Married Sarah Margaret "Mollie" Cook 11 Nov 1880 Pittsylvania Co., VA. S/O Hailey A. Ramsey & Elizabeth Banks Bennett

The following bio is provided by FAG Contributor: Ronald C. Brewer (48104028)

Armstead Fuller Ramsey
January 10, 1856—May 5, 1937
By J. W. West
The foregoing was compiled from sixteen typewritten pages which A. F. Ramsey prepared a short time before his death under the title, "My Religious Life and Ministry."

Armstead Fuller Ramsey was born January 10, 1856, in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, within half a mile of where Liberty Church was built two years later. The dominating factors that helped "shape" and mold his life he attributed to the religious environment of the church and his home influences. From the time he was a very small child he was taken to the religious services and the Bible School. As soon as he could read, he began to commit to memory portions of the four gospels. Though his father was a non- church member, he had much reverence for the church and religion. His mother and sister, Angeline, were affiliated with the Baptist church, and a younger sister with the Methodist church. He testified that his sister, Angeline, more than any other person, helped him begin a religious life.

By the time he was fourteen years old he had committed to memory much of the four gospels, and it was then he decided to become a Christian. Rev. James Jefferson, a Methodist preacher, conducted a protracted meeting at the Liberty Church. The mourner's bench was used for penitents and great excitement pervaded the services, for there was much shouting, and praying and singing. Women overwhelmed with emotion, approached him crying, and begged him to go to the mourner's bench. Being young and tenderhearted, he naturally responded to such an appeal. For a week he sought most earnestly. He looked for a "light" and listened for a "voice" but experienced neither. Finally, the preacher went to him and asked questions which he vividly remembered for over sixty years. The following are some of them: "Do you feel that you are a sinner? Are you sorry for your sins? Do you want to be saved? Do you believe Jesus Christ died for sinners? Do you love God? Do you love Jesus? Do you love the brethren?" As a penitent he gave an affirmative answer to all these questions. The preacher said to him, "I see no reason why you should stay here. Get up and give me your hand." He followed the instructions of the preacher. Yet, because he did not shout as other converts, his baptism was postponed and he was placed on probation.

During the summer of 1872, his cousin, M. M. Davis, returned for his vacation from his first year at the Bible College, at Lexington, Kentucky. Brother Davis preached and gave his reasons for leaving the Methodist church. He invited George W. Abell, who was then the State evangelist of Virginia, to come to their community to hold a meeting. There were two services daily — one at 11:00 a. m., and the other at 1:30 p. m. Farmers worked early mornings and brought their dinners to the place of meeting and returned to work late afternoons. One hundred and twenty-six responded to the invitation.

The subject of this sketch was unbaptized and still on probation, a "seeker", and an anxious listener to sermons preached during that meeting after Brother Abell preached on "The Uplifted Christ", the boy, Ramsey, arose from his seat and went forward praying, "Father, I have sinned, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. Make me as one of thy hired servants. " He, his father, and younger sister were baptized into Christ during the meeting. He was no longer a "seeker" on probation. As he was being baptized, he prayed, "Father, as my body is washed in this river, wash my soul in the blood of Christ."

When he was twenty-one years old he entered the College of the Bible at Lexington, Kentucky; but his health failed and he was unable to continue his education.

In 1879 he preached his first sermon at the home church, Liberty, and from then on for fifty-seven years he preached the gospel. On November 11, 1880, he was married to Miss Sarah N. Cook. Seven children were born to this union (not including some who died in infancy); namely John, James, Lenora, Landon, Albert, Ruben and Chapman. Six of them are still living.

At the annual Co-operation Meeting he heard the "giants" in the ministry of that day — such preachers as George W. Abell, Dexter A. Snow, T. J. Stone, J. Z. Tyler, Chapman S. Lucas, W. K. Pendleton, F. D. Power, and many others of talent. He relates hearing Brother Lucas in such an annual meeting in a hickory grove, where his clarion voice reached a multitude of people as he preached on the subject, "Without the Shedding of Blood There is no Remission of Sin."

Brother Ramsey began preaching at Museville in an old factory in 1882. Later, after the public schoolhouse was built, he preached there. As a result of his work in Museville, a church home was built, and a lawless community was changed to one of law and order. He reports preaching about 480 sermons at this point and traveling 5000 miles on horseback to fill the appointments.

He probably preached the first sermon ever preached by one of our ministers in Bedford County, Virginia. For twenty-five years he preached in one section and traveled 9000 miles on horseback and 6000 miles on the railroad to fill appointments in the region.

While he had many additions at his regular services and at one point there were responses at almost all the services, he was wise enough to engage able evangelists to hold his meetings much of the time. He was a real "John the Baptist" in preparing the way for the establishment of new churches. Rocky Mount, Virginia and many other points felt the influence of his work in that respect.

He reports preaching 325 sermons at County Line Church in twelve years and traveling on horseback and in his buggy 7,500 miles. He preached about 100 sermons at Cool Springs in four years and traveled 1000 miles for appointments. In three years, he preached 100 sermons at Doe Run, and traveled 1000 miles on horse back, and 2000 miles on railroad.

In 1905 he moved to his farm at Chalk Level. He preached for five years and the membership more than doubled and a church home was built. At one time he was minister of six churches, namely, Mt. Ivy, Liberty, Museville, Cool Springs, County Line and Green Bay. During the time of his ministry, he managed his own farm and was a public-school trustee.

Sometime after the death of his first wife, he married her cousin, Miss Alma M. Cook, on July 31, 1911.

When it became apparent that he could no longer farm and preach on account of his physical condition, he moved to Lynchburg, Virginia, where he owned a nice, large home. He would preach occasionally and would attend the fifth Sunday meeting in Pittsylvania County where he had fellowship with many brethren whom he knew so well, many of whom he had baptized.

At the home coming services at Museville in 1935, his cup of joy was filled and overflowed, it was there that he had begun the work in an old factory fifty-three years before. A roll call of the members was made, and it was found that there were 244 names on the church record. He remembered the lawlessness of that town in those early days. He said, " As I look backward, I saw an open saloon and a drunken mob, and a man stabbed in the back and lung. I saw another fine-looking man knocked on the head with a pin from the bowling alley, never to be the same again. I saw men betting on horseshoe pitching, horse racing, etc. On Sunday morning I saw faces blacked with pitch pine smoke after gambling Saturday night. And as I looked on the faces of those present over fifty years later at our home coming, I recall the Scripture, "We are changed from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."

In a general summary he estimated that he had preached 2500 sermons, traveled on horse-back and in his buggy 33,000 miles, and on railroad 7000 miles. In addition to filling regular appointments as minister of several churches at different times, he spoke over 500 times on special occasions which increased the mileage he travelled. He married about 1000 couples and attended 1200 funerals. He reports that he received for all such services from all sources in fifty-seven years less than $5000.

During the last years he lived, he expressed again and again his profound regret that he made the mistake of rendering so much service so long without requesting the churches to pay him for the services with the understanding that he would have turned such receipts over to missions and benevolence.

He was probably the best known and beloved preacher in many sections of Pittsylvania, Franklin, and Henry Counties. All who knew him respected him and recognized him to be a Christian gentleman. His influence was far reaching and a benediction to many hundreds of citizens.

The desire to see a church established in Altavista, Virginia, (which is now a rapidly growing industrial town to which for twenty years members of his rural churches had moved and established themselves in business) became the consuming passion of his last days. After two tent meetings were held there by Brother M. B. Miller, he gathered about him the small membership and volunteered to preach once a month in a motion picture theater while Brother West also preached there once a month. He was fast becoming disabled by age and his wife said to him, "Dad, you can't take on that work this winter, it will mean your death." He replied to her, "What do I care. I would be glad to give my life to help build a church in Altavista." Brother Ramsey was taken to the last appointment he ever filled by Fred West, youngest preacher son of J. W. West. The burden of his heart on that trip, going and returning, was establishing a church in this town. He informed Fred that he doubted the church would be built during his lifetime, but he believed it would be built.

On May 5, 1937, his spirit departed. He had lived in Lynchburg only a few years, but a host of friends assembled for the services at his home. Mr. 0. E. Murphey, Desk Sergeant of the Lynchburg Police force secured a leave of absence to accompany Mr. Fuller Hudson, of the State Police Force, in escorting the large number of automobiles over forty miles to Chalk Level for interment. As the procession passed through Altavista with automobiles reaching about half a mile long, the writer remembered it was here that he preached his last sermon, and it was his passion and real desire that a church be built in the town.

The churches for which he preached so long number over 2,000 members. He travelled through heat and cold to fill appointments and to bury their dead. After such a service extending over fifty-seven years, the brethren of these churches now have an opportunity to express some appreciation for such services by cooperating in helping to carry out his last wish.

To this end, a committee composed of V. A. Motley and Ryland Love, Gretna, Virginia, J. N. East, Hurt, Virginia, and J. W. West, Lynchburg, Virginia, was selected in December 1938 to promote raising a fund to build the Ramsey Memorial Chapel in Altavista, Va.—a fitting tribute to a dynamic Christian. Anyone anywhere a share in this if they desire and the committee will receive such funds and hold the same as a sacred trust until the time is opportune to begin construction work.

West, J. W. Sketches of Our Mountain Pioneers.

Spouse: Sarah Margaret "Mollie" Cook (1854-1910), married November 11th, 1880, at Pittsylvania County, Virginia – four daughters (Lenora, infant, infant, infant) and six sons (John, James, Landon, Albert, Reuben, Chapman)

Spouse: Alma Mae Cook, (1868-1957), married July 29th, 1911, at Franklin County, Virginia

Father: Hailey A. Ramsey (1814-1901)

Mother: Elizabeth "Eliza" Banks Bennett (1816-1898)

Occupation: minister/preacher for the Christian Church.