RANSOM ROBINSON WILLCOX
|
|
HISTORY OF RANSOM R. WILLCOX
By Sadie Willcox Erskine, March 15, 1951
It is not known where or when his father was born, as we have no record of him at all. And none of his Mother, only as to the date of her birth, July 29, 1800. And her maiden name was Sarah Sophia Blodgett. And she married a Mr. Hall, No record of any children. She married _____Willcox in 1823. To this union six children were born; Ransom, Pristmas, Wallace, Benjiman, William and Betsy. They were married in New York, but moved to Canada where Ransom was born June 25, 1826 in Sherbrooke, Canada.
At the age of 21, he was in N.Y. State and married Juliette Goodwin. To the union 2 girls were born; Emma Roy Roanne and Almina Eustashia. They moved to Durand IL., where Juliette died in 1854. He later married Wealthy Goodwin, a cousin of Juliette. To this union 3 boys were born; Errie, Ransie and Joseph Apollis. Errie and Ransie dying In Infancy. Joseph lived to be a great lawyer in the city of Sanborn, Iowa. In 1863, His family moved to Iowa and settled in Dickinson County where Wealthy died in 1854 and is buried In the Milford cemetery beside the boys and Grandma Willcox.
Following the Mormon Belief He married the Meeker sisters December 18, 1865. One son was born to Mary Jane, Ernest Robinson, May 29, 1866. Nine children were born to Charlotte. Seven boys and two girls. Errie, Otto, William, Kitty, Henry, Eddie, Sadie, Guy, and Charles.
He served in the Civil War, Pv't of Captain Francis H. Shaw Co. C, 55 Regiment, Ill. Was honorably discharged on the 24th of June 1862. The day before he was 33 years old. At St. Louis, MO.
Shortly after he was married, they took up homestead rights 3 1/2 miles south west of the town of Milford, Iowa and erected a log house in which the older children were born. In 1873 built a two story frame house in which Henry was the 1st to be born Aug. 14, 1874. This home became one of the social centers of Northwest Iowa. The latch string was always open and any and all were welcome to these gatherings. Dancing, Spelling Bees, Weddings, Births and deaths were all here. They lived here until 1897 when Joe persuaded them to sell him the farm and buy in Sanborn, which was a big mistake, which they always regretted. In their wildest dreams they could not have realized the destruction that went on for the next 5 or 6 years. All gardens, orchard and flower and shrubbery were destroyed for the almighty dollar. They lived in the 1st house until 1903. Sadie and Ralph were married here on December 19, 1897.
Henry and May moved onto the farm when they moved to Sanborn. Then in 1905 they bought the 2 story Snyder house and moved into the house in April. Henry moved from the farm to the old house. Eddie bought the place in 1906. The folks lived In the Snyder house until Ransom passed away in May 1908.
All this time they had Errie and his two boys with them. Ransom was a millwright and carpenter by trade and helped to build the first bridges and flour mills in Northern Iowa. His father died while he was a young man and his mother was always with him out on the farm, passing away in 1884. Ransom died of a Paratactic Stroke, Sunday, May 30, 1908 at his home in Sanborn, Iowa. He was taken sick at the home of his daughter, Sadie Erskine in Milford, May 25. They took him home by train May 27 and he was helpless on arrival and never recovered. He was conscious of his going almost to the last.
Service was held in the Methodist church in Milford, Iowa June 1st 1908, 2 P.M. Sermon by Rev. Charles Seward of Sanborn and was laid to rest in the Milford Cemetery. He leaves to morn his wives and ten children. Almina, Joseph, Ernest, Errie, Otto, William, Henry, Eddie, Sadie, Guy and Charlie. Preceding him in death were two boys, Errie and Ransie and two girls, Kitty and Emma. He leaves twenty-one living grandchildren and four Great Grandchildren. Eight grandchildren passing on before; Dora, Gracie, Ransie, William, Joey, Arthur (Errs boy) and Ives children.
Information Contributed by descendant Raymond Kirk Ramos.
More information and pictures can be found at Raymond's Picture Page
Gravestone Photo and Civil War Information
Biography
Biography
Civil War Information
Obituary
|
|
