M#14 PHILIP RAMSEY and M#15 Sarah Melissa Brown

M#7 Florida Gay Ramsey's parents were M#14 Philip Ramsey and M#15 Sarah Melissa Brown.

Philip, it was written by Gay's older grandson, rode west from Winchester, Virginia after fatally shooting a man "who deserved shooting," to escape capture, and settled in West Virginia. This adventure could not be confirmed by this author, who dutifully began research on Philip in Winchester.

However, according to census records for Barbour County, Virginia (microfilm reel for Barbour County, Virginia, 1860, page 45, line 22, enumerated family number 312-312) Philip Ramsey was found at age 6 to be living in this county with his siblings and his parents, John J. "Jackson" and Jane Ramsey. This Ramsey family was settled in the county among the families of Mary Ramsey, age 52 (478-478); M#56 John and M#57 Margaret Ramsey, ages 56 and 55 (506-506); John L. Ramsey, age 24 (507-507); M#56.4 Philip and Louisa Ramsey, ages 28 and 28 (508-508); John M. and Eliza Ramsey, ages 28 and 22 (540-539); plus various Keller families, Keller being the surname of Philip's mother Jane.

According to his daughter Rosa Jean, Philip was born 12 April 1853. He was apparently named after an uncle. His marriage license application lists him to be from Barbour County. He was raised to farm, although there is evidence that his family lived in a rental in town. According to the 1900 census, Philip, at age 45, worked as a day laborer.

Philip married Sarah Melissa Brown on 30 December 1874, J.F. Eusminger officiating, at Samuel Brown's place. He was probably Sarah's uncle. Philip was age 20, Sarah was 26. Philip and Sarah were married in Taylor County. Sarah gave Philip seven children.

After Sarah's death in 1914, Philip married again on 3 July 1915, to Ms. Ida Bright (see ERRATA), who allegedly had a daughter. Family legend states that after Philip's death, his son M#14.2 Elmer stayed on the farm to work it, even though it apparently was inherited jointly by the siblings. At Elmer's death in 1942, Philip's daughter, Evelyn (by Ida) allegedly bought out the shares.

(Author's note: Ida Bright is shown on their marriage license application, which was filed in Randolph County on 3 July, 1915, to have been 40 years old to Philip's 58, which would put her birth at 1875; she hailed from Taylor County, West Virginia).

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The U.S. census for 1920 was released in the summer of 1992. In the census film for Randolph County, West Virginia, enumeration district no. 164, page 4, line 34, is listed the family of Philip and Ida Ramsey:

Philip Ramsey (mw)farmer 64 Wva Wva WVa

Ida M. wife 43 WVa WVa WVa

Ronald son 04 WVa WVa WVa

Evelyn dau 1 5/12 WVa WVa WVa

Howard Bright s-s 20 WVa WVa WVa

Beulah Bright s-d 16 WVa WVa WVa

This information suggests several new facts and possibilities for the Philip Ramsey family: (A) Philip had a fourth son, Ronald, and a fifth daughter, Evelyn;

(B) both were/are half-siblings to Gay, and half(?)-uncle and aunt to Donna (and to Donna's children. These names were never mentioned by Gay in the author's presence, even though they were related to her just as are the author and his half-siblings, Ron, Patty and Jackie); (C) Ronald was probably Philip's middle name, as it is used to name children of Gay, Donna, and now for Philip; (D) Ida brought not one offspring to her marriage with Philip, but two -- Howard Bright, born around 1900, and Beulah, born in 1904 (see ERRATA); (E) While Howard and Beulah were not related to Gay or Rosa, they were half-siblings to Gay's half-siblings Ronald and Evelyn; (F) Ida's surname was obviously not Bright.

Apparently the Ramsey sibling who "inherited the family farm" was not Evelyn Bright, but Evelyn Ramsey. Very possibly, she may still survive as I write this note.

So, Philip Ramsey's offspring were:

M#14.1 Deborah Austella Ramsey- b 22 October, 1875, d 20 July, 1922, m 26 December, 1896 to Perry L. Poling, at least one child;

M#14.2 Elmer J. Ramsey- b 22 February 1878, d 12 March, 1942, m 10 November, 1897 to Mary Virginia Myrtle Perry, at least three children;

M#14.3 Claude Ramsey- b 26 May, 1881, d (in infancy);

M#14.4 Clyde Ramsey- b 26 May, 1881, d (in infancy);

M#14.5 Cora M. Ramsey- b 14 June, 1883, d 12 March, 1934, m 22 June, 1902 to George H. Pennell, at least five children;

M#14.6 Florida Gay Ramsey- b 10 May, 1888, d 16 June, 1959, m 2 April, 1910 to Dallie Arnold Davis, at least two children;

M#14.7 Rosa Jean Ramsey- b 6 October, 1893, d 16 July, 1956, m in May, 1909 to John Perry Slaughter, at least three children;

M#14.8 Ronald Ramsey- b 25 May, 1916 near Kerens, Randolph County, West Virginia, d 9 February 1974, St. Joseph, Missouri(see ERRATA);

M#14.9 Evelyn Ramsey- b 5 October 1918 (see ERRATA)

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Philip died 8 July, 1930 (see ERRATA). He was interred in Israel Cemetery, which lies in the community of Kerens which is several miles out Route 219 north of Elkins..."go to Kerens, turn left at the fire station; go up the road to the cemetery, which is near Israel Church, on the hill about 1/2 mile from Leading Creek Fire Station..." (see Errata)

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