Dr. Erasmus Darwin Ralph usually went by E. D., though sometimes he went by "Darwin". His Death Certificate spells his given name "Erasmuth" and the 1910 US Census Report spells his name Erazmus. I have used the most common spelling, "Erasmus".
Erasmus was born in Richmond, Missouri on Christmas day, 1832, to Dr Arthur Bradford Ralph Sr. and Mary Walker (Brasher) Ralph. Erasmus' father owned 80 acres 'North of the Missouri River' in Ray County, Missouri, according to records at the US General Land Office dated September 7, 1838.
The 1840 US Federal Census Report for Richmond, Ray County, Missouri, shows the father, Dr. Arthur Bradford Ralph, and a tally of people including two males aged 5-9 - which I believe to be Erasmus who would have been 7 years old at the time and his brother Zaza Dowell Ralph age 9.
Erasmus lived at home in 1850, but that year's Federal Census Report for District 75, Ray County, Missouri (probably Camden) listed Erasmus by his middle name, Darwin. The father, Arthur B. Ralph, was a Physician. By 1860 Erasmus had moved out, but there was one more of his siblings born by that year, Isabell. The 1860 US Census was for Camden Township, Ray County, Missouri and lists the father as "Doctor Ralph" with his occupation listed as Farmer.
Between the 1850 and 1860 US Census reports I have compiled a list of Erasmus, his parents, and his siblings:
Arthur B. Ralph b. abt 1801
Mary Ralph b. abt 1810 [maiden name Brashear]
Zaza b. abt 1831
Erasmus Darwin b. abt 1833
Arthur B. Jr. b. abt 1836
Caroline b. abt 1839 [m. King]
Lucy b. abt 1843 [m. Campbell]
Mary b. abt 1849 [m. Goode]
Isabell ["Belle"] b. abt 1853 [m. Gant]
In 1857 Dr. E. D. Ralph was one of the physicians in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Page 2 of The Daily Journal of Commerce newspaper out of Kansas City, Missouri dated April 15, 1876 in an article titled "Retrospective."
By 1860, Erasmus Darwin Ralph was married to Sarah E. "Sally" Wilson, and they lived in Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri. His occupation was listed in that year's US Census Report as "Physician." The couple lived at house number 805 with their oldest son, Everett C. age 1, and a servant named Bridgit surname unknown, from Ireland.
Erasmus and Sarah's children were:
-Claude Everett b. abt 1859 [sometimes went by Everett]
-Emmett Ernest b. abt 1862 [sometimes went by Ernest]
-Adelle Amanda "Della" born abt 1869
Sources for the above children, (in no particular order):
1.Newspaper article on page 4 dated Apr. 6, 1892 from the "Queen City Mail" out of Spearfish, South Dakota" shows evidence of the two brothers, "Claude Ralph" and "his brother" available at newspapers.com;
2. "1860 US Census Report" for Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri shows "Everett C. Ralph" b. abt 1859;
3. "1930 US Census Report" for Yankton, South Dakota shows "Emett Ralph" b. abt 1862;
4. "1910 US Census Report" for Creighton [Phoenix], Maricopa County, Arizona shows "Della A. Leppla" b. abt 1869 living with her husband, Henry Leppla, and the 'father-in-law' "Erazmus Ralph" widowed b. abt 1833.
In 1864 Dr. E. D. Ralph, an old and well known citizen of Kansas City, Missouri, went to Bannock, Idaho with a stock of goods and returned with mining news. The gold from Idaho mines is of pure quality worth $18 per ounce in the form of nuggets as well as dust. The Doctor showed off a couple of beautiful nuggets at the Mechanic's Bank, one worth $10 and the other $8. He also brought news of old residents of Kansas City, viz: Jim Vivian and Mr. Underwood who spent a couple of years in Colorado without making anything, but doing well in Idaho now. A colored man named Harrison formerly of Kansas City, has laid up over a thousand dollars earned by cooking for a mess. The Doctor went on to report that there is plenty of water for running sluices, and that the mining is much like that in the early days of California, and he planned to return to Idaho shortly [probably with more supplies]. Source: Page 2 of the Quad-City Times out of Davenport, Iowa dated March 28, 1864.
On page 3 of the Nebraska Advertiser newspaper in Brownsville, Nebraska dated April 27, 1865 E. D. Ralph reported a stray Bay Mare from his home on the Haskell farm west of Nebraska City, Nebraska. His daughter, Della, was born in Nebraska City, perhaps on the Haskell farm.
In 1868 Erasmus D. Ralph engaged in freighting by wagon from points on the Missouri River [one was probably Westport Landing, a major set off point at the time] to at least two other places: Santa Fe, New Mexico and points in Utah. Source: Page 1 of the Queen City Mail newspaper dated March 1, 1911, out of Spearfish, South Dakota, an historical article. The article stated that Erasmus worked in freighting until the Union Pacific was completed, which was in the late 1860s. The first indication of Dr. Ralph's involvement in business at Utah was another newspaper article dated August 16, 1865 listing people with unclaimed letters at the Salt Lake City, Utah post office.
Dr. Ralph was a member of the Democratic Committee in Utah and attended meetings. From 1872 to 1877 he owned a store with a partner, V. M. Street. Their store, Street and Ralph, supplied groceries, wines, liquors, cigars, boots, shoes, clothing, and miners' outfitting goods. The store was located in the Little Cottonwood mining district of Alta City, Utah. Dr. E. D. Ralph's partner, V. M. Street, was the Postmaster of Alta in 1875-6, and hired the doctor's son, Claude, as his Deputy Postmaster. The store went bankrupt in 1877.
In 1875 Erasmus was accused of mine-jumping. A long article on page 4 of The Salt Lake Tribune dated September 3, 1875 recounts a letter describing the details of the crime and Erasmus' alleged involvement. Erasmus went to two local newspaper offices, The Salt Lake Tribune and the Herald to tell his side of the story, and accusing the other side of violence. Erasmus was accused in the letter of telling falsehoods and of bragging. Erasmus was not charged, but several other men more directly involved in the claim-jumping incident were.
By 1877 Dr. Ralph lived in Deadwood, South Dakota, where he worked as a physician and surgeon out of the IXL Hotel, as seen on page 4 of The Black Hills Weekly Pioneer dated February 24, 1877.
The 1880 US Federal Census Report shows Erasmus and Sarah living at Redwater [River] at the mouth of Spearfish Creek, Lawrence County, Dakota Territory [South Dakota]. They had one border, Andrew Devolt, who worked as a farm hand. Head of household name was listed as "Erasmus Ralph" and his occupation was listed as "Farming." They were engaged in farming and stock raising. Their oldest son, Claude Ralph age 21, lived nearby on his own ranch, and had a boarder, J. H. Gra,y who was a farm hand. Erasmus and Sarah Ralph's other children were not living with them at the time, and are believed to be away attending school.
One of Erasmus' brothers, [Dr.] Arthur Ralph, lived alone on a ranch near by, also farming for a living. Arthur's wife, Ella (Hardwick) Ralph, had died two years earlier. Two of Arthur's children, Lois age 9, and Edna age 6, were staying with his sister-in-law, Caroline "Carrie" (Hardwick) Sublett, in 1880.
In 1881 Erasmus donated to a college fund for the building of the college in Spearfish, South Dakota. Erasmus and his son, Claude, were witnesses for proof of land claim in Deadwood, South Dakota, on several occasions in the early 1880s. In 1881 E. D. Ralph was appointed one of 3 judges of the Upper Redwater precincts in Lawrence County.
In October of 1881 a neighbor of Erasmus and Sally Ralph, William Ammerson, shot their three horses and a mule. One horse and the mule did not survive. The animals were trespassing on a neighboring ranch. William Ammerson was arrested and taken to jail.
Also in October of 1881, Erasmus's son, Claude, and wife, Sally, returned from Fort Robinson by coach with Claud's siblings, Emmett and Della. It is thought that they were retrieved from school. Within a few years Erasmus and Sally's son, Emmett, was committed to Yankton asylum. In 1884 Erasmus and Sally's daughter, Della, married Henry Leppla.
In 1888 Dr. E. D. Ralph was unanimously chosen for the office of tax assessor in Deadwood, South Dakota. In 1889, Dr. E. D. Ralph and Henry Keets were among those nominated to attend the Democratic Convention in Huron, South Dakota. Henry Keets was Erasmus' son-in-law's (Henry Leppla's) brother-in-law, (Julia Leppla's husband). In 1892 Erasmus and Sally's other son, Claude Ralph, was also committed to Yankton asylum. Hospital records show that he was violent due to his heavy drinking, and that part of his drinking was due to sympathy toward his brother, Emmett, who had been a patient there since 1884 suffering from dementia praecox now known as schizophrenia.
In 1893 Dr. and Mrs. E. D. Ralph lived in Rapid City, South Dakota. He had been appointed register of the U. S. land office succeeding Judge J. P. Luse. Source: Column 1, Page 1 of the Rapid City Journal, South Dakota dated October 15, 1893.
Erasmus D Ralph is recorded on July 1, 1895 as born in Missouri and employed in Rapid City, Lawrence County, South Dakota, Source: Official Register of the United States List of Officers and Employees in the Civil, Military and Naval Service/Dept of the Interior - copy of document made available through www.ancestry.com. It also shows Erasmus' occupation as a "Register" and his compensation $2,008.57.
In the 1900 US Census, Dr. E. D. Ralph, physician, and wife, Sarah E. Ralph, lived at Spearfish, South Dakota. The couple lived in their own mortgage free house in town. Interestingly, they lived next door to the town undertaker, Henry Baier, who was a boarder at the home of Kate Grasfield.
In March of 1909 Erasmus D. Ralph and wife posted the sale of 160 acres in South Dakota for $1.00 to Henry Leppla [husband of their daughter, Della]. Erasmus' wife died in Lawrence County, South Dakota in July of the same year. Source: Copy of typed South Dakota Death Index for Sallie E. Ralph, available at www.ancestry.com.
In 1910 the U.S. Census showed Erasmus Ralph living with his daughter, Della, and son-in-law, Henry Leppla in Creighton [Phoenix], Maricopa County, Arizona. Henry and Della's children, and one daughter-in-law lived with them: Ralph and Ella Leppla, Lorain, and John. A hired hand, Frank Hammond, lived on the citricus farm too.
Erasmus died of pneumonis on February 19, 1911 in Phoenix, Arizona, according to his death certificate. His body was taken to Richmond, Missouri, accompanied by his daughter, Mrs. Henry Leppla [Della], to Richmond Missouri. Source: Page 5 of the "Queen City Mail" dated March 8, 1911; Spearfish, South Dakota; available at www.newspapers.com. Two years earlier his wife's remains had been shipped to Richmond, Missouri, accompanied by their daughter. She wished to be laid at rest at her old home in Richmond. Source: page 8 of the "Queen City Mail"; dated November 17, 1909; Spearfish, SD; available at www.newspapers.com. It is likely that she would have been buried at Richmond Cemetery, the same cemetery where her parents and two of her siblings, William and Maud, were buried. Erasmus' brother, Zaza Ralph, was buried there too.
Sources:
- Page 93 of "A Brashear(s) Family History, Vol. 2" by Charles Brashear, pub by author in 1999;
- Index "Missouri Marriages" at ancestry.com;
- Death Certificate available at genealogy.az.gov;
- 1850, 1860, 1880, 1900 and 1910 US Census Reports for Ray County, MO, Jackson County, MO, Lawrence County, Dakota Territory; and Maricopa County, AZ;
- ancestry.com
- newspapers.com
- archive.org
- genealogy.az.gov - birth and death certificates
Bio by: Mary Ann Leppla
Additional information by FG volunteer #47269563 on Aug 19, 2021: Reported Problem: Cemetery office has no record of this person
Details: Not listed on burials & headstone survey from 2001. I posted obituary to show that he is buried in the cemetery. There's just not a headstone.
Erasmus was born in Richmond, Missouri on Christmas day, 1832, to Dr Arthur Bradford Ralph Sr. and Mary Walker (Brasher) Ralph. Erasmus' father owned 80 acres 'North of the Missouri River' in Ray County, Missouri, according to records at the US General Land Office dated September 7, 1838.
The 1840 US Federal Census Report for Richmond, Ray County, Missouri, shows the father, Dr. Arthur Bradford Ralph, and a tally of people including two males aged 5-9 - which I believe to be Erasmus who would have been 7 years old at the time and his brother Zaza Dowell Ralph age 9.
Erasmus lived at home in 1850, but that year's Federal Census Report for District 75, Ray County, Missouri (probably Camden) listed Erasmus by his middle name, Darwin. The father, Arthur B. Ralph, was a Physician. By 1860 Erasmus had moved out, but there was one more of his siblings born by that year, Isabell. The 1860 US Census was for Camden Township, Ray County, Missouri and lists the father as "Doctor Ralph" with his occupation listed as Farmer.
Between the 1850 and 1860 US Census reports I have compiled a list of Erasmus, his parents, and his siblings:
Arthur B. Ralph b. abt 1801
Mary Ralph b. abt 1810 [maiden name Brashear]
Zaza b. abt 1831
Erasmus Darwin b. abt 1833
Arthur B. Jr. b. abt 1836
Caroline b. abt 1839 [m. King]
Lucy b. abt 1843 [m. Campbell]
Mary b. abt 1849 [m. Goode]
Isabell ["Belle"] b. abt 1853 [m. Gant]
In 1857 Dr. E. D. Ralph was one of the physicians in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Page 2 of The Daily Journal of Commerce newspaper out of Kansas City, Missouri dated April 15, 1876 in an article titled "Retrospective."
By 1860, Erasmus Darwin Ralph was married to Sarah E. "Sally" Wilson, and they lived in Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri. His occupation was listed in that year's US Census Report as "Physician." The couple lived at house number 805 with their oldest son, Everett C. age 1, and a servant named Bridgit surname unknown, from Ireland.
Erasmus and Sarah's children were:
-Claude Everett b. abt 1859 [sometimes went by Everett]
-Emmett Ernest b. abt 1862 [sometimes went by Ernest]
-Adelle Amanda "Della" born abt 1869
Sources for the above children, (in no particular order):
1.Newspaper article on page 4 dated Apr. 6, 1892 from the "Queen City Mail" out of Spearfish, South Dakota" shows evidence of the two brothers, "Claude Ralph" and "his brother" available at newspapers.com;
2. "1860 US Census Report" for Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri shows "Everett C. Ralph" b. abt 1859;
3. "1930 US Census Report" for Yankton, South Dakota shows "Emett Ralph" b. abt 1862;
4. "1910 US Census Report" for Creighton [Phoenix], Maricopa County, Arizona shows "Della A. Leppla" b. abt 1869 living with her husband, Henry Leppla, and the 'father-in-law' "Erazmus Ralph" widowed b. abt 1833.
In 1864 Dr. E. D. Ralph, an old and well known citizen of Kansas City, Missouri, went to Bannock, Idaho with a stock of goods and returned with mining news. The gold from Idaho mines is of pure quality worth $18 per ounce in the form of nuggets as well as dust. The Doctor showed off a couple of beautiful nuggets at the Mechanic's Bank, one worth $10 and the other $8. He also brought news of old residents of Kansas City, viz: Jim Vivian and Mr. Underwood who spent a couple of years in Colorado without making anything, but doing well in Idaho now. A colored man named Harrison formerly of Kansas City, has laid up over a thousand dollars earned by cooking for a mess. The Doctor went on to report that there is plenty of water for running sluices, and that the mining is much like that in the early days of California, and he planned to return to Idaho shortly [probably with more supplies]. Source: Page 2 of the Quad-City Times out of Davenport, Iowa dated March 28, 1864.
On page 3 of the Nebraska Advertiser newspaper in Brownsville, Nebraska dated April 27, 1865 E. D. Ralph reported a stray Bay Mare from his home on the Haskell farm west of Nebraska City, Nebraska. His daughter, Della, was born in Nebraska City, perhaps on the Haskell farm.
In 1868 Erasmus D. Ralph engaged in freighting by wagon from points on the Missouri River [one was probably Westport Landing, a major set off point at the time] to at least two other places: Santa Fe, New Mexico and points in Utah. Source: Page 1 of the Queen City Mail newspaper dated March 1, 1911, out of Spearfish, South Dakota, an historical article. The article stated that Erasmus worked in freighting until the Union Pacific was completed, which was in the late 1860s. The first indication of Dr. Ralph's involvement in business at Utah was another newspaper article dated August 16, 1865 listing people with unclaimed letters at the Salt Lake City, Utah post office.
Dr. Ralph was a member of the Democratic Committee in Utah and attended meetings. From 1872 to 1877 he owned a store with a partner, V. M. Street. Their store, Street and Ralph, supplied groceries, wines, liquors, cigars, boots, shoes, clothing, and miners' outfitting goods. The store was located in the Little Cottonwood mining district of Alta City, Utah. Dr. E. D. Ralph's partner, V. M. Street, was the Postmaster of Alta in 1875-6, and hired the doctor's son, Claude, as his Deputy Postmaster. The store went bankrupt in 1877.
In 1875 Erasmus was accused of mine-jumping. A long article on page 4 of The Salt Lake Tribune dated September 3, 1875 recounts a letter describing the details of the crime and Erasmus' alleged involvement. Erasmus went to two local newspaper offices, The Salt Lake Tribune and the Herald to tell his side of the story, and accusing the other side of violence. Erasmus was accused in the letter of telling falsehoods and of bragging. Erasmus was not charged, but several other men more directly involved in the claim-jumping incident were.
By 1877 Dr. Ralph lived in Deadwood, South Dakota, where he worked as a physician and surgeon out of the IXL Hotel, as seen on page 4 of The Black Hills Weekly Pioneer dated February 24, 1877.
The 1880 US Federal Census Report shows Erasmus and Sarah living at Redwater [River] at the mouth of Spearfish Creek, Lawrence County, Dakota Territory [South Dakota]. They had one border, Andrew Devolt, who worked as a farm hand. Head of household name was listed as "Erasmus Ralph" and his occupation was listed as "Farming." They were engaged in farming and stock raising. Their oldest son, Claude Ralph age 21, lived nearby on his own ranch, and had a boarder, J. H. Gra,y who was a farm hand. Erasmus and Sarah Ralph's other children were not living with them at the time, and are believed to be away attending school.
One of Erasmus' brothers, [Dr.] Arthur Ralph, lived alone on a ranch near by, also farming for a living. Arthur's wife, Ella (Hardwick) Ralph, had died two years earlier. Two of Arthur's children, Lois age 9, and Edna age 6, were staying with his sister-in-law, Caroline "Carrie" (Hardwick) Sublett, in 1880.
In 1881 Erasmus donated to a college fund for the building of the college in Spearfish, South Dakota. Erasmus and his son, Claude, were witnesses for proof of land claim in Deadwood, South Dakota, on several occasions in the early 1880s. In 1881 E. D. Ralph was appointed one of 3 judges of the Upper Redwater precincts in Lawrence County.
In October of 1881 a neighbor of Erasmus and Sally Ralph, William Ammerson, shot their three horses and a mule. One horse and the mule did not survive. The animals were trespassing on a neighboring ranch. William Ammerson was arrested and taken to jail.
Also in October of 1881, Erasmus's son, Claude, and wife, Sally, returned from Fort Robinson by coach with Claud's siblings, Emmett and Della. It is thought that they were retrieved from school. Within a few years Erasmus and Sally's son, Emmett, was committed to Yankton asylum. In 1884 Erasmus and Sally's daughter, Della, married Henry Leppla.
In 1888 Dr. E. D. Ralph was unanimously chosen for the office of tax assessor in Deadwood, South Dakota. In 1889, Dr. E. D. Ralph and Henry Keets were among those nominated to attend the Democratic Convention in Huron, South Dakota. Henry Keets was Erasmus' son-in-law's (Henry Leppla's) brother-in-law, (Julia Leppla's husband). In 1892 Erasmus and Sally's other son, Claude Ralph, was also committed to Yankton asylum. Hospital records show that he was violent due to his heavy drinking, and that part of his drinking was due to sympathy toward his brother, Emmett, who had been a patient there since 1884 suffering from dementia praecox now known as schizophrenia.
In 1893 Dr. and Mrs. E. D. Ralph lived in Rapid City, South Dakota. He had been appointed register of the U. S. land office succeeding Judge J. P. Luse. Source: Column 1, Page 1 of the Rapid City Journal, South Dakota dated October 15, 1893.
Erasmus D Ralph is recorded on July 1, 1895 as born in Missouri and employed in Rapid City, Lawrence County, South Dakota, Source: Official Register of the United States List of Officers and Employees in the Civil, Military and Naval Service/Dept of the Interior - copy of document made available through www.ancestry.com. It also shows Erasmus' occupation as a "Register" and his compensation $2,008.57.
In the 1900 US Census, Dr. E. D. Ralph, physician, and wife, Sarah E. Ralph, lived at Spearfish, South Dakota. The couple lived in their own mortgage free house in town. Interestingly, they lived next door to the town undertaker, Henry Baier, who was a boarder at the home of Kate Grasfield.
In March of 1909 Erasmus D. Ralph and wife posted the sale of 160 acres in South Dakota for $1.00 to Henry Leppla [husband of their daughter, Della]. Erasmus' wife died in Lawrence County, South Dakota in July of the same year. Source: Copy of typed South Dakota Death Index for Sallie E. Ralph, available at www.ancestry.com.
In 1910 the U.S. Census showed Erasmus Ralph living with his daughter, Della, and son-in-law, Henry Leppla in Creighton [Phoenix], Maricopa County, Arizona. Henry and Della's children, and one daughter-in-law lived with them: Ralph and Ella Leppla, Lorain, and John. A hired hand, Frank Hammond, lived on the citricus farm too.
Erasmus died of pneumonis on February 19, 1911 in Phoenix, Arizona, according to his death certificate. His body was taken to Richmond, Missouri, accompanied by his daughter, Mrs. Henry Leppla [Della], to Richmond Missouri. Source: Page 5 of the "Queen City Mail" dated March 8, 1911; Spearfish, South Dakota; available at www.newspapers.com. Two years earlier his wife's remains had been shipped to Richmond, Missouri, accompanied by their daughter. She wished to be laid at rest at her old home in Richmond. Source: page 8 of the "Queen City Mail"; dated November 17, 1909; Spearfish, SD; available at www.newspapers.com. It is likely that she would have been buried at Richmond Cemetery, the same cemetery where her parents and two of her siblings, William and Maud, were buried. Erasmus' brother, Zaza Ralph, was buried there too.
Sources:
- Page 93 of "A Brashear(s) Family History, Vol. 2" by Charles Brashear, pub by author in 1999;
- Index "Missouri Marriages" at ancestry.com;
- Death Certificate available at genealogy.az.gov;
- 1850, 1860, 1880, 1900 and 1910 US Census Reports for Ray County, MO, Jackson County, MO, Lawrence County, Dakota Territory; and Maricopa County, AZ;
- ancestry.com
- newspapers.com
- archive.org
- genealogy.az.gov - birth and death certificates
Bio by: Mary Ann Leppla
Additional information by FG volunteer #47269563 on Aug 19, 2021: Reported Problem: Cemetery office has no record of this person
Details: Not listed on burials & headstone survey from 2001. I posted obituary to show that he is buried in the cemetery. There's just not a headstone.
Dr. Erasmus Darwin Ralph usually went by E. D., though sometimes he went by "Darwin". His Death Certificate spells his given name "Erasmuth" and the 1910 US Census Report spells his name Erazmus. I have used the most common spelling, "Erasmus".
Erasmus was born in Richmond, Missouri on Christmas day, 1832, to Dr Arthur Bradford Ralph Sr. and Mary Walker (Brasher) Ralph. Erasmus' father owned 80 acres 'North of the Missouri River' in Ray County, Missouri, according to records at the US General Land Office dated September 7, 1838.
The 1840 US Federal Census Report for Richmond, Ray County, Missouri, shows the father, Dr. Arthur Bradford Ralph, and a tally of people including two males aged 5-9 - which I believe to be Erasmus who would have been 7 years old at the time and his brother Zaza Dowell Ralph age 9.
Erasmus lived at home in 1850, but that year's Federal Census Report for District 75, Ray County, Missouri (probably Camden) listed Erasmus by his middle name, Darwin. The father, Arthur B. Ralph, was a Physician. By 1860 Erasmus had moved out, but there was one more of his siblings born by that year, Isabell. The 1860 US Census was for Camden Township, Ray County, Missouri and lists the father as "Doctor Ralph" with his occupation listed as Farmer.
Between the 1850 and 1860 US Census reports I have compiled a list of Erasmus, his parents, and his siblings:
Arthur B. Ralph b. abt 1801
Mary Ralph b. abt 1810 [maiden name Brashear]
Zaza b. abt 1831
Erasmus Darwin b. abt 1833
Arthur B. Jr. b. abt 1836
Caroline b. abt 1839 [m. King]
Lucy b. abt 1843 [m. Campbell]
Mary b. abt 1849 [m. Goode]
Isabell ["Belle"] b. abt 1853 [m. Gant]
In 1857 Dr. E. D. Ralph was one of the physicians in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Page 2 of The Daily Journal of Commerce newspaper out of Kansas City, Missouri dated April 15, 1876 in an article titled "Retrospective."
By 1860, Erasmus Darwin Ralph was married to Sarah E. "Sally" Wilson, and they lived in Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri. His occupation was listed in that year's US Census Report as "Physician." The couple lived at house number 805 with their oldest son, Everett C. age 1, and a servant named Bridgit surname unknown, from Ireland.
Erasmus and Sarah's children were:
-Claude Everett b. abt 1859 [sometimes went by Everett]
-Emmett Ernest b. abt 1862 [sometimes went by Ernest]
-Adelle Amanda "Della" born abt 1869
Sources for the above children, (in no particular order):
1.Newspaper article on page 4 dated Apr. 6, 1892 from the "Queen City Mail" out of Spearfish, South Dakota" shows evidence of the two brothers, "Claude Ralph" and "his brother" available at newspapers.com;
2. "1860 US Census Report" for Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri shows "Everett C. Ralph" b. abt 1859;
3. "1930 US Census Report" for Yankton, South Dakota shows "Emett Ralph" b. abt 1862;
4. "1910 US Census Report" for Creighton [Phoenix], Maricopa County, Arizona shows "Della A. Leppla" b. abt 1869 living with her husband, Henry Leppla, and the 'father-in-law' "Erazmus Ralph" widowed b. abt 1833.
In 1864 Dr. E. D. Ralph, an old and well known citizen of Kansas City, Missouri, went to Bannock, Idaho with a stock of goods and returned with mining news. The gold from Idaho mines is of pure quality worth $18 per ounce in the form of nuggets as well as dust. The Doctor showed off a couple of beautiful nuggets at the Mechanic's Bank, one worth $10 and the other $8. He also brought news of old residents of Kansas City, viz: Jim Vivian and Mr. Underwood who spent a couple of years in Colorado without making anything, but doing well in Idaho now. A colored man named Harrison formerly of Kansas City, has laid up over a thousand dollars earned by cooking for a mess. The Doctor went on to report that there is plenty of water for running sluices, and that the mining is much like that in the early days of California, and he planned to return to Idaho shortly [probably with more supplies]. Source: Page 2 of the Quad-City Times out of Davenport, Iowa dated March 28, 1864.
On page 3 of the Nebraska Advertiser newspaper in Brownsville, Nebraska dated April 27, 1865 E. D. Ralph reported a stray Bay Mare from his home on the Haskell farm west of Nebraska City, Nebraska. His daughter, Della, was born in Nebraska City, perhaps on the Haskell farm.
In 1868 Erasmus D. Ralph engaged in freighting by wagon from points on the Missouri River [one was probably Westport Landing, a major set off point at the time] to at least two other places: Santa Fe, New Mexico and points in Utah. Source: Page 1 of the Queen City Mail newspaper dated March 1, 1911, out of Spearfish, South Dakota, an historical article. The article stated that Erasmus worked in freighting until the Union Pacific was completed, which was in the late 1860s. The first indication of Dr. Ralph's involvement in business at Utah was another newspaper article dated August 16, 1865 listing people with unclaimed letters at the Salt Lake City, Utah post office.
Dr. Ralph was a member of the Democratic Committee in Utah and attended meetings. From 1872 to 1877 he owned a store with a partner, V. M. Street. Their store, Street and Ralph, supplied groceries, wines, liquors, cigars, boots, shoes, clothing, and miners' outfitting goods. The store was located in the Little Cottonwood mining district of Alta City, Utah. Dr. E. D. Ralph's partner, V. M. Street, was the Postmaster of Alta in 1875-6, and hired the doctor's son, Claude, as his Deputy Postmaster. The store went bankrupt in 1877.
In 1875 Erasmus was accused of mine-jumping. A long article on page 4 of The Salt Lake Tribune dated September 3, 1875 recounts a letter describing the details of the crime and Erasmus' alleged involvement. Erasmus went to two local newspaper offices, The Salt Lake Tribune and the Herald to tell his side of the story, and accusing the other side of violence. Erasmus was accused in the letter of telling falsehoods and of bragging. Erasmus was not charged, but several other men more directly involved in the claim-jumping incident were.
By 1877 Dr. Ralph lived in Deadwood, South Dakota, where he worked as a physician and surgeon out of the IXL Hotel, as seen on page 4 of The Black Hills Weekly Pioneer dated February 24, 1877.
The 1880 US Federal Census Report shows Erasmus and Sarah living at Redwater [River] at the mouth of Spearfish Creek, Lawrence County, Dakota Territory [South Dakota]. They had one border, Andrew Devolt, who worked as a farm hand. Head of household name was listed as "Erasmus Ralph" and his occupation was listed as "Farming." They were engaged in farming and stock raising. Their oldest son, Claude Ralph age 21, lived nearby on his own ranch, and had a boarder, J. H. Gra,y who was a farm hand. Erasmus and Sarah Ralph's other children were not living with them at the time, and are believed to be away attending school.
One of Erasmus' brothers, [Dr.] Arthur Ralph, lived alone on a ranch near by, also farming for a living. Arthur's wife, Ella (Hardwick) Ralph, had died two years earlier. Two of Arthur's children, Lois age 9, and Edna age 6, were staying with his sister-in-law, Caroline "Carrie" (Hardwick) Sublett, in 1880.
In 1881 Erasmus donated to a college fund for the building of the college in Spearfish, South Dakota. Erasmus and his son, Claude, were witnesses for proof of land claim in Deadwood, South Dakota, on several occasions in the early 1880s. In 1881 E. D. Ralph was appointed one of 3 judges of the Upper Redwater precincts in Lawrence County.
In October of 1881 a neighbor of Erasmus and Sally Ralph, William Ammerson, shot their three horses and a mule. One horse and the mule did not survive. The animals were trespassing on a neighboring ranch. William Ammerson was arrested and taken to jail.
Also in October of 1881, Erasmus's son, Claude, and wife, Sally, returned from Fort Robinson by coach with Claud's siblings, Emmett and Della. It is thought that they were retrieved from school. Within a few years Erasmus and Sally's son, Emmett, was committed to Yankton asylum. In 1884 Erasmus and Sally's daughter, Della, married Henry Leppla.
In 1888 Dr. E. D. Ralph was unanimously chosen for the office of tax assessor in Deadwood, South Dakota. In 1889, Dr. E. D. Ralph and Henry Keets were among those nominated to attend the Democratic Convention in Huron, South Dakota. Henry Keets was Erasmus' son-in-law's (Henry Leppla's) brother-in-law, (Julia Leppla's husband). In 1892 Erasmus and Sally's other son, Claude Ralph, was also committed to Yankton asylum. Hospital records show that he was violent due to his heavy drinking, and that part of his drinking was due to sympathy toward his brother, Emmett, who had been a patient there since 1884 suffering from dementia praecox now known as schizophrenia.
In 1893 Dr. and Mrs. E. D. Ralph lived in Rapid City, South Dakota. He had been appointed register of the U. S. land office succeeding Judge J. P. Luse. Source: Column 1, Page 1 of the Rapid City Journal, South Dakota dated October 15, 1893.
Erasmus D Ralph is recorded on July 1, 1895 as born in Missouri and employed in Rapid City, Lawrence County, South Dakota, Source: Official Register of the United States List of Officers and Employees in the Civil, Military and Naval Service/Dept of the Interior - copy of document made available through www.ancestry.com. It also shows Erasmus' occupation as a "Register" and his compensation $2,008.57.
In the 1900 US Census, Dr. E. D. Ralph, physician, and wife, Sarah E. Ralph, lived at Spearfish, South Dakota. The couple lived in their own mortgage free house in town. Interestingly, they lived next door to the town undertaker, Henry Baier, who was a boarder at the home of Kate Grasfield.
In March of 1909 Erasmus D. Ralph and wife posted the sale of 160 acres in South Dakota for $1.00 to Henry Leppla [husband of their daughter, Della]. Erasmus' wife died in Lawrence County, South Dakota in July of the same year. Source: Copy of typed South Dakota Death Index for Sallie E. Ralph, available at www.ancestry.com.
In 1910 the U.S. Census showed Erasmus Ralph living with his daughter, Della, and son-in-law, Henry Leppla in Creighton [Phoenix], Maricopa County, Arizona. Henry and Della's children, and one daughter-in-law lived with them: Ralph and Ella Leppla, Lorain, and John. A hired hand, Frank Hammond, lived on the citricus farm too.
Erasmus died of pneumonis on February 19, 1911 in Phoenix, Arizona, according to his death certificate. His body was taken to Richmond, Missouri, accompanied by his daughter, Mrs. Henry Leppla [Della], to Richmond Missouri. Source: Page 5 of the "Queen City Mail" dated March 8, 1911; Spearfish, South Dakota; available at www.newspapers.com. Two years earlier his wife's remains had been shipped to Richmond, Missouri, accompanied by their daughter. She wished to be laid at rest at her old home in Richmond. Source: page 8 of the "Queen City Mail"; dated November 17, 1909; Spearfish, SD; available at www.newspapers.com. It is likely that she would have been buried at Richmond Cemetery, the same cemetery where her parents and two of her siblings, William and Maud, were buried. Erasmus' brother, Zaza Ralph, was buried there too.
Sources:
- Page 93 of "A Brashear(s) Family History, Vol. 2" by Charles Brashear, pub by author in 1999;
- Index "Missouri Marriages" at ancestry.com;
- Death Certificate available at genealogy.az.gov;
- 1850, 1860, 1880, 1900 and 1910 US Census Reports for Ray County, MO, Jackson County, MO, Lawrence County, Dakota Territory; and Maricopa County, AZ;
- ancestry.com
- newspapers.com
- archive.org
- genealogy.az.gov - birth and death certificates
Bio by: Mary Ann Leppla
Additional information by FG volunteer #47269563 on Aug 19, 2021: Reported Problem: Cemetery office has no record of this person
Details: Not listed on burials & headstone survey from 2001. I posted obituary to show that he is buried in the cemetery. There's just not a headstone.
Erasmus was born in Richmond, Missouri on Christmas day, 1832, to Dr Arthur Bradford Ralph Sr. and Mary Walker (Brasher) Ralph. Erasmus' father owned 80 acres 'North of the Missouri River' in Ray County, Missouri, according to records at the US General Land Office dated September 7, 1838.
The 1840 US Federal Census Report for Richmond, Ray County, Missouri, shows the father, Dr. Arthur Bradford Ralph, and a tally of people including two males aged 5-9 - which I believe to be Erasmus who would have been 7 years old at the time and his brother Zaza Dowell Ralph age 9.
Erasmus lived at home in 1850, but that year's Federal Census Report for District 75, Ray County, Missouri (probably Camden) listed Erasmus by his middle name, Darwin. The father, Arthur B. Ralph, was a Physician. By 1860 Erasmus had moved out, but there was one more of his siblings born by that year, Isabell. The 1860 US Census was for Camden Township, Ray County, Missouri and lists the father as "Doctor Ralph" with his occupation listed as Farmer.
Between the 1850 and 1860 US Census reports I have compiled a list of Erasmus, his parents, and his siblings:
Arthur B. Ralph b. abt 1801
Mary Ralph b. abt 1810 [maiden name Brashear]
Zaza b. abt 1831
Erasmus Darwin b. abt 1833
Arthur B. Jr. b. abt 1836
Caroline b. abt 1839 [m. King]
Lucy b. abt 1843 [m. Campbell]
Mary b. abt 1849 [m. Goode]
Isabell ["Belle"] b. abt 1853 [m. Gant]
In 1857 Dr. E. D. Ralph was one of the physicians in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Page 2 of The Daily Journal of Commerce newspaper out of Kansas City, Missouri dated April 15, 1876 in an article titled "Retrospective."
By 1860, Erasmus Darwin Ralph was married to Sarah E. "Sally" Wilson, and they lived in Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri. His occupation was listed in that year's US Census Report as "Physician." The couple lived at house number 805 with their oldest son, Everett C. age 1, and a servant named Bridgit surname unknown, from Ireland.
Erasmus and Sarah's children were:
-Claude Everett b. abt 1859 [sometimes went by Everett]
-Emmett Ernest b. abt 1862 [sometimes went by Ernest]
-Adelle Amanda "Della" born abt 1869
Sources for the above children, (in no particular order):
1.Newspaper article on page 4 dated Apr. 6, 1892 from the "Queen City Mail" out of Spearfish, South Dakota" shows evidence of the two brothers, "Claude Ralph" and "his brother" available at newspapers.com;
2. "1860 US Census Report" for Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri shows "Everett C. Ralph" b. abt 1859;
3. "1930 US Census Report" for Yankton, South Dakota shows "Emett Ralph" b. abt 1862;
4. "1910 US Census Report" for Creighton [Phoenix], Maricopa County, Arizona shows "Della A. Leppla" b. abt 1869 living with her husband, Henry Leppla, and the 'father-in-law' "Erazmus Ralph" widowed b. abt 1833.
In 1864 Dr. E. D. Ralph, an old and well known citizen of Kansas City, Missouri, went to Bannock, Idaho with a stock of goods and returned with mining news. The gold from Idaho mines is of pure quality worth $18 per ounce in the form of nuggets as well as dust. The Doctor showed off a couple of beautiful nuggets at the Mechanic's Bank, one worth $10 and the other $8. He also brought news of old residents of Kansas City, viz: Jim Vivian and Mr. Underwood who spent a couple of years in Colorado without making anything, but doing well in Idaho now. A colored man named Harrison formerly of Kansas City, has laid up over a thousand dollars earned by cooking for a mess. The Doctor went on to report that there is plenty of water for running sluices, and that the mining is much like that in the early days of California, and he planned to return to Idaho shortly [probably with more supplies]. Source: Page 2 of the Quad-City Times out of Davenport, Iowa dated March 28, 1864.
On page 3 of the Nebraska Advertiser newspaper in Brownsville, Nebraska dated April 27, 1865 E. D. Ralph reported a stray Bay Mare from his home on the Haskell farm west of Nebraska City, Nebraska. His daughter, Della, was born in Nebraska City, perhaps on the Haskell farm.
In 1868 Erasmus D. Ralph engaged in freighting by wagon from points on the Missouri River [one was probably Westport Landing, a major set off point at the time] to at least two other places: Santa Fe, New Mexico and points in Utah. Source: Page 1 of the Queen City Mail newspaper dated March 1, 1911, out of Spearfish, South Dakota, an historical article. The article stated that Erasmus worked in freighting until the Union Pacific was completed, which was in the late 1860s. The first indication of Dr. Ralph's involvement in business at Utah was another newspaper article dated August 16, 1865 listing people with unclaimed letters at the Salt Lake City, Utah post office.
Dr. Ralph was a member of the Democratic Committee in Utah and attended meetings. From 1872 to 1877 he owned a store with a partner, V. M. Street. Their store, Street and Ralph, supplied groceries, wines, liquors, cigars, boots, shoes, clothing, and miners' outfitting goods. The store was located in the Little Cottonwood mining district of Alta City, Utah. Dr. E. D. Ralph's partner, V. M. Street, was the Postmaster of Alta in 1875-6, and hired the doctor's son, Claude, as his Deputy Postmaster. The store went bankrupt in 1877.
In 1875 Erasmus was accused of mine-jumping. A long article on page 4 of The Salt Lake Tribune dated September 3, 1875 recounts a letter describing the details of the crime and Erasmus' alleged involvement. Erasmus went to two local newspaper offices, The Salt Lake Tribune and the Herald to tell his side of the story, and accusing the other side of violence. Erasmus was accused in the letter of telling falsehoods and of bragging. Erasmus was not charged, but several other men more directly involved in the claim-jumping incident were.
By 1877 Dr. Ralph lived in Deadwood, South Dakota, where he worked as a physician and surgeon out of the IXL Hotel, as seen on page 4 of The Black Hills Weekly Pioneer dated February 24, 1877.
The 1880 US Federal Census Report shows Erasmus and Sarah living at Redwater [River] at the mouth of Spearfish Creek, Lawrence County, Dakota Territory [South Dakota]. They had one border, Andrew Devolt, who worked as a farm hand. Head of household name was listed as "Erasmus Ralph" and his occupation was listed as "Farming." They were engaged in farming and stock raising. Their oldest son, Claude Ralph age 21, lived nearby on his own ranch, and had a boarder, J. H. Gra,y who was a farm hand. Erasmus and Sarah Ralph's other children were not living with them at the time, and are believed to be away attending school.
One of Erasmus' brothers, [Dr.] Arthur Ralph, lived alone on a ranch near by, also farming for a living. Arthur's wife, Ella (Hardwick) Ralph, had died two years earlier. Two of Arthur's children, Lois age 9, and Edna age 6, were staying with his sister-in-law, Caroline "Carrie" (Hardwick) Sublett, in 1880.
In 1881 Erasmus donated to a college fund for the building of the college in Spearfish, South Dakota. Erasmus and his son, Claude, were witnesses for proof of land claim in Deadwood, South Dakota, on several occasions in the early 1880s. In 1881 E. D. Ralph was appointed one of 3 judges of the Upper Redwater precincts in Lawrence County.
In October of 1881 a neighbor of Erasmus and Sally Ralph, William Ammerson, shot their three horses and a mule. One horse and the mule did not survive. The animals were trespassing on a neighboring ranch. William Ammerson was arrested and taken to jail.
Also in October of 1881, Erasmus's son, Claude, and wife, Sally, returned from Fort Robinson by coach with Claud's siblings, Emmett and Della. It is thought that they were retrieved from school. Within a few years Erasmus and Sally's son, Emmett, was committed to Yankton asylum. In 1884 Erasmus and Sally's daughter, Della, married Henry Leppla.
In 1888 Dr. E. D. Ralph was unanimously chosen for the office of tax assessor in Deadwood, South Dakota. In 1889, Dr. E. D. Ralph and Henry Keets were among those nominated to attend the Democratic Convention in Huron, South Dakota. Henry Keets was Erasmus' son-in-law's (Henry Leppla's) brother-in-law, (Julia Leppla's husband). In 1892 Erasmus and Sally's other son, Claude Ralph, was also committed to Yankton asylum. Hospital records show that he was violent due to his heavy drinking, and that part of his drinking was due to sympathy toward his brother, Emmett, who had been a patient there since 1884 suffering from dementia praecox now known as schizophrenia.
In 1893 Dr. and Mrs. E. D. Ralph lived in Rapid City, South Dakota. He had been appointed register of the U. S. land office succeeding Judge J. P. Luse. Source: Column 1, Page 1 of the Rapid City Journal, South Dakota dated October 15, 1893.
Erasmus D Ralph is recorded on July 1, 1895 as born in Missouri and employed in Rapid City, Lawrence County, South Dakota, Source: Official Register of the United States List of Officers and Employees in the Civil, Military and Naval Service/Dept of the Interior - copy of document made available through www.ancestry.com. It also shows Erasmus' occupation as a "Register" and his compensation $2,008.57.
In the 1900 US Census, Dr. E. D. Ralph, physician, and wife, Sarah E. Ralph, lived at Spearfish, South Dakota. The couple lived in their own mortgage free house in town. Interestingly, they lived next door to the town undertaker, Henry Baier, who was a boarder at the home of Kate Grasfield.
In March of 1909 Erasmus D. Ralph and wife posted the sale of 160 acres in South Dakota for $1.00 to Henry Leppla [husband of their daughter, Della]. Erasmus' wife died in Lawrence County, South Dakota in July of the same year. Source: Copy of typed South Dakota Death Index for Sallie E. Ralph, available at www.ancestry.com.
In 1910 the U.S. Census showed Erasmus Ralph living with his daughter, Della, and son-in-law, Henry Leppla in Creighton [Phoenix], Maricopa County, Arizona. Henry and Della's children, and one daughter-in-law lived with them: Ralph and Ella Leppla, Lorain, and John. A hired hand, Frank Hammond, lived on the citricus farm too.
Erasmus died of pneumonis on February 19, 1911 in Phoenix, Arizona, according to his death certificate. His body was taken to Richmond, Missouri, accompanied by his daughter, Mrs. Henry Leppla [Della], to Richmond Missouri. Source: Page 5 of the "Queen City Mail" dated March 8, 1911; Spearfish, South Dakota; available at www.newspapers.com. Two years earlier his wife's remains had been shipped to Richmond, Missouri, accompanied by their daughter. She wished to be laid at rest at her old home in Richmond. Source: page 8 of the "Queen City Mail"; dated November 17, 1909; Spearfish, SD; available at www.newspapers.com. It is likely that she would have been buried at Richmond Cemetery, the same cemetery where her parents and two of her siblings, William and Maud, were buried. Erasmus' brother, Zaza Ralph, was buried there too.
Sources:
- Page 93 of "A Brashear(s) Family History, Vol. 2" by Charles Brashear, pub by author in 1999;
- Index "Missouri Marriages" at ancestry.com;
- Death Certificate available at genealogy.az.gov;
- 1850, 1860, 1880, 1900 and 1910 US Census Reports for Ray County, MO, Jackson County, MO, Lawrence County, Dakota Territory; and Maricopa County, AZ;
- ancestry.com
- newspapers.com
- archive.org
- genealogy.az.gov - birth and death certificates
Bio by: Mary Ann Leppla
Additional information by FG volunteer #47269563 on Aug 19, 2021: Reported Problem: Cemetery office has no record of this person
Details: Not listed on burials & headstone survey from 2001. I posted obituary to show that he is buried in the cemetery. There's just not a headstone.
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