John Ramsey (abt. 1718 - abt. 1775)

Husband of Margaret Alexander (Davis) Ramsey — married before 1755 in Virginia

Descendants

Died about 1775 at about age 57 in Mecklenburg County, Colonial North Carolina

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Biography

Part One:

John Ramsey, of the Calf Pasture, Augusta Co., VA, married before 28 Nov 1751, to Margaret Crockett, widow of Robert Crockett, whose will was proved 19 Feb 1746, Augusta Co., VA, with Robert Crockett leaving the following sons: Archibald, Samuel, James, Alexander and Andrew Crockett. The Crockett sons came early to the Waxhaw settlement of South Carolina while still Anson Co., (later Mecklenburg Co.) NC, while their mother had remarried to John Ramsey of the Calf Pasture, and John and Margaret remained in Augusta Co., VA, until their removal to Mecklenburg Co., NC by 1764.

Archibald Crockett... is found in the Waxhaw's (Anson Co., NC) as early as 1755, being adjacent to William King on the N. side of the Catawba River. Archibald Crockett married Mary Ann King, daughter of Col. William King, and they had children: David, Robert, John,... Joseph, Elijah/Eli, Elias and Mary Crockett.

By 1764, John and Margaret Ramsey made their removal from Augusta Co., VA to the (New) Providence Settlement of Mecklenburg Co., NC, on Four Mile Creek, just North of the Waxhaw. With John and Margaret Ramsey came children, James, William, John and a daughter, Rachel Ramsey. John Ramsey took up 312 acres in Mecklenburg Co., NC on Four Mile Creek, which deed was recorded 13 Jan 1767, with all his lands being divided among his three sons, as devised in his will dated 4 Aug 1775. John Ramsey and his step-son, Archibald Crockett, along with Andrew Rea and Aaron Howie, were the original elders of the New Providence Presbyterian Church organized there in 1765, about twelve miles south of Charlotte, near the forks of Four Mile Creek.

On 14 Apr 1756, Alexander Crockett, "orphan and son of Robert Crockett, decd. in Augusta in Virginia"...purchased 202 A on N branch of Wax(h)aw in Anson Co., NC from Robert Davis. In 1756, Robert Ramsey sold 380 acres on Wax(h)aw Creek, as witnessed by John Crockett. This Robert Ramsey may be a brother or at least a near kinsman to John Ramsey of Four Mile Creek. Robert Ramsey was among the first elders of the Waxhaw Church, and he and his wife, Margaret, are found in several Mecklenburg Co., NC deeds, as well as the Augusta Co., VA records.^[1]

Part Two:

John Ramsey, of the Calf Pasture, Augusta Co., VA, and of New Providence, Mecklenburg Co., NC, left his will in Mecklenburg Co., NC, dated 4 Aug 1775, and which was probated during the January, 1776 term of court for Mecklenburg County.

John Ramsey's will is dated 4th August 1775: In his will he bequeathed to his sons, James and William Ramsey, his tract of 312 acres of land & improvements; to his son, John Ramsey, the tract of 150 acres of land on the divided ridge of the waters McAlpine & Four Mile Creek; to son James the horse & mare that goes in his name & two milk cows & two calves; to son William the Wilson horse & young bay mare & two milk cows; to daughter Esther the tan mare & her saddle & two milk cows; to daughter Rachel the bay filly & a good new side saddle & two cows and calves; to son-in-law Thomas Mark the sum of five pounds prov' money to be equally divided among his five children; to daughters Esther & Rachel all his pewter to be divided equally; to his five children, James, William, Esther, Rachel & John, a good feather bed & bed clothes equivalent; the remainder of his estate after debts satisfied to son James to be equally divided between himself & the four other children; to the two oldest sons the plow & tacklings; all other tools & plantation implements to be used by the whole family while they last; his wagon to be sold & the price to go with the personal estate.^[2]

After the North Carolina - South Carolina boundary dispute was finally settled, South Carolina regained its disputed portion of land, after which, James Ramsey found himself in the newly created county of Craven Co., SC. His marriage to Rachel Price probably took place in Craven County, Rachel being the daughter of John and Rachel (McCulloh) Price of Mecklenburg Co., NC and later South Carolina. James and Rachel (Price) Ramsey are still found by land deed as residence of Craven Co., SC in 1779. In 1785 "Old Craven" Co., SC was abolished, and James and Rachel Ramsey became residence of the newly created Chester Co., SC; and, Rachel's mother, Rachel Price, is still found as a resident of Chester Co., SC in the 1800 U.S. census returns for South Carolina.

NOTES: I inadvertently omitted the daughter Esther's name at the time of migration; please add her name to the list of children in Part One of the narrative. Also note that the Mecklenburg Co., NC court minutes show that the son, William Ramsey, died prematurely in 1777, resulting in William's half interest in the land he inherited from the father to fall to his brother, James Ramsey, as the senior son; and, thus showing that this William Ramsey died unmarried and without issue. [Part Three to follow]

Researched and submitted by Lee K. Ramsey 13 Oct 2004, Dallas, GA^[3]

Probate filed is noted in 1776. ^[4]

He is referenced in his son's Find A Grave notes. ^[5]

Research Notes

Birthdates and places range wildly from 1690 to 1774. And places from Ireland to Virginia to Mecklenburg. Maybe confused with another John Ramsey. Removed location pending further research. Made reasonable guess for date in the meantime. Possible previous marriage?

Sources

1. ↑ [1] Rootsweb
2. ↑ Will of John Ramsey: Mecklenburg county, North Carolina Record of Wills Book F 1763 - 1840; pages 113 - 114; on-line at: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9GW-BLDL
3. ↑ [2] Rootsweb
4. ↑ "North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KFSW-Z8X : 20 November 2015), John Ramsey, 1776; citing Mecklenburg, North Carolina, United States, State Archives, Raleigh; FHL microfilm 2,021,926.
5. ↑ [3] Findagrave : James Ramsey