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Surnames: Carson, Holman, Ramsey, Sowder, Owens
Classification: Query
Message Board URL:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/DiH.2ACEB/1616.1
Message Board Post:
ALEXANDER RAMSEY was born 1785 in Virginia, and died 1867 in Garrard County, Kentucky. He
married NANCY (POLLY) NELSON February 3, 1812 in Garrard County, Kentucky. She was born
1791 in Kentucky, and died 1866 in Garrard County, Kentucky. Alexander Ramsey was a
resident of Garrard County, Kentucky in the US Census of 1820-30-40-50-60.
In the 1820 census he was employed in agriculture and the household was: males: five under
10, one 21-45; and females: two under 10, one 21-45.
In the 1830 census the household was: males: one under 5, two 5 - 10, two 10 - 15, one 15
- 20, one 40 – 50; and females: one 5 - 10, two 10 - 15, one 40 - 50.
In the 1840 census the household was males: 10-15 one, 15-20 one, 20-30 one, 50-60 one;
and females: 15-20 two, 40-50 one.
In the 1850 Kentucky, Garrard County, Division 2 census (HH 14, Family 14, Lines 18 –23)
were: Alexander Ramsey, age 65, born VA, farmer; Polly, age 55, born KY; James, age 27;
Elizabeth, age 28; Polly, age 24; and Alex, age 23.
In the 1860 Kentucky, Garrard County, Town of Lancaster census (HH 405, Family 398, Lines
20 – 25) were: Alex Ramsey, age 74, born VA, farmer; Polly, age 69, born KY; James, age
34; Francis A (female), age 17; M. C. (female), age 8; and a forty-year old black man
named A. Farris (sp?).
Children of ALEXANDER RAMSEY and NANCY NELSON are:
i. MARTHA RAMSEY, b. Abt. 1815, Kentucky; d. Aft. 1880; m. JAMES HOLMAN, June 4, 1835,
Garrard County, Kentucky; b. Abt. 1814, Virginia/ Kentucky; d. Aft. 1880. (See related
posting.) Jonson and Mary Doolin in 1850 were neighbors (HH 26) of Martha Ramsey
Holman's parents. Polly Doolin was the midwife for Martha’s son Madison.
ii. THOMAS RAMSEY, b. Abt. 1820; d. Bet. 1875 - 1880; m. (1) MARTHA J., 1849; b. Abt.
1827; d. after 1857; m. (2) ANGELINE NAYLOR, March 21, 1860, Garrard County, Kentucky; b.
Abt. 1834, Kentucky; d. Aft. 1880. Thomas and Martha J. had at least two children: James
and William. Thomas and Angeline had the following children: George T., Mary J., Angeline,
Daniel J., Elizabeth, Samuel, and Eva. The 1850 Kentucky, Garrard County, Division 2
census (page 268 – 269, HH 26, Family 27, Lines 4 - 5) shows Thomas Ramsey, age 30, b.
Kentucky, farmer, and Martha J., age 23, b. Kentucky. They were married within the year.
Also, in the 1850 census, located nearby (HH 21) was George Thomas Naylor, the father of
Angeline, the second wife of Thomas. I have not yet located Thomas and Angeline in the
1860 census, but Edward B. Naylor, the grandfather of Angeline was residing in HH 406 next
door to the parents of Thomas. Thomas and Angeline were in the 1870 census (HH 99,
Lancaster, Ga!
rrard County, Kentucky). Angeline, as a widow with children is in the 1880 census
(Lancaster, Garrard County, Kentucky). Her neighbor was her grandfather, Edward B.
Naylor.
iii. ELIZABETH RAMSEY, b. Abt. 1822, Kentucky.
iv. JAMES RAMSEY, b. Abt. 1823, Kentucky.
v. MARY RAMSEY, b. May 1826, Kentucky; m. ANSEL GEORGE, Abt. 1858; b. September 1833,
Kentucky. Ansel was the son of JAMES GEORGE, b. 1790 in Virginia, and NANCY RUTHERFORD, b.
1794 in Virginia. Ansel and Mary had at least one child: William. Ansel’s family (HH 23)
and Mary’s family (HH 14) were neighbors in the 1850 census (Lancaster, Garrard County,
Kentucky). Ansel was discharged in Garrard County (deed book X-125). Ansel and Mary (HH
1138) were neighbors of James Holman and Mary’s sister Martha Ramsey Holman (HH 1135) in
the 1860 census (Lancaster, Garrard County, Kentucky). The 1870 census (Lancaster District
3, Garrard County, Kentucky) lists Ansel, Mary, their son William, and Ansel’s sister
Charlotte. The 1880 census (Lancaster, Garrard County, Kentucky) lists Ansel, Mary, their
son William and his wife Saphrona, and Ansel’s sister Charlotte. The 1900 census
(Lancaster, Garrard County, Kentucky) lists Ansel, Mary, and their so!
n William and his second wife Eliza V.
vi. ALEXANDER RAMSEY, JR., b. Abt. 1827, Kentucky.
I have been unable to connect Alexander Ramsey (born 1785 in Virginia and died 1867 in
Garrard County, Kentucky) to any of the Ramsey lines in Lincoln, Madison, Garrard, or
Rockcastle counties.
· Lincoln County, Virginia (later Kentucky) was formed from Kentucky County, Virginia. One
of the first three counties of Kentucky (with Fayette and Jefferson Counties), it was
created on 30 Jun 1780.
· Madison County, Virginia (later Kentucky) was formed from Lincoln County, Virginia on 1
Aug 1785.
· Garrard County, Kentucky was formed from Lincoln, Madison, and Mercer Counties. It was
created on 17 Dec 1796.
· Rockcastle County, Kentucky was formed from Lincoln, Madison, and Pulaski Counties in
1810.
Some possible ancestors of Alexander are:
1800 Lincoln County tax list:
Ramsey, John
Ramsey, Larkin (Is this Larkin Vauter, the illegitimate son of Francis Ramsey who died
1796 in Essex Co., Virginia?)
Ramsey, Thomas (son of Francis Ramsey who died 1796 in Essex Co., Virginia)
1810 Garrard County census:
Ramsey, John 40100-0001000
Ramsey, Larkin 00201-0011103
Ramsey, Thomas 22001-0030100
There is another interesting possibility. The records of Augusta County, Virginia mention
a John Ramsey who died about 1783. John and his wife Mary had the following children:
Andrew, George, John, Alexander, William, Daniel, and James. James died before his father
died. James had the following children: Alexander, John, and Mary. George, the brother of
James, became the guardian of Alexandria. My assumption is that when George went to
Kentucky, the child Alexander went with him. The 1790 tax list for Fayette County,
Kentucky includes a George Ramsey and an Alex Ramsey. Could this be George and Alex, the
sons of John Ramsey who died about 1783? One conflict is that the Alexander Ramsey who
married Nancy Nelson, in the 1850 and 1860 census, gave his age as being several years too
young to be the Alexander mentioned in the 1783 will of John Ramsey.