Ramsay - J. W.
Source: Crawfordsville Star, May 6, 1892
A large concourse of friends, sincere mourners, collected at the late home of John W. Ramsay at 2 o'clock Friday afternoon. McPherson Post GAR and DeBayard Lodge K of P attended in a body. 300 men were in line and there was as an escort a gun squad from Co I, who fired a salute at the grave. The funeral services at the house were by Rev. G.W. Switzer, pastor of the ME Church of which John W. Ramsay was a communicant. The floral offerings were very lovely and came from kindley friends in all walks of life. At the cemetery the exercises were by GAR Post and Pythian Knights. The pall bearers were: W.T. Brush; M.C. Kline; Mayor Carr; Henry R. Sloan; T.H. B McCain and Henry Campbell. Judge Harney and the full bar were also acting as escort. The city council and officials also followed the ex-Mayor to the tomb. -- kbz
Source: Indianapolis Journal Thu 28 April 1892 p 1
Crawfordsville, Ind April 27 – JW Ramsey, a prominent resident of this city died this morning at 9 o’clock after a lingering illness. He was born in Montgomery County on June 2, 1839 and attended the Waveland Academy and Wabash College. He studied law with Hon. HS Lane and Col. SC Willson and on April 14, 1861, enlisted in the 11th Indiana where he served 3 months. He was then made adjutant in the 51st Indiana serving in this capacity two years. In July 1863, he was detailed as assistant adjutant-gen to General Harker’s staff where ehe remained until the war closed. He was in the battles of Romney, Ft. Donelson, Shiloh, Kelley’s Island, Corinth, Franklin and Hall’s Gap. He served as Mayor this city from 1876-1880 and then he was elected justice of the peace which office he held when he died. He belonged to the K of P and IOGT orders. = kbz
Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal Wednesday 27 April 1892
This morning at nine o’clock John W. Ramsey died peacefully at his home on South Walnut Street after a long and painful illness. His recovery was given up some weeks ago and this death has been almost daily expected ever since.
Mr. Ramsey was born in this county June 2, 1839. His father, Robert M. Ramsey, the son of a revolutionary captain, came from Kentucky to this county at a very early day and settled here. John was schooled at the Waveland academy, then at Wabash College, afterwards studying law with Hon. H. S. Lane and Col. Wilson from 1859 to 1861. April 14, 1861, on the Sunday evening after the South fired on Fort Sumter, Mr. Ramsey enlisted in the 11th Indiana, Wallace’s Zouaves, when after serving three months, he was made Adjutant in the 51st Indiana, where he served two years. He was then detailed as Assistant Adjutant General to Gen. Harker’s staff where he served until the end of the war. He participated in the battles of Romney, Kelley’s Island, Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, Franklin and Ball’s Gap. At Shiloh he was severely wounded and suffered to the day of this death from the effects. At Appomattox court house, he was discharged at the war’s close, and returned to his home in Crawfordsville. He was elected Justice of the Peace soon after his return and continued in that office until 1876 when he was elected mayor and re-elected again in 1878.
During his administration the affairs of the city were conducted in a most progressive manner and much internal improvement was done. At the same time a large city debt was liquidated. After his retirement from the mayorality he was again elected Justice of the Peace and held that office at the time of his death. Mr. Ramsey was a K. of P. and a Good Templar and was prominent in both organizations. Mr. Ramsey was in politics a staunch Republican and was unswerving in his allegiance to the party.
In 1872 Mr. Ramsey was married to Miss Alice Rice, of Crawfordsville, who survives him. In his death Crawfordsville loses a good, a whole souled citizen. He was a man of great popularity with all classes and one who dies mourned by everyone who knew him. =s