Person:William Ramsey (45)

William Ramsey was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia

Contents 1 Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, VA 2 Possible Siblings of William Ramsey 3 Will of William Ramsey 4 Information on William Ramsey of the Calf Pasture		Welcome to Old Augusta Early Settlers Beverley Manor Borden's Grant Register Data Maps Places Library History Index
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Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, VA

Acquisition of Land from Chalkley's:

• Page 242.--14th May, 1754. Beverley to Wm. Ramsey, 582 acres in Calf Pasture on Little River. Cor. Alex Dunlap.

Disposition of Land from Chalkley's:

• 1767 18th August. Page 449.--. William Ramsey and Jane ( ) to Moses Moore, £210, 582 acres on Little River of Calfpasture, corner Alex. Dunlop's land. Teste: John Cunningham, Joseph Walker, James Trimble. Source:Chalkley Vol 3:457

Possible Siblings of William Ramsey

It is suspected that William Ramsey may be a brother to John Ramsey, who also obtained land on the Calf Pasture. More research is necessary to establish a relationship.

It is also thought that William Ramsey's sister may be Jane 'Jean' Ramsey, who married John Gay, of the Calfpasture. More research is also necessary to prove this suspected relationship.

Will of William Ramsey

From Rockbridge County, VA Records: (provided by TomVanSant - tevansantmd@gmail.com

Transcription from original William Ramsey Will 13 June 1789 recorded in Rockbridge County Virginia in December 1789 apparently upon his death Transcription Done 13 Feb 2008

This will was written in ink on the front and back of a single sheet of paper which has separated horizontally along the fold in the center and vertically along one fold of a resulting half. It is in the fine handwriting of William Ramsey with the peculiarities of expression and penmanship of the time. There is no discernable punctuation and it is typed as faithfully as expressed as possible to the transcriber. Transcriptions of this will are known but I hope this transcription will add in some part to Ramsey researchers and African American Heritage researchers. If the will had been kept flat in some manner these past 219 years it would still be in very good shape. It has been kept in a folded form resulting in the mentioned damage. The will is very legible and in otherwise good condition. It was found among other papers under the trunk mat of an old car purchased in Virginia in the 50’s. It is now in the possession of an acquaintance.

In the name of God amen I, William Ramsey, of Rockbridge County being weak in body but of sound mind & memory thanks be to God for the same do make this to be my last will & testament in the manner following

I recommend my soul to God who gave it and as touching my worldly affairs I desire that my body be decently buried at the direction of my executors here after mentioned

I desire that all my just debts be paid I leave & bequeath unto my wife Jane a sufficient support out of the plantation whereon I now live with my dwelling house & furniture except what will be hereafter mentioned during her natural life also a mare or horse & saddle & two milk cows for her own use during life to be kept for her by my son William

Item I give & bequeath unto my son Samuel Ramsey the plantation he now lives on containing 204 acres of land more or less to him & his heirs & asigns forever also my negro man named Jack after the use of my wife & removal of my daughters as mentioned hereafter

Item I give & bequeath unto my son James Ramsey his heirs & asigns a negro wench named Esther now in his possession

Item I give & bequeath unto my daughter Fanny Scott a negro named Faith with her increase now in her possession to her heirs & asigns forever also her stock & furniture she got in possession & one fifth part of the price of my plantation at Harts bottoms

Item I give & bequeath unto my daughter Jane Lyle one mulatto wench named dina now in her possession to her & her heirs for ever also one young mare and a case of drawers and one fifth part of the plantation at harts bottoms I allow to be kept in the hands of my execs & laid out for the education of her children & in particular one of her sons at the direction of my execs

Item I give & bequeath unto my daughter Sarah her heirs & asigns a mulatto wench named peg one mare or horse & saddle a feather bed & furniture & a case of drawers also one fifth part of my plantation at harts bottoms

Item I give & bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth her heirs & asigns two negro wenches named Sal & Philis one horse & saddle, two milk cows a feather bed & furniture and a case of drawers also one fifth part of my plantation at harts bottoms

Item I give & bequeath to my daughter Mary her heirs & asigns one negro wench named Leaina one horse & saddle a feather bed & furniture two milk cows & a case of drawers also one fifth part of aforementioned place

Item I give & bequeath to son William Ramsey his heirs & asigns forever the plantation with the mill & the appurtenances thereunto belonging containing two hundred eighty acres more or less also one negro boy named Moses the wagon & gears two houses of his own choosing on the plantation & the necessary farming utensils belonging to aforesaid plantation & my wifes part of the furniture after her decease and the negro wench named Jin after the decease of my wife Jane & the removal of my daughters Sarah Elizabeth & Mary from so place as will be hereafter mentioned to him & his heirs forever and I allow my son William to pay to my son Samuel L150 In cash or property to be paid in annual payments of ten pounds each year if paid in cash but if paid in property L20 yearly commencing at the time he gets full possession of aforesaid place & purchased of such I allow it is my will that the plantation I purchased of John Lusk containing 180 acres more or less be reserved by my execs for the natural advantage & support of my wife Jane during her life My son William & my daughters Sarah, Elizabeth & Mary as long as the may choose to reside in asaid place in a single state and also a negro man named Jack & a wench named Jin be kept for the use of my aforementioned wife & children during their continuance at so place as forementioned but if my wife Jane should remain single after the others remove and she does not choose to home with my son Wm she may be allowed some support from my son Wm at the direction of my execs & in case my son William should die without heirs of his own body I allow my son Samuel to have the one half of his land & the remainder to be divided among my legatees at the direction of my execs I also allow my books clock and every other part of my estate not heretofore mentioned to be divided at the direction of my execs among my legatees

I hereby constitute & appoint my trusted friends Sam Lyle and Matthew Hannah esq & my sons Samuel Ramsey & James Ramsey Execs of this my last will and testament and I do hereby forsake and disavowal every other former will & testament & Legacies by me in any will by me named ratifying & confirming and no other to be my last will & testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand Seal this 13 day of June 1789

Signed Sealed & Acknowledged in the presence of

Andrew Reid

John Thompson

Adam Freeman

Information on William Ramsey of the Calf Pasture

Information from Lee Ramsey (e-mail: lkramsey@comcast.net)

Dr. James Ramsey was a son of William Ramsey, who acquired land in the Borden’s tract of Augusta Co., VA in 1753. William Ramsey died in Augusta Co., VA in 1789 leaving a wife, Jane, and eight children: 1) William Ramsey who married Sarah Fulton; 2) Samuel Ramsey who married Elizabeth Lyle; 3) Dr. James Ramsey who married Jane Lyle; 4) Fanny Ramsey who married Rev. Archibald Scott; 5) Jane Ramsey identified his her father’s will as Jane Lyle; 6) Sarah Ramsey – no further; 7) Elizabeth Ramsey – no further; 8) Mary Ramsey – no further.

From Augusta County, VA records:

1767 18th August. Page 449.--. William Ramsey and Jane ( ) to Moses Moore, £210, 582 acres on Little River of Calfpasture, corner Alex. Dunlop's land. Teste: John Cunningham, Joseph Walker, James Trimble. Source:Chalkley Vol 3:457

From Genforum.com post:

Re: JOHN RAMSEY, AUGUSTA CO., VA 1700's Posted by: Thomas VanSant (ID *****1028) Date: November 18, 2008 at 08:47:08 In Reply to: Re: JOHN RAMSEY, AUGUSTA CO., VA 1700's by Kenwood Ramsey Jr. of 5870

I just found your posting. My mother is a descendent of Dr. James Ramsey. We knew that a William Ramsey was Dr. James' father, but had no information before that. Assumptions were made that William had come via PA to VA. Your information seems to add information about the Great Calfpasture land. Our family history believed that Dr. James had traded land he received by virture of serving in the war for the Calfpasture land. My cousin, James W. Ramsey still lives on the ancestral land in the Calfpasture Valley (Marble Valley). I would appreciate any other information or documentation you may have about John Ramsey, and William and his siblings.

From Rootsweb.com post:

The only Ramsey of Augusta County, VA that I have information for his Scottish origins is William Ramsey, who came from Cantire, Scotland to Larne, Ireland, then to Buck County, PA and Augusta County, VA. This William Ramsey owned a vast estate between the present sites of Lexington and Buena Vista, VA which came to be known as 'The Green Forest Farm.' This land was taken into Rockbridge County, VA and was divided among his sons, William Ramsey (II), Samuel Ramsey and James Ramsey. Son, Dr. James Ramsey, also purchased a 9000 acres estate on the Big Calfpasture River and built his home there known as 'Locust Grove.' Dr. James Ramsey (b. c1756) was a medical doctor and served on the Board of Directors of Washington College for 22 years. This is the James Ramsey who married Jane Lyle in 1786, daughter of Samuel Lyle. His brother Samuel Ramsey married Elizabeth Lyle, daughter of John Lyle; and brother William Ramsey (II) married Sarah Fulton, and William drowned in the James River.

Lee Ramsey