Friday’s Family from the Past

Maggie Lucinda Ramsey

I continue to research the Ramsey familial lineage to identify the progenitor of the Ramsey clan. The problem that I have run into is there are so many John Ramsey’s and John Ramsey’s who married a Mary that it has been difficult to link John Scot Ramsey, a third great grandfather, married to Nancy Hazelwood to his father. That generation is where my research has taken me and has become even more difficult. Now, I have gone back to the beginning of my research on the Ramsey lineage and started researching each direct line ancestor the spouse, and the children. 

I have DNA tested with all three testing companies; Family Tree DNA; Ancestry DNA; and 23 and Me Testing Companies. There are matches in the atDNA test results who has Ramsey in their ancestry. I have worked with a group trying to find our common ancestor but have been unsuccessful. I continue to research to prove the progenitor of my Ramsey clan and research is ongoing. For now, I will work on Maggie Lacinda daughter of Eliza Jane and Asa Martin Ramsey. Maggie is the fourth child born to Eliza Jane and she is a twin. More on her twin later. Maggie was born 27 April 1889 in Holmesville, Pike County, Mississippi. She is eleven years old living with her parent on the 1900 Beat 3, Pike County census. She has attended school six years. Maggie can read, write, she speaks English, and she attends school in 1900.

By 1910 Maggie is twenty years old, single, and is still living at home with her parents and siblings. It interested to note the census taker spelled their surname Ramsy. When researching this family or any ancestors I look for variations in spelling and incorrect birth years, places of birth, and initials for names.  

Maggie has taken a gigantic step by 1920, and married a sixty-three-year-old man name William Jones. One thing that I have learned in researching that seems to be a common event is young women marrying elderly men. He is thirty-two years older than Maggie. Why would she marry a man old enough to be her father? Does she think that is her only chance at marriage? Does she need someone to take care of her? Does he need someone to take care of him? The reason is unknown, but by 1940 she is widowed. William died 2 Jul 1939 in Lincoln County, Mississippi. There are three children in the household Elzye a son age seven, Annie M. female age five, Hezzie Jones age two. Those are probably her children born after she married William. She would have been twenty-one when Elzye was born. Maggie and her family is living in District 70, McCall, Franklin County, Mississippi in 1920. 

Living in District 2, Ward 1, Franklin Parish, Louisiana W. M. Jones age seventy-four, head of the family, Maggie, age forty, Elsie, daughter and seventeen, Anna Mae daughter, age fifteen, Clyde son age twelve, and Maggie Lee daughter age seven. Looking at the two censuses 1920 and 1930 Maggie had five children. Hezzie age two isn’t listed on the 1940 census so she must have died after the 1920 census was taken. The 1930 census shows that Maggie was twenty-two years old at her first marriage.  An estimated marriage year is 1918 in Pike County, Mississippi

Back in Franklin County, Mississippi living on Round Top Hill Road Maggie is living with her daughter Maggie age sixteen and her son Clyde age twenty-two with Clyde head of the family.  Maggie is fifty and a widow. Clyde Maggie’s son worked 48 hours during the week March 24-30 1940. The census showed he worked fifty-two weeks in 1940. He was a farmer. 

Maggie Lucinda Ramsey Jones died 8 November 1975 in Natchez, Adams County, Mississippi and is buried in the Natchez City Cemetery. She has a double headstone with her daughter Mary Mae Jones. Mary was born 30 July 1923 and died 27 July 2004 in Adams County, Mississippi. Sometime after 1940 Maggie moved to Adams County, Mississippi. She is listed as widow of Wm living in h302 N Canal in Natchez, Adams County, Mississippi in 1950 where she is listed on page 212 in the Natchez City Directory. Again, she is listed in a Natchez Mississippi City Directory in 1960 on page 244 of the city directory living with her daughter Mary M. on h606 Maple Street. She is listed as wid of Wm.

If only I had a letter or a family story about what life was like for Maggie Lucinda Ramsey that would be a treasure to keep forever. It is only left to my imagination as what her life was like. She was a young woman and married an elderly man and was dependent on him at a very young age. Following her path to Adams County where she lived until her death, she was dependent on her children for her lively hood. One can only imagine how difficult life was for her. ■

Maggie Lucinda Ramsey, daughter of Asa Martin Ramsey
and Eliza Jane Burnett Ramsey.
Created by: RUBY CARMAN
Record added: Jun 09, 2013
Find A Grave Memorial# 112037413