Obit for Charles R. RANSOM (d.1911), Freeborn Co., MN USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Laurie Shaffer Dot423@aol.com Charles R. Ransom venerated pioneer, joins the spirit throng Charles R. Ransom, father of the well-known Ransom brothers and for more than forty years a familiar figure in Albert Lea, passed to the other world Saturday evening May 6, 1911, his life's measured was filled at the age of three score years and ten. Until recent months his health has been quite good and he was actively around, riding out daily and his mental facilities were alert and fully preserved until almost the end. He was born and spent his youthful days at Hamilton, NY, thence going to a farm in Wisconsin, later to Mazomanie and in 1856 he came to Albert Lea, which thereafter was his home. Here he was in active and successful business for many years. He conducted a grocery store in the earlier times, also a restaurant and was interested in the other concerns, but for a dozen years or more he enjoyed the ease of retirement at the old homestead on Newton Street, and the society of his children and many relatives and friends. His wife, whom he married in Wisconsin died 17 Nov 1899, seven years after their golden wedding which they celebrated in 1892. His only children Robert G. and C. W. Ransom were ever greatly devoted to him during his last days. He was public spirited, of superior intelligence, an exemplary citizen, genial, kindly and readily won and enjoyed the high regards of all. The funeral services were conducted by Western Star Masonic Lodge, of which he had been an honored member for nearly fifty years, and the impressive ritual of the order was observed at the last resting place in Albert Lea cemetery.