbors at any time. Corn
sels at one dollar and fifty cents per barrel and wheat at 75 cents per bushel
(Letter was continued on the back, as follows, and apparently hand delivered by a "Mr. Crage", who appeared to have been a former neighbor in South Carolina, returning there for a visit)
No more at present but remains your friend
and well wisher till death fare well
To James Ramsey ) ( Robert Ramsey
) (
Rosannah Ramsey ) ( Elizebeth Ramsey"
(The letter was folded several times into about a 2 ½" x 3" square, addressed on the center square, and a wax seal affixed. The address read:)
To Mr
James
Ramsey
South
carolina
Lancaster
district
Handed
by
Mr.
Crage
Maury Co. Fountain Creek
Letter to James Ramsey of Lancaster, SC 21 September handed by Mr. Falkner, transcribed by Mary Lu Johnson from photocopy of original in possession of John W. Glenn of Lancaster, SC. Anything not original to letter is in different type font and in parentheses.
State of tennessee maury County fountain
creek
Uncle aunt and cousins after our compliments
to you and yours these lines will inform you that we are all in reasonable
helth at present hoping our lines will find you all in good helth thare is none
of fathers family hear but me tha live in the western district in henry county
about a hundred and ten miles from hear I heard from them about a week before (word
scratched out) Christmas tha ware all in
tollarable helth but father and mother is very frail father is still able to do
his work he has a cripple knee that hurts him mother got throd off a horse
about four year ago and got nearly kild as we thought but she is still a live
yet but very frail indeed father rit to me that he went last fall to kentucky
to see his brother John and to prove his servises in the revolution he found
him and James Nesbits family all well uncle is married again aunt lives about
sixteen or twenty miles from fathers and all the boys married and for uncle
Alexander Ramsey __________ but he was in the illinois the last account brother
Williams oldest sone died about a month back crops in our country was just
tol [ta scratched out] larable cotton is not all gathered yet we have had a
great dale of wet weather and very warm for the season
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times is thought to be very hard in our
cuntry it is hard on people that is in debt but plenty of bread and meat which
we should be thankful for I rit to you once before since I got any letter from
you and I wold be glad to hear from you as that is all the way we have of
conversing with each other if you should rite by post direct your letter to
Pleasant Grove post office father and mother would be glad to hear from you all
we heard by Mr falkner that you ware all well which was a satisfaction to us
brother Johns family is well except himself he has the fits and expects will
while he lives my sisters agness, Elizebeth and Easther is single yet we have
had a bowel complaint in our cuntry and in my family and I thought for some
time that Elizebeth wold not got over it She had it nearly three months before
she got well Mother in law lives with us yet but is very frail we have six children
and tha are all well and herty and sends their compliments ___ you all
Jenuary the 6th 183[6?]
We add not but remains yors till death from
Robert and Elizebeth Ramsey
to James and Rosannah Ramsey
[Address Sheet appears to have nothing on reverse. Dated on back, above where seal is usually found, "September the 21 day ____". Triple-triple-folded, 9 sections, in center is written]:
To
Mr.
James
Ramsey Lancaster
District---------------------------
Handed
by Mr falkner