Henry A. Ramsdell Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Page 276

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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HON. HENRY A. RAMSDELL, who occupies a prominent place as a well to-do 
and progressive farmer of Pearl township, McCook county, is an 
American, his ancestors having participated in the Revolutionary war. 
He is the older of two children born to Hon. John H. and Mary (Jones) 
Ramsdell. The mother died when our subject was four years of age, and 
the father remarried, his second wife being Ellen R. Hammond, and to 
this union were born four children. The two children first named were 
reared by their stepmother and enjoyed the same care and affection 
accorded to her own children. She is now making her home in Atkinson, 
Maine. 

Our subject first opened his eyes to the light of day at Garland, 
Maine, November 22, 1843. While yet in his infancy, he was taken by his 
parents to Atkinson, and there he grew to manhood. The father divided 
his time between a general merchandise store and a small farm, and our 
subject, preferring the latter occupation, devoted the most of his time 
to that part of his father's work. In 1863, he enlisted in the First 
Maine Heavy Artillery, and was mustered in January, 1864. In this 
capacity he served three. months and was then transferred to infantry, 
with the rank of corporal, and in June of the same year, was promoted 
to the rank of sergeant. During his service, he participated in the 
following battles: Spottsylvania, North Anna, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, 
Deep Bottom and the capture of Petersburg. He was discharged at Fort 
Baker, D. C., September 11, 1865, after more than a year of heavy 
service and escaping with only one wound from a musket ball in the 
neck. He had the pleasure, at the close of the war, of seeing General 
Lee deliver his sword to General U. S. Grant. After the close of 
hostilities, Mr. Ramsdell returned to his home in Maine and resumed the 
more peaceful occupation of farming. A year later, he moved to New York 
city and secured employment as a street car conductor both in Brooklyn 
and New York for two years. He then again turned his attention to 
agricultural pursuits in the state of Maine, and in the year 1878 he 
went to Floyd county, Iowa. In the following year, he filed a soldier's 
claim to a quarter section of land in Pearl township, McCook county, 
South Dakota, and in 1881 he moved with his family to his new home and 
started farming with a capital of about three hundred and twenty 
dollars and eighteen head of stock. As to whether Mr. Ramsdell has 
succeeded in this venture, one has only to look once at his 
surroundings to be convinced that he has made the very best use of his 
means. His home is a fine frame house, sixteen by twenty-six feet, with 
an addition fourteen by sixteen feet; and his barn is forty four by 
thirty-six feet. The farm is also furnished with a drilled well eighty-
one feet in depth, and a windmill, and he has added three adjoining 
quarter sections to his original homestead. The products of the farm 
have been principally confined to wheat and stock, and the most of the 
stock is dairy cattle. Mrs. Ramsdell has a fine flock of poultry, and 
her full blooded chickens are the pride of the county. Politically our 
subject is a Republican, and in 1894 he was elected on that ticket to 
the office of state representative. 

In 1867 Mr. Ramsdell was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Woodbury, who 
was born in Dover, Maine, in the year 1846. This union has been blessed 
by the advent of two sons, both of whom are now grown to manhood and 
have procured homes of their own. The older, William Henry, now resides 
at Armour, South Dakota, and the younger, Harry A., resides in Miner 
county, of this state. Though the children have left the parental roof 
the home is yet bright and cheerful, and a hospitality which knows no 
bounds is ever apparent, and the young friends still find it a pleasure 
to gather there from time to time and pass an enjoyable evening. On 
another page will be found a portrait of Mr. Ramsdell.