Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-03-29
wEaL-OEsaKVED HON0Rs
To TeEDessee's FatrIarchaI Historian
Sketch Of a Care err that Every
Good Citizen has an Interest
in-The work he has
in Hand,

Knoxville Tribune, 18th: Yesterday was
the birthday OF our esteemed f-llow-cItlzen
DR.. J. 6. NJ. Ramsey, president of the Stale
historical society, and historian of Iennes-
see. A number of citizens visited the Vener-
able patriarch during the day to extend con-
era ulations and express their wishes that
the Sage of Mecklenburg' and his estlmabie
lady may see many returns of the day. DE-.
Ramsey is one Of the first-born sons of the
State of Tennessee, his natal day being the
twenty-6ftb OF March, 1897, consequently he
was eighty years of age yesterday. During
long and somewhat eventful life he has
filed many positions OF honor and trust,
ever retaining the confidence of the people
OF the State. From 1928 to 1861 he served
as postmaster at Mecklenburg, his country
seat, situated at the confluence
of Holston and French Broad rivers,
four miles from the city, a spot
me norable alike for picturesque scene
ny and historic Renaissance. Dr.. Ramsey
was once selected as agent to negotiate
sale OF State bonds. N which he was unusu-
ally successful. He was ever engaged In all
enterprises tending to promote the public
welfare, ard was active in promoting the
completion of the East Tennessee and Geor-
gia railroad, for which ne purchased the rails
used in the construction OF that line. He
graduated with distinction at Washington
college IN 1916, and subsequently received
the degree of master of arts. Selecting the
profession OF medicine as an avocatlon, ne
was granted a diploma il 1920, and COM
menced practice In this city on the twen-
ty-eighth of August OF that year, having
previously received an appointment as sur
geon OF Tennessee militia. DR.. Ramsey
married daughter of Captain Crozier, and
sister of Hon. joan II. Ccozier, of TINS city.
At the ripe age Of seventy.slx years
she retains IN remarkable de-
gree the health and vigor of early
womanhood, and visitors to the household
are ever pleasantly entertained by her cheer
full manner. Outing the war the doctors
residence at Mecklenburg, with valuable
library, was destroyed by fire; but his home
in this city retains the name. His boyhood
and youth were spent WITH the pioneer and
emigrant, and through long hte. OF useful
ness he has been associated with many OF the
public men and principal actors In the scenes
so graphically described In the annals Of
Tennessee. In his possession are many in
teresting papers possessed by his deceased
father, the late Colonel +. A. Ramsey,
pioneer OF the country, whose lite was ldentl-
fed with Its interests at every period OF its
growth, up to the day of his death, In 1870.
The most important incidents connected with
the history of the State TRANSFERRED within the
limits OF East Tennessee, and the historian,
in the preface to his work, remarks
that the space devoted to this section
will not be considered disproportienate
when 1t Is recollected that 1t had priority OF
ten years in its settlement that here were
conducted the more important negotiations
and treaties with the Indians-and that the
scenes of the revolution, as participated in by
the western sOldlery, the Franklin revolt and
Observation-Disclosures organization of the ter
ritorial government, and that of the State of
Tennessee all occurred here DR.. Ramsey is
engaged in preparing another volume which,
when completed, will cover period in the
history Of the State which no other person of the
present generation, perhaps, can supply. As
a reminder of the day, DIR Ramsey yesterday
presented to his grandson, Mr.. Mel Dickson,
a young member of the Knoxville bar, val
liable law library, embracing the best volumes
known to the profession