Birth: John

John was probably born somewhere around 1720, give or take several years according to James Clark Ramsey, the author of the original history.

(Here, for John's birth year, I have simply subtracted 20 years [a generation] from the "probable" birth date (1740) of Richard, John's son.)

On page 1 of Volume 1 of the 2-volume set of books about the Ramsey family, Clark Ramsey says, "As Richard Ramsey died in 1824, it is quite reasonable to conclude that he was born about 1740 either in Pennsylvania or in Scotland where the Ramseys came from to Pennsylvania."

The only other direct information offered about John is found on the same page. It says, "This same old book (a leather-bound book in the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, Pa.) speaks of John Ramsey listed as a taxable citizen in 1750, living in Hanover Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania.” The book says that not many Scotch settlers came to Pennsylvania, but most of them that did come settled in Londonderry Township, Lebanon Co., PA.

"As so many of the Wisemans and Ramseys intermarried, I conclude that they emigrated to Monroe about the same time and that both families came from Pennsylvania about the same time, perhaps together. I conclude also that John Ramsey spoken of in the aforesaid history was Bartholomew Ramsey's grandfather, being Richard Ramsey's father."

(Here, Clark Ramsey, I believe, jumps to a conclusion about John that doesn't seem justified.)

There is an indirect reference on page 2 where the author says, "Richard Ramsey's father was evidently born before the date of George Washington's birth (1732)." Unfortunately, the author doesn't provide the evidence on which he based his conclusion.

(I added the date of Washington's birth in parentheses)

Although the individual bits of information presented by Clark Ramsey in his book may be "true,"his conclusions about the linkage are shaky. I personally doubt that John is our ancestor based on his information.