John Stanley Ramsey Sr Biography

For 10 years old coal miner John Stanley Ramsey Sr lived in our area, first Glenwood from about 1964 then Rifle from 1970 to 1974.
Before that he lived 16 years in the Gunnison area. Some may have known him, so here is a brief bio.
John was born July 7, 1911 in Mulkeytown, in southern Illinois. His obituary says his parents were John Wilson Ramsey and Della Wolfe Ramsey.
He grew up on the family farm and began working in the coal mines there when he was 12.
He was a coal miner when the battle of Mulkeytown ocurred between rival unions. The original union had accepted a cut in wages from $6.10 a day to $5.00 even though the miners vote had rejected it. So, the miners formed a new union. Open war broke out and a lot of cars were shot up, and their occupants. Do not think anyone was killed.
John worked in the coal mines many years and as a result developed severe black lung disease. He was a tough rugged individual and did not seem to let that slow him down until late in his life.
He married his first wife Flora Blanche Brown December 23, 1930. They raised two boys, John Jr born 1931 and Gordon born 1934, both in Mulkeytown.
His second wife was Luella Marie Haase.
John left the mines of Illinois after 1935, was living in Florence Colorado as of the 1940 census. He also lived in Denver working first for the Mint, then for the Remington Arms Plant.
About 1948, he moved to the Gunnison area where he owned and operated the O Lazy 2 Bar guest ranch for the next 16 years.
John moved to Glenwood by 1964. I (Edwin Thompson) first met him there in 1967. There he became the Garfield County building inspector.
He divorced his second wife, Luella, in 1970, then married Leola Thompson (Mable Leola Milburn) and moved to Rifle. That made me his stepson. I have his photo at my college graduation in 1971.
About 1974, with the altitude causing health issues, he and my mom moved themselves to Rolla, Missouri. At that point he had 25% or less lung capacity. There, he eventually, had to begin using oxygen full time
In Rolla, he was a member of Masonic Lodge #213 and the First Christian Church. He and my mom were avid square dancers for years
He passed away August 23, 1991 at the age of 80 and was buried back in his hometown of Mulkeytown. That is also where my brother Harvey is buried, right beside him.

 

John Ramsey left, 60 years old, at my (Edwin Thompson) college graduation 1971. Then me, then my mother Leola, then brother Harvey, then sister Collene. Harvey just back from Vietnam and again enrolled at CSM. Collene had just finished her Sophomore year at RHS. Despite severe black lung from coal mining, John also was a life long smoker and lived 80 years, a very tough guy. He was 18 years older than my dad, yet my dad was very.afraid of him, so mom had protection. At one point my dad (Russell Lavern Thompson) went to the Rifle city jail and asked to be locked up for his own safety as he said John was going to kill him.

John Stanley and Leola Ramsey

 

  

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