William Riley Ramsey and the Trail to Burke County

The 1850 census finds his as a young man of 23 still living in the home of his parents, in the Smiths township of Stanly County, along with young siblings Jane Louisa, James Thomas, John Franklin and Gilliam O. Ramsey. 

Shortly afterwards, he must have taken a wife, Elizabeth, as his oldest child, Solomon, is born May 15, 1860. The 1860 census shows William, Elizabeth and most of their children. 

These were Solomon, George Samuel, Rebecca Elizabeth, James Allen, and John Calvin. Mr. Gilbert and his infant daughter were boarders only, as far as I know. 

And then came the War. 

Keeping William Riley Ramsey, who married Elizabeth and was the son of Samuel Ramsey and William Riley Ramsey, who married Lavina Barbara Springer and was the brother of Samuel Ramsey was very difficult, especially considering they were only a few years in age difference. 

William the brother, however, remained in Stanly County and then by 1880 had moved to the Deweese community in neighboring Cabarrus County. 

In following the military career of William Riley Ramsey, son of Samuel, we could determine which records were his by his occupation, as a mechanic, and also by the course of actions he took, and the ailments he sufferered. 

Wife Elizabeth likely waited patiently for his return in Stanly County. He enlisted on May 29, 1861. Son William Owen Ramsey was born on July 12, 1862 in Stanly County. 

The Muster Rolls for 1862 state that William R. Ramsey was at Camp Alamance on June 20, 1861. He was in Captain Junius Hill's no 6 Regiment. 

He was 36 years old and born in Anson County, North Carolina, Occupation: Mechanic. Description as 5 feet, 10 inches tall. 

Enrolled for active service in Charlotte on May 29 by J. L. Hill. Mustered in at Camp Alamance on June 20 "for the War" by J. G. Martin. 

By the Sept. and Oct. 1861 muster, he was listed as "present" but "sick in hospital". 

By the Nov and Dec. 1861 muster, a Major Cameron counted him as "Present". 

In Jan. and Feb. of 1862, a Major Boon counted him as "Present".

In March and April of 1862, a Major Rodman recorded his as 'sick in camp'.

In May and June of 1862, Major Rodman recorded "Present. Half months pay forfeited by sentence of court martial."

Did he sneak home during this time?

In July to October 1862, a Captain Hughes recorded him as "Absent. In hospital sick".

In Jan and February of 1863, Captain Hughes was still recording him as "Absent...Hospital...Sick."

In March and April of 1863, Captain Hughes recorded, "Deserted from Hospital".

In May and June of 1863, Captain Hughes recorded, "Absent. Insane Asylum".



In July and August of  1863, Captain Hughes recorded, "Absent, Insane Asylum at Raleigh".

In Sept. and October of 1863, Captain Hughes gave a little more information. "Absent. Sent to Richmond in August of 1862. Now at Insane Asylum in Raleigh, NC. "



Nov and October of 1863 held the same information.

January and February of 1864 gave new information from Capt. Hughes, "Sent to hospital at Richmond."

By May and June of 1864, he had been transferred back from Richmond, Virginia to the Insane Asylum in Raleigh again, and was still there in July and August of 1864.

On the September and October 1864 muster it was recorded, "Deserted from Insane Asylum in Raleigh".

So what happened to William Riley Ramsey when he escaped from the asylum in Raleigh on his second trip?

Where did he go?

The one thing that is known is that he found his family. Did he meet with them in the dead of the night in Stanly County and whisk them away to the mountains, or did he hide in the foothills near Lenoir or Morganton and have his family travel into western North Carolina to meet him?

Map of Caldwell County 1878

The youngest two children of William Riley Ramsey and wife Elizabeth were William Owen Ramsey, who was born July 12, 1862, which means he was concieved in the early fall of 1861, after his father had mustered in to the service. So it appears, Mr. Ramsey had a habit of slipping home, perhaps. William is said in family records to have been born in Stanly County. It is the birth of the youngest daughter, Maggie, that proves he made it back to Elizabeth after his escape from the Raleigh asylum in 1864.

Maggie Ramsey Clark's records have her being born in November of 1864 in Caldwell County.

Name: Maggie Clork [Maggie Ramsay]  Gender: Female Race: White Age: 56 Birth Date: 10 Nov 1864 Birth Place: Caldwell, North Carolina, United States Death Date: 11 Jun 1921 Death Location: Highland, Catawba Spouse's Name: J S Clork Father's Name: Ramsay Mother's name: Elizabeth Helins

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Oral family history states that William Riley Ramsey died in the year 1865 of measles. He might have contracted these during his stay at the hospital. It is unknown where he is buried. 

It certainly appears that W. R. Ramsey was not cut out for war. He had a history of illness and a bitter love for family that had him risk all to get back to them before he perished. What brought him to the insane asylum? Was the tragedy and gore he saw around him too much to handle? Or was it an invented illness in order to get off the battlefield long enough to lie in wait until he saw his chance to escape. 

What is known is that he did not appear with his wife and children in the 1870 census of Burke County. 

And from here, the story continues with the family. 

There seems to be two trains of thought on the maiden name of Elizabeth Ramsey. Somehow, some descendants have came up with the name of Elizabeth Arrowood. Others contend that her maiden name was Helms. I am sticking with the camp that her maiden name was Helms, even thought that was also the maiden name of William's mother, Rebecca Helms Ramsey. The preponderance of evidence points to her maiden name being Helms. Perhaps William and Elizabeth were cousins. That was not unheard of. 

The above is the Find-a-grave entry for Ellizabeth Ramsey. This person has her listed as an Arrowood. Looking at the records of the children of William Riley Ramsey and Ellizabeth tell another story.

In 1879, Elizabeth is granted a widow's pension for William's Civil War Service.

Name:	Elizabeth Ramsey
Age:	50
Birth Year:	abt 1830
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1880:	Lovelady, Burke, North Carolina
Race:	White
Gender:	Female
Relation to Head of House:	Self (Head)
Marital Status:	Widowed
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Neighbors:	View others on page
Occupation:	Farming
Cannot read/write: Blind: Deaf and Dumb: Otherwise disabled: Idiotic or insane:	View image
Household Members:	Name Age Elizabeth Ramsey 50 Soloman A. Ramsey 27 George S. Ramsey 25 James A. Ramsey 20 John C. Ramsey 18 Margaret Ramsey 15

1880 found Elizabeth maintaining a farm, easily, with the help of her 4 adult sons. Two of the children from the 1870 census are missing from the household.