Seward County, Nebraska Genealogy

Biographies and Obituaries "R" INDEX

RAMSAY, RAYMER, REIL, REYNOLDS, RITCHIE, ROBBINS, ROTH, RUTHERFORD

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RAMSAY, George Lucas, husband of Mary Jane (SIMS). This biography, written by his granddaughter, is from pages 212-213 of the 1967 book On A Bend of the River, posted here, with Ramsay family photos, courtesy of the author, Jane Ramsay Graff. [zoom George Ramsay family photo]
[Surnames: ANDERSON, CAMPBELL, CROUSE, DeWITT, FOSLER, GRAFF, HEIDEMANN, HICKMAN, HICKS, JEARY, McGREW, RAMSAY, SIMS/SIMMS, SMUTNEY]

RAMSAY
                        by Elizabeth Ramsay Hicks

    In 1875 Mr. and Mrs. George Lucas Ramsay and their 3 small children settled on a farm 3 miles north of Seward. The farm had been purchased from the railroad and improved by Mrs. Ramsay's father, Squire Shelby Simms of Iowa.
    George Ramsay had first traveled to Kansas in a covered wagon in search of a farm on which to raise his family. There they found the water alkaline which caused dysentery, and as Mrs. Ramsay said, "I won't live in a place where the water sickens the children and yellows the tea towels," so they came north to Nebraska with their children, Shelby, Guy, and Bessie, and settled in Seward County.
    Besides their regular farming operation, the Ramsay's operated threshing machines and corn shellers. The machines provided another neighborhood operation that not only was a community service but one which added zest to the rather humdrum farm living.
    The George Ramsay's were good neighbors who were loved and respected. They were always among the first to extend help to those in need or in sorrow, and were known as honest, hard-working people who gave of themselves in helping make their community a fine place in which to live. After his death, in 1914, the farm was sold to Walter Jeary.
    Guy Ramsay married Edna Hickman and they had 4 children; a son who died in infancy, Orville, Willard, and Thelma, who died at age 10.
    Shelby married Jennie Hickman, and they moved to an adjoining acreage and built a home. They had three children. Thelbert, Elizabeth, and Roland. Shelby was active in the County Agricultural Society, and developed a large dairy herd and hog business. The farm is still in the family, owned by Elizabeth and her husband, Raymond Hicks.
    Of this Ramsay family, Thelbert married Josephine Campbell. They had 4 children: Janet, Theo, Thelbert Jr., and Don. Thelbert farmed for a time and later moved to Seward where he ran a produce business. After Jo died, he married Martha Crouse, and they had one son, Dick. Thelbert worked for the poultry processing plant in Seward and developed a method for quick freezing fryers. The family, with the exception of Janet (Mrs. Forest McGrew, Fremont) moved to Maryland where Thelbert was manager of the poultry department of Bird's Eye Frosted Food Company until his death in 1965.
    Elizabeth graduated from the U. of N. Home Economics Department. She married Raymond Hicks and they had one son John, who is an attorney in Washington D. C. They make their home in Seward.
    Roland married Margaret Anderson, and they lived on the homeplace, farming and managing the dairying. Later they bought a farm just south of Seward and developed a herd of purebred Holstein cattle, and ran a dairy business in Seward. They had 5 children: Marian, (Mrs. Dale Fosler, Milford), Jane (Mrs. [p. 213] Meurice Graff, Seward), Bill (who married Pat Smutney and lives in Lincoln), Nancy (Mrs. Jerry DeWitt, Beatrice) and Dorothy, (Mrs. Kieth [sic] Heidemann, Lincoln). Roland Ramsay has been active in National Holstein-Friesan Association, and civic activities; Seward School Board, City Band, Masonic Lodge, Rotary Club, and County Planning Board. Mrs. Ramsay renewed her teaching certificate and has taught in the Seward Public Schools for several years.

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RAYMER, George, husband of 1) Catherine KOLLER and 2) Sarah BROX, a daughter of Phillip and Elizabeth (NEIDIG) BROX; son of George RAYMER, Sr. and Catherine (ADAMS). This biography is from the Compendium of History, Reminiscence and Biography of Nebraska, Alden Publishing Company, Chicago, 1912, p. 234. (Photo from the same page courtesy scan©2004 Alice Imig Stipak.)
[Surnames: ADAMS, BOULLS, BROX, NEIDIG, RAYMER, SMITH]

GEORGE RAYMER.

    One of the oldest settlers of Holt county, Nebraska, is the venerable George Raymer, now living retired from active life at Atkinson. He was born in Roulette, Potter county, Pennsylvania, March 30, 1833, his father, George Raymer, Sr., being a native of Strassburg, province of Alsace, Germany, then a part of France. The father came to America as a young man and settled in the Keystone state. There he married Catherine Adams, a native of the same province as himself, and they remained in Pennsylvania until about 1839. The father of Catherine Adams moved to Russia, where he became very wealthy, and on a voyage from that country disappeared from the ship with all his money, the supposition being that he was murdered for his fortune, then thrown overboard, as neither he nor his money was ever seen again.
    The Raymer family came west about 1839 and located on a farm about four miles from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this land now being a part of the city, which at that time was a small village at the mouth of the river, extending but a few blocks from the lake. The father owned a fine piece of timberland, from which he chopped the piles used in building the city's first docks. He sold this land about 1843 and moved to Stephenson county, Illinois, settling on a farm near Rock City, where George Raymer, junior, grew to manhood.
    Upon reaching manhood Mr. Raymer rented a farm near Rock Grove, Illinois, and was living on that farm when he decided to take his savings and go west where land was so much cheaper and he would be able to secure a farm of his own. In October, 1873, he reached Seward county, Nebraska, and purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land of the Burlington and Missouri railroad company, sixteen miles west of Lincoln. He endured the losses common to all settlers of that period, from the grasshopper plague, by which he lost his crops for several years, and had to keep his courage through many losses and discouragements before finally reaching a season of prosperity. He has lived in Holt county since March, 1883, and first filed on a homestead seven and one-half miles northeast of Atkinson, securing a timber and pre-emption claim. He resided on this farm until the fall of 1902, moving to Atkinson October 8, and has since resided in the city.
    Mr. Raymer's first marriage occurred in 1857, when he was united with Catherine Koller, a native of Germany, who came to America about 1854 or 1855. Six children were born to this union, namely: Israel J., went back to Pennsylvania and there married and engaged in business; Mary, married Frank Boulls and lives near Jennings, Decatur county, Kansas; George W., residing in Atkinson; Henry, died in his fortieth year; Charles and Daniel, twins, the youngest, the former working at Lincoln, Nebraska, and the latter residing at Houston, Texas.
    Mr. Raymer's second marriage occurred October 27, 1878, near Milford, Nebraska, when he was united with Sarah Brox, a native of Woolwich, Canada, born October 13, 1860, a daughter of Phillip and Elizabeth (Neidig) Brox, both from the province of Baden, Germany. The Brox family emigrated to Canada about 1854 or 1855, making the voyage on a sailing vessel that took about forty days to make the crossing. In 1863 they moved to Freeport, Illinois, where they lived until coming west in the seventies. Three children were born to George and Sarah (Brox) Raymer, as follows: Gertrude, married Roy Smith, who is employed in a bank at Atkinson; Earl is a carpenter by trade, and Carroll is a clerk employed at Atkinson. Mr. Raymer is a republican in political belief and a member of the United Evangelical church.
    At the time of the blizzard of January 12, 1888, so well remembered by the early settlers, he happened to be in the barn when the storm struck and had difficulty in finding his way to the house. When having occasion to go to the barn again he stretched a rope from the house to that building. When he came to Holt county there were but few antelope left, though he saw three there soon after coming. Although he never saw any of the large grey timber wolves there, they were occasionally seen along the edge of the dense timber in Stephenson county, Illinois, which near his home was twelve miles wide. He many times found it necessary to fight prairie fires, and in March, 1909, he helped fight a large one. On several occasions after coming west he burned corn as fuel, when coal was very high and corn brought but eight or ten cents a bushel after it was hauled about twenty miles to Lincoln. During the blizzard of 1888, when their fuel was exhausted, they burned tallow. Although Mr. Raymer had many most unpleasant and trying experiences after he came west, he now looks back upon his pioneer days as happy ones, and can think of no part of his life with more pleasure. He has spent a long and useful life and is now enjoying the rest he has so well earned, in the ease and comfort afforded in his city home. He is held in high esteem by all who known [sic] him and is known as a public-spirited, reliable citizen. Portraits of Mr. Raymer and his family will be found on another [sic, same] page of this volume.
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REIL, Emma E. (MILLER), wife of Chris REIL, daughter of Joseph R. MILLER and Margaret Jane (EICHER) MILLER: see Emma E. (MILLER) REIL.
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REYNOLDS, Job T., husband of Elizabeth (Shields). This biography is from pages 211-212 of the 1967 book On A Bend of the River, posted here courtesy of the author, Jane Ramsay Graff, including cabin photo from p.8 [zoom photo]. The portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds, and the photo of their family in front of their later frame house are from p.319 of Seward County Nebraska 1982, courtesy of Jane Ramsay Graff and the Seward County Historical Society.
[Surnames: GREEN, MIESNER, REYNOLDS, SHIELDS, WASHINGTON]

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REYNOLDS
                        by Ruth Reynolds Green

    Job T. Reynolds, his wife Elizabeth, and [p. 212] children Mary, Joseph and Matilda arrived in Seward Co. (then Green Co. Territory of Nebraska) Nebraska early in 1863 and settled on their homestead four miles south of Seward.
    Mr. Reynolds was born in New Jersey on the Reynolds farm, over part of which the Revolutionary Battle of Monmouth was fought. His grandfather was a private under Gen. Washington's Command in this battle.
    With his parents he migrated to Pennsylvania, then to Indiana. He was married at Bethany, Missouri, to Elizabeth Shields, whose brother John Shields was the second County Judge of Seward Co. The Shields family homesteaded near Ulysses.
    The late Andrew J. Reynolds was their first Nebraska born child being one of the first white babies born in this area. He was born May 12, 1866. Other children born to them were George W., Jerome, Charles and Alice. All are now deceased except Charles of Hastings, Nebraska, who still owns the Reynolds homestead.
    The family built a two room log cabin with a third room being half log and half dugout, near the Blue River. They took in many a homesteader new in this territory, and travelers passing thru en-route west.
    Mr. Reynolds was active in the Organization of School Dist. 86. School was first held in a dugout and later in a frame building on what is now the Herman Miesner farm.
    The family braved Indian scares, drought and near famine, as well as the bountiful years, and lived to see the great progress made by their chosen State. The cabin was replaced by a large comfortable frame house. Mr. Reynolds cultivated orchards and vegetable and flower gardens that made the Reynolds home a show place of the area.
    Mr. Reynolds passed away Jan. 15, 1917, and Mrs. Reynolds on July 28, 1924.

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RITCHIE, Alexander D., husband of Harriet (HOYT). This biography is from W. W. Cox, History of Seward County, Nebraska and Reminiscences of Territorial History, Part Two: Biographical, 1905, pages 142-144 (pp. 142+143 photo scans courtesy Pat Ryan White):
[Surnames: CUMMINS, HOYT, JACKSON, RITCHIE]

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ALEXANDER D. RITCHIE

    A pioneer on the great upland prairie between Blue River and Lincoln Creek in town 12, range 1, east of the 6th P. M. "D" town in Seward County, Nebraska.
    Mr. Ritchie was a prominent figure in his day in Seward County. [p. 143] He was a man of some means, and he was one that made his means a blessing to all his neighbors. He bought and improved section 11 of railroad land and put it in a good state of cultivation and built, we believe the first substantial frame dwelling house in "D" precinct, where he resided until February, 1883, when he moved to Seward where he lived until his death. He was much interested in sheep and was the first to introduce a fine herd in the county.
    Mr. Ritchie was a man much interested in political matters. His independent nature often rebelled against what was known as machine politics. He was a strong republican, but was often at variance with party leaders, and always had the courage of his convictions. He was a man of great energy, and was a man of deeds as well as works. For twenty years his influence was a prominent factor in the county. He helped to organize the bank at Beaver Crossing and became its first president in 1888.
    [p. 144] Mr. Ritchie was born at Edinburgh, Scotland, May 2, 1824, but he saw away beyond the sea a brighter light and when a youth of nineteen he bade adieu to his old home with all its endearments, and found his way to the better land of the broad stripes and bright stars, and made his home at Waukegan, Illinois.
    On January 11, 1847, he was married to Miss Harriet Hoyt at Chicago, Illinois. She was an Ohio girl born August 22, 1826, in Medina, County.
    There were born to them five children: Hon. W. E. of "D" town; Alonzo D. of Hale, Missouri; Franklin C., now deceased; Alice G., now Mrs. D. S. Jackson of Nebraska City and Jennie H., late Mrs. H. B. Cummins of Seward, Nebraska.
    Mr. Ritchie died at Seward, April 25, 1892, and Mrs. Ritchie died at Seward, February 2, 1904.
    These good old people were among Seward County's best builders and their names are held dear by a great host of the people.
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ROBBINS, Charles Edward, son of Albert C. and Sarah M. (OPIE) ROBBINS, husband of (his 2nd cousin) Maggie (GARNER). Submitted by relative Pat Ryan White. This obituary is from the Malvern Leader, Malvern, Mills County, Iowa, Thursday, April 17, 1924, page 1:
[Surnames: CHANTRY, CLAYTON, COLLINS, DYE, GARNER, GOODWIN, HALDEMAN, HARTMAN, McNULTY, MOLONEY, NORTON, ROBBINS, RODORMER, STEELE, STRAWN, TALBOTT, THOMPSON, VAN LIEU, WISE, WOLFE]

CHARLES E. ROBBINS

    Charles E. Robbins passed away at his home in Malvern Sunday morning, after an illness of some three weeks of acute stomach trouble.
    The funeral services were held from the late home at three o'clock Tuesday afternoon. Rev. D.S. Thompson conducted the services. Mrs. F.R. Chantry and Mrs. L.A. Talbott with Mrs. J.M. Steele as accompanist sang.
    The pall bearers were John Clayton, S.M. Norton, J.W. McNulty, Frank Goodwin, Joe Haldeman, and E.C. Collins. Interment was made in the Malvern cemetery. Out-of-town friends here for the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. Dewey Dye of Chicago, Fred Garner and wife of Lincoln, Nebr., Henry Garner and wife of Utica, Nebr., Mr. and Mrs. George Wolfe and daughter, Mrs. Elmer Hartman of Glenwood.
    The following obituary was given:
    Charles E. Robbins, son of Albert and Sarah Robbins was born February 8, 1856 in Fairview, Fulton county, ILL, and died April 13, 1924 at Malvern, Iowa.
    He was married to Maggie Garner, November 20, 1890 [in Seward], who with the children is left to mourn his death. The children are Earl C. Robbins of Iowa City, Mrs. Ethel Wise of Henderson, Ia., and Mrs. Melvia Dye of Chicago, Ill. He had two children by a former marriage, Mrs. Rena Moloney of Cicero, Ill., and a son, William Lee Robbins who died September 7, 1920 at Bloomington, Ill. He is also survived by three sisters, Mrs. Lora Strawn of Cima, California, Mrs. Louisa Van Lieu and Mrs. Ann Rodormer of Fairview, Ill.
    He spent the early part of his life in Illinois and New Jersey, coming to [Seward Co.] Nebraska a few years before his marriage where he lived until he moved to Iowa in 1898. He has since lived in and near Malvern.
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ROBBINS, Maggie (GARNER), wife of (her 2nd cousin) Charles Edward ROBBINS, daughter of James Alfred GARNER Sr. and Helen V. (HAGEMAN) GARNER: see Maggie (GARNER).
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ROBBINS, William Oppie, son of Albert C. and Sarah Maria (OPPIE) ROBBINS, husband of (his 2nd cousin) Alletta Stryker (BROKAW). Their photo, courtesy of Eve Brokaw Adams, reads, "Willie Robbins, Alletta Brokaw Married Mar 10, 1887" [zoom]. This biography, transcribed by his relative Alice Imig Stipak, is from the Oppie-Opie Supplement: Supplement and Corrections to the Oppie-Opie Genealogy Entitled William Oppie of Somerset County, New Jersey and Some of His Descendants, with Other Opie Families Mentioned, compiled by Esther Opie Van Ness in about 1966, p. 42:

121475 WILLIAM OPPIE ROBBINS, son of Sarah Maria Oppie and Albert C. Robbins; b. Aug. 15, 1861 near Flagtown, N.J.; d. Dec. 20, 1913, Seward, Neb., where he was living. He m. Alletta Stryker Brokaw Mar. 10, 1888. She was b. Mar. 10, 1869, Fairview, Fulton Co., Ill.; dau. of William Augustus Brokaw, who was b. June 12, 1842, Fulton Co. Ill. and his wife Jane Adeline Hageman, b. Sept. 4, 1844 in Ill., dau. of William and Althea (Stryker) Hageman. Aletta d. Feb. 17, 1936, Seward, Neb. Children:
      *1214751 Jessie Lee b. 1889
       1214752 Charles b. Feb. 8, 1891; d. same day.
      *1214753 Lora Jane b. 1894
      *1214754 Addie Maria b. 1896
      *1214755 Frank Brokaw b. 1899
      *1214756 William Albert b. 1903
       1214757 Walter b. Feb. 20, 1906; d. Feb. 23, 1906
      *1214758 Augustus Warren b. 1907
      *1214759 Bertin Loy b. 1910
      *121475-10 Aletta Neva b. 1911

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ROTH, Lena, wife of Frank SMETTER: see Lena (ROTH) SMETTER.
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RUTHERFORD, William, son of Samuel and Mary (BOYLE) RUTHERFORD, husband of Laura (DAVIS), who was a daughter of Samuel C. and Adaline (HENDERSON) DAVIS. This biography is from the Compendium of History, Reminiscence and Biography of Nebraska, Alden Publishing Company, Chicago, 1912, pages 598-599:
[Surnames: BOYLE, DARROW, DAVIS, HALE, HENDERSON, RUTHERFORD]

WILLIAM RUTHERFORD.

    William Rutherford is one of the earlier settlers of Nebraska and has experienced the discouragements and trying times incidental to pioneer life in any region. He is well and favorably known in his part of the state and has always given his influence in the cause of right and progress. He was born near Cottage Hill, Dubuque county, Iowa, April 12, 1859, a son of Samuel and Mary (Boyle) Rutherford, being the eldest of their three sons. He has a brother in [p.599] Colorado and one in Wyoming. His father, who was born in Livingston county, Illinois, served in the Twenty-second Iowa Infantry during the civil war, and died in 1863 while in the service. The mother, who was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, now resides in Palmer, Nebraska.
    In September, 1872, the mother, who had married James L. Darrow, came with her family to Nebraska, where the three sons, William, Thomas and Samuel, homesteaded on their father's soldier's right, one hundred and sixty acres of land in Polk county.
    January 1, 1882, William Rutherford married Laura Davis, who was born in Warren county, Illinois, and came with her parents to Seward county, Nebraska, in 1869. She is a daughter of Samuel C. and Adaline (Henderson) Davis, the father a native of New York and the mother of Pennsylvania. Their first residence in Nebraska was a primitive dugout, which was later replaced with a "soddy." Mr. Davis, who served in the civil war, now lives at Hydetown, Pennsylvania, where his wife died in April, 1910. Mr. Davis served as postmaster of Pleasant Home, Nebraska, eight or nine years. Mrs. Rutherford has a brother in Oklahoma, a sister in the state of Washington and two sisters in Pennsylvania.
    After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Rutherford lived in Polk county some six or seven years, occupying a sod house the first four years of that time. About 1890 they moved to Nance county, remaining one year, removing thence to Oklahoma, for one summer. Returning to Nebraska they settled in Boone county, where they lived from about 1892 until 1906, when they came to Valley county and Mr. Rutherford purchased a four hundred acre stock and grain farm on section thirty-six, township seventeen, range fifteen, which was the home place until sold in the summer of 1911. It is a well improved and equipped farm and yielded a good profit to Mr. Rutherford, who has taken all active interest in public affairs and won a good standing in the community. He served as director of the school board of his district in Boone county, and in various other ways proved his devotion to the best interests of all.
    Three children have been born to Mr. Rutherford and wife: Lawrence S., at home; Pearl married William Hale and they live in Knox county, Nebraska; Harry O., at home. The Rutherfords are well known in social circles and have a host of friends.
    Mr. Rutherford has always been a man of stirring activity. He began the life of a thresherman at the age of eighteen and three years later became owner of an outfit and has operated in that line ever since; during these years he has worn out three or four engines and separators and five shellers; his sons have been a great assistance to him and understand the business as well as he.
    There were deer and elk in Polk county when Mr. Rutherford settled there, and here, too, he witnessed the devastation of his crops by grasshoppers in the summer of 1875.
    In politics he is a republican and was reared in the Catholic church.
    A view of the Rutherford home in Valley county is shown on another page together with a sketch of their old soddy [in Polk Co., not scanned here] of earlier days.
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