Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-04-09
UNCLE BILLY RaMsnEr.r..
a Salem. Mass. Woman Enatched--
Romance OF Mining Camps.

Some one sent the BULLETIN a
marked copy of the Boston Globe,
IN which we find printed the follow
ing strange story concerning Uncle
Billy Ramsdell, a man who pos
sessed warm heart aud generous
feeling for his friends, though at
times somewhat eccentric. The ar
ticle reads:
SALEM, Mass, March fa-Mrs.
William l.. Ramsdell, residing at
20 Hawthorne st. has received word
from Mountain Home. Idaho, that
she has come into possession of
10000 by the death Of her husband
VIM. l.. Ramsdell. who sailed for
California from Salem on the ship
Susan Wardwell in 1910, to seek his
fortune.
After three years of prosperity he
came back to Salem, but in a short
time returned 10 the Pacific coast
lie prospered at gold digging. and
in 1859 sent word to his family in
Salem TO join him.
May 5, 1859, Mrs. Ramsdell left
Salem with her two daughters and
met her husband in Crescent City.
California
lie had at that time struck what
miners term bad diggings."
His family stayed with him. how
ever, for six months, having jour
neyed as far north as Waldo, Or.
Hard luck continued to follow
him, and as the expenses of the
family were great at that time it
was decided that they should return
home, which they did
The son. however. remained with
his father, and father and son finally
found their way back to Crescent
City.
They stayed there awhile and
managed to pan out gold TO keep
them together.
| George, the son, at that time was
a strong, active boy Of Is.
They were not contented with
small paintings and made their way
to Idaho, where gold had been dis
covered.
| A correspondence was kept up by
father and son with the family at
home at as regular intervals as pos
sible
Early in 1870 the family received
a letter from the father, reading:
Dull times and hard luck; shan't
write again till prosperous; going to
War Eagle hills"
That was the last message ever
received from the father.
A short while after a letter was
received from the son saying:
Father is dead"
Letters received later from the
son told how they had wandered
about from camp to camp until
the father gave up, discouraged, and
died.
The son contin ed to write, how
ever, for several years, during which
time he announced his marriage and
the good luck he was having.
The family at home. supposing
the father was dead. continued to
write to the son, but not once mem
toned the father, as the son had
stopped writing about him.
Last December George Ramsdell
appeared at an Idaho court within
the province of Mountain Home and
asked TO be appointed administra-
tor of the estate of his father, VIM
l.. Ramsdell, who had just died.
At the session of the court the
Judge asked the would.be admins
traitor divers questions about the
father, and where he lived
The son said he was the SON and
heir, but from admissions made
upon the stand, The judge was con-
WINGED that other heirs were living
He therefore refused to grant the
administration, and instead, in.
structed lawyer to communicate
with some LAWYER in this section as
to the deceased.
In court book the Western law
yer came upon the name of Charles
Sewall of Salem, and to him he at
once wrote.
The lawyers opened a correspond
ence, and Mrs. Ramsdell aud her
j family were soon located by lawyer
] Sewall.
The Idaho attorney gave Mr..
Sewall evidence of his authority to
communicate from the court, and to
him described the property, the de-
ceased, his son and all cireum-
stances connected with the case.
From the lawyers letters it seems
that Mr.. Ramsdell did not die in
1870, but had prospered He in
vested his money carefully in Brn-
neau valley and at Mountain Home
in town property.
| Inst December he died at Noun
tain Home, leaving nm estate inven-
toried at 10000, and was drawing
good interest.
The law in Idaho gives half of
the estate to the widow and the res
idue to the family.
Why the son should have done az
he has ID a mystery to the mother