John RAMER of Ramer, McNairy County, Tennessee (1798-1874)
John RAMER, my 3rd great grandfather, was born about 1798 in either Kentucky or North Carolina. The 1850 Census indicates he was born in North Carolina, but the 1860 and 1870 Censuses indicate he was born in Kentucky. There are no records that have been found of his early years to verify his birthplace, parents, or family of origin.
A Land Grant survey dated November 7, 1826 in Butler County, Kentucky, for a John RAMER can be found at Ancestry.com. We do not know for sure this is our John RAMER, but there is a possibility.
Source: Kentucky, Land Grants, 1782-1924, Book W, Page 323, [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1997. (Original data: Jillson, Willard Rouse. The Kentucky Land Grants. Vol. I-II. Louisville, KY, USA: Filson Club Publications, 1925).
Most sources agree that John RAMER married about 1818 in Alabama. His wife’s name has been given by some sources as Elizabeth (possibly LAMBERT). But I have been unable to substantiate that. I recently found a Marriage Record for a John Rammer and Elizabeth MEDFORD on Familysearch.org. They married May 17, 1816 in Madison County, Alabama. I do not know if this is the correct John “RAMER”, but it is the only Alabama marriage in this time frame I have been able to find for a John “RAMER”.
Source: "Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957", database,
FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQKL-Q3B : 13 February 2020), John Rammer, 1816.
The same information can be found here:
"Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2DQ-1FGF : 28 November 2018), John Rammer and Elizabeth Medford, 17 May 1816; citing Madison, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,034,494.
John and his first wife may have been living in Morgan County, Tennessee, when the 1820 census was taken. But the 1820 Morgan County census has been lost, so we cannot prove or disprove this. The reason for thinking this location as a possibility, is an article in the Western Arkansas Biographies and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas, that states, “John and ‘Mary’ RAMER’s eldest son, James P. RAMER, was born October 17, 1818 in Morgan County, Tennessee. This is the best information available, so far, to determine where John and “Mary” (or Elizabeth) may have lived about 1820.
Source: Western Arkansas Biographies and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas, A Condensed History of the State, a number of Biographies of Distinguished Citizens of the same, a brief Descriptive History of each of the Counties mentioned , and numerous Biographical Sketches of the Citizens of such Counties; published in 1891 by the Southern Publishing Company, Chicago and Nashville, pages 176-177. Article entitled, “James P. RAMER”.
In the 1830 census John and his family are found in McNairy County, Tennessee with 1 male under 5, 1 male 5-10, 1 male 10-15, 1 male 30-40, 2 females under 5, 2 females 5-10, 1 female 30-40. So, they already have 7 children.
1830; Census Place: McNairy, Tennessee; Series: M19; Roll: 179; Page: 133;
Family History Library Film: 0024537. Description: Township: Not Stated
We can assign names to these children in the 1830 census based on John’s 1868 Last Will and Testament (see below) and the Distribution of the Estate in 1874 (see below), and further research on each of these children. The children born before 1830 were:
· James Porter RAMER, born 1818
· Melinda RAMER Brown, born 1819
· Louvinia/Lavinia RAMER Richards, born 1821
· Lucinda RAMER Walker, born 1822
· William M. RAMER, born 1824
· Mary G. RAMER Forsythe, born 1826
· John Wesley RAMER, born 1827
Sometime between 1832 and 1838, John's first wife, Elizabeth, died; and about 1838 John married Mary Jane MONTGOMERY.
By the 1840 census, John had 4 additional children, three of which were from Elizabeth (first wife) and one from Mary Jane.
· Free White Persons - Males - Under 5 -1
· Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9 - 2
· Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14 - 1
· Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19 - 1
· Free White Persons - Males - 40 thru 49 - 1
· Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9 - 1
· Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14 - 1
· Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29 - 1
· Slaves - Males - Under 10 - 1 (See page 2 below)
· Slaves - Males - 10 thru 23 - 1
· Slaves - Females - 10 thru 23 - 1
These additional children were
· Elizabeth D. RAMER Taylor, born abt 1829
· Andrew B RAMER, born 1830
· Elijah A RAMER, born 1832
· Williamson Roark RAMER, born 1839 (Mary Jane Montgomery’s child)
Year: 1840; Census Place: McNairy, Tennessee; Roll: 529; Page: 43;
Family History Library Film: 0024547
So now, there have been 11 children born, 10 of them by John's first wife. They do not all appear on the 1840 census. Some of the older ones could be living with other families or already married and moved out. You will also note that John owned 3 slaves at this time.
By the 1850 census, the enumerators were able to add names of everyone in the household, not just “tic” marks for persons living in the household. This is the first time we are able to see the names and ages of the wife and children.
Year: 1850; Census Place: District 5, McNairy, Tennessee; Roll: M432_888; Page: 35B; Image: 76
The 1850 Slave Schedule seems to indicate that John RAMER had only 1 slave, who was a 1-year old Mulatto girl. I am not sure I am reading this correctly, but that seems to be what it says.
Source Citation: The National Archives in Washington DC; Washington DC, USA; Eighth Census of the United States 1860; Series Number: M653; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Source Description: Township: District no 5; McNairy County, Tennessee
· Roarck RAMER, age 11
· Thomas RAMER, age 7
· Samuel RAMER, age 4 (This 4-year-old Samuel is my great, great grandfather!)
· Felix RAMER, age 2.
One of their sons, Robert D RAMER, had been born about 1841, but apparently died before the 1850 census.
James Samuel RAMER, Personal Collection
John and Mary RAMER were received into membership in the Mount Vernon Cumberland Presbyterian Church near their farm in November 1850. John was Ordained an Elder in that church in October 1851, according to a May 7, 1977 letter from Rev. Walter R. COX, Pastor of the church. It was written to my great aunt, Bernice RAMER WRIGHT, who was seeking information about her great-grandfather, John, trying to join the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Letter from Rev. Walter Cox to Bernice RAMER Wright, May 3, 1977, Personal Collection
There have been 16 children born to John, but they are not finished, yet! In the next 10 years, there were 3 more children born, but only 2 are listed on the 1860 census.
· Cintha J RAMER, age 8
· Marietty L RAMER, age 2
· Fenis E RAMER, born 1854, died before 1860
Year: 1860; Census Place: District 5, McNairy, Tennessee; Roll: M653_1262;
Page: 399; Family History Library Film: 805262
The 1860 Slave Schedule indicates that John owned 21 slaves.
"United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1860," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GBSC-GVQ?cc=3161105&wc=816Q-SP8%3A1610412401%2C1610705301%2C1610313501 : 16 October 2019), Tennessee > McNairy > District 5 > image 1 of 5; citing NARA microfilm publication M653 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
There was one more daughter, Betty B. RAMER born in December of 1860, but she also died before the 1870 census.
Year: 1870; Census Place: District 5, McNairy, Tennessee; Roll: M593_1549;
Page: 244A; Family History Library Film: 553048
The Civil War was devastating to the entire nation and John and Mary were no exception. When comparing the 1860 and 1870 censuses, there is a remarkable difference in the property values. In 1860, John’s Real Estate value was $12,000 and Personal Property was $2,175. In 1870, those values were $3,000 and $1,000, respectively. Of course, some property could have been sold in those 10 years, but it seems there was a great reduction in value because of the War.
When John was 70 years old, he must have sensed that his earthly life was nearing an end, and he decided to get his affairs in order and make sure that his wife and children were cared for after his death. So, on April 19th, 1868, John wrote his Last Will and Testament, specifying his wishes. Here is a handwritten copy and a transcription of the Will.
These are 2 of the 4 pages concerning the Will from the source below.
Probate Records, 1857-1915; Index, 1857-1915; Author: Tennessee County Court (McNairy County); Probate Place: McNairy, Tennessee
The above Last Will and Testament of John RAMER was proven in open court in the October Term 1874. There are also 11 pages of the Estate Papers in the same file on Ancestry. The burial places for John and his wives are unknown to this author. It is assumed that they are buried in the Ramer Cemetery, in the town of Ramer, McNairy County, Tennessee. This cemetery is likely on the original land owned by John RAMER.
In 1858, John RAMER "donated a portion of the right-of-way for the building of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad Company across his land. “When the station was built, it was named Ramer Station, for the donor of the land”. As the community developed “Station” was dropped and it remains Ramer to this day.
Post Office, Ramer, McNairy County, Tennessee, Taken 1983
Personal Collection
“In a strange turn of events, John RAMER was killed around 1874, by a train while he was crossing the tracks on horseback. The Railroad offered a cash settlement to his widow, but she refused, saying the cash would have been ‘blood money’”.
Source: REFLECTIONS: A HISTORY OF McNAIRY COUNTY, TENNESSEE 1823-1996; Compiled and Edited by the Reflections Committee for the Tennessee 200 Bicentennial Celebration; Copyright 1996; Heritage House Publishing, 1600 North Missouri, Marceline, MO 64658. Pages 18, 77-78, 114.
I hope that future researchers can fill in some of the gaps in the documentation of John RAMER.
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