Ramsey - John W- C W
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 Zonaves, 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 lizuidated. 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.
Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal Thursday 28 April 1892
I notice occurring yesterday the death of Hon. John W. Ramsey, of Crawfordsville. I was well acquainted with him long before the war, and knew him to be an honorable, upright man and a genial companion.
He entered the service December 4, 1861, as Adjutant of the 51st Ind. infantry, (Col. A. D. Steight) and the notice of his death calls to mind an incident that occurred in July, 1862, while Buell’s army was encamped near Huntsville, Alabama.
John and myself were walking up a street chatting merrily, and a short distance ahead was a large frame house standing probably one hundred yards back from the street. On the verandah stood a young lady, probably some “nineteen summers,” watching our approach. She walked to the gate, and when we got opposite the gate she “let fly” and spit in John’s face, he being on the inside. It was nothing more than human nature for us both to fly in a passion, we came to a standstill at a loss to know what to do. John eyed the woman keenly, and finally told her “to strike you would be a cowardly act, to shoot you in your tracks would be deliberate murder, so I will report you to General Buell.” She replied: “Report, General Buell is our friend.” The bluff was too much for John and he said, “let’s go!” We left and “rounded up” at the Sutler’s. From that day to September, 1887, we had never met. At the reunion in Crawfordsville that year, I hunted him up, revived “old memories,” he remembered the circumstances and said he never regretted walking out and leaving her to gloat over her very unlady like act.