George Lafayette Ramsdale

Duane's take

The way the marker tells it, here's the story of George Lafayette Ramsdale: and it's a life that stretches across more of Texas history than most men ever get to touch. George Lafayette Ramsdale was born in Devonshire, England, in 1820. Now, a boy from Devonshire could have gone a lot of directions in this world.

George Lafayette Ramsdale went to Texas. By 1836, he was here; and not just watching from the sidelines. He enlisted in the army during the war for independence from Mexico.

Think about that for a moment. The man had barely gotten his boots dusty on Texas soil before he was signing up to fight for the place. That's a particular kind of spirit right there.

After the Revolution, George didn't light out for quieter country. He stayed, he settled, and he and his wife Elizabeth (born in 1825) started building a life and a family. They were movers, this family.

Harrison County, Rusk County, Houston County, Bosque County; they knew the roads between each one. Then came the Civil War, and George served the Confederacy protecting the frontier. When the smoke cleared, the Ramsdales moved one more time.

Wise County, 1866. And here, finally, George Lafayette Ramsdale put down roots in a lasting way. He farmed.

He operated a tannery. He became the kind of man a community leans on. He died in 1884.

Elizabeth lived on until 1909. Between them, they'd seen most of a century of Texas history; some of it made, some of it survived, all of it lived. The marker calls his military service, adventuresome spirit, and community leadership significant examples of the state's pioneer heritage.

That's official language for a man who crossed an ocean, picked a revolution, and never once seemed to slow down.

What the marker says

George Lafayette Ramsdale (1820-1884) was a native of Devonshire, England. By 1836, he had come to Texas and enlisted in the army during the war for independence from Mexico. After the Revolution, Ramsdale, his wife, Elizabeth (1825-1909), and their children lived in Harrison, Rusk, Houston, and Bosque counties. During the Civil War, he served the Confederacy by protecting the frontier. The family moved to Wise County in 1866, where he farmed and operated a tannery. His military service, adventuresome spirit, and community leadership are significant examples of the state's pioneer heritage. (1985)