Maryland: Nathaniel Ramsay120

Like a majority of his colleagues in the U.S. marshal Service, Nathaniel 

Ramsay represented Washington’s ideal candidate for a U.S. marshal, 

with his experience and devotion to his country. Born on May 1, 1741 

in Lancaster, PA, Ramsay moved to Cecil County, MD around the age 

of 30.121 

In 1767, Ramsay earned his law degree at the College of New Jersey 

(later Princeton) and opened a practice in Cecil County.

122

 When the 

American Revolution began in the spring of 1775, Ramsay served as a 

delegate to the Maryland Convention (Maryland’s government during 

the war). However, he resigned his position and accepted a captain’s 

commission in Colonel William Smallwood’s Maryland battalion, a unit 

that would come to be regarded as the most professional regiment in 

the Continental Army.123 As a captain in this elite battalion, Ramsay participated in 

Washington’s 1776 New York Campaign and 1777 Philadelphia Campaign. Furthermore, 

Ramsay and his wife, Margaret Jane Peale (the sister of the painter Charles Wilson Peale, who 

was known for his paintings of Revolutionary War leaders) spent the winter of 1777-78 with the 

Continental Army at Valley Forge.124 

The following summer, Ramsay caught General Washington’s attention when he used his 

regiment to fill a gaping hole in Washington’s line at the battle of Monmouth Courthouse. 

Ramsay’s action allowed Washington to turn a near-defeat into a draw that boosted the moral 

of the American forces. However, Ramsay was seriously wounded and left for dead, leading to 

his capture. He was not released until November 11, 1780, thus causing him to miss the battle 

of Camden by two months.125 Unable to find an opportunity to command within the newly 

reestablished Maryland regiment, Colonel Ramsay retired from the military on January 1, 1781 

and resumed his law practice.126

Following his service in the Revolutionary War, Ramsay served as a Maryland delegate to the 

Continental Congress for three years. After this, he returned to his law practice and held 

different political appointments within his local community. In these varying capacities, Ramsay

 

120 Also sometimes spelled Nathanial and Ramsay

121 “History - The First Generation of United States Marshals/The First Marshal of Maryland: Nathanial Ramsay,” 

U.S. marshals Service, last estimated release October 23, 2019, 

https://www.usmarshals.gov/history/firstmarshals/ramsay.htm. (Accessed October 23, 2019).

122 Ibid.

123 Ibid.

124 “Nathaniel Ramsay (1741-1817),” Archives of Maryland (Biographical Series), last estimated release August 16, 

2019, https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/001000/001029/html/01029bio.html. 

(Accessed October 23, 2019).

125 “Nathaniel Ramsay (1741-1817).”

126 Ibid.

Portrait of Nathaniel Ramsay, 

c. 1797-1808.

Courtesy of Independence 

National Historical Park
strengthened his bond with his community and also increased his personal wealth.127

 On 

September 26, 1789, President Washington appointed Ramsay to serve as Maryland’s first U.S. 

marshal because he recognized Ramsay’s influence with the people of Maryland and 

appreciated his stellar military record.128 

As marshal, Ramsay’s influence enabled him and his 

deputies to conduct a successful enumeration of 

Maryland’s population for the 1790 census. 

Unfortunately, the preserved sections of his schedules 

lack details such as the enumeration completion date and

the names of his deputies.

129

Despite these deficiencies, it is clear that Ramsay

successfully oversaw the completion of Maryland’s 1790 

enumeration process. Maryland had a population of 

319,723 people, making it the sixth most populous state.

130

 Today, Maryland is the ninth most 

populous with 6,042,718 people.131 Upon completing the 1790 census, Ramsay continued to 

serve as Maryland’s U.S. marshal, until 1798. 132 He maintained his position as a naval officer

for the district of Baltimore, a position which he received in 1794, until he passed away on 

October 24, 1817.133

 

127 Ibid.

128 “History - The First Generation of United States marshals/The First marshal of Maryland: Nathanial Ramsay.”

129 “Maryland”. Return of the whole number of persons within the several districts of the United States: according 

to "An act providing for the enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States," passed March the first, one 

thousand seven hundred and ninety-one, pg. 47. PDF. Retrieved from 

https://www.census.gov/content/census/en/library/publications/1793/dec/number-of-persons.htm. (Accessed 

October 23, 2019).

130 “Maryland”. Return of the whole number of persons within the several districts of the United States: according 

to "An act providing for the enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States," passed March the first, one 

thousand seven hundred and ninety-one, pg. 47.

131 “QuickFacts: Maryland,” U.S. Census Bureau, last estimated release July 1, 2018, 

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/MD/PST045218. (Accessed October 23, 2019). 

132 Nathaniel Ramsay (1741-1817),” Archives of Maryland (Biographical Series).

133 “History - The First Generation of United States Marshals/The First Marshal of Maryland: Nathanial Ramsay.”