Sergeant, Company H, Sixth Pennsylvania Reserves

Age 48 years. Buried May 27, 1887.

He was the son of Erastus Worthington Ramsdell and his second wife, Cordelia, whose maiden name is unknown.
Oak Hill Cemetery records list him as Henry J. Ramsdell.
His death certificate lists him as Hiram J. Ramsdell although his obituary and his 1897 biography list him as Henry J. Ramsdell.
He enlisted in the Sixth Pennsylvania under the name of Hiram J. Ramsdell and as Registrar of Wills he was appointed as Hiram J. Ramsdell.
As he often used the initials H.J. Ramsdell perhaps an assumption was made by the author of the obituary and the 1897 biography that his first name was Henry.

History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania by R. C. Brown & Co., published by Press of Harrisburg Publishing Company, 1897.
The noted newspaper correspondent, Henry J. Ramsdell, was foreman in the Agitator office when the war broke out. He was born in Chautauqua County, New York, August 11, 1839 and was therefore about twenty-two years of age when the call for troops was made. He was among the first to volunteer from Wellsboro and became a Sergeant of Company H, Sixth Pennsylvania Reserve. Mr. Ramsdell saw much service and was wounded at Antietam. When discharged he entered journalism and soon made his mark as a correspondent. In 1865 he became attached to the staff of the Tribune in Washington and afterwards was correspondent for the Cincinnati Commercial and the Philadelphia Times and Press. He accompanied the Congressional Commission to San Domingo and Alaska. President Garfield appointed him Register of Wills for the District of Columbia and the last paper signed by the President (July 2, 1881) before he was shot by Guiteau, was Ramsdell's commission. President Cleveland removed him from office. He was a warm friend and admirer of Blaine and did much to promote the political interests of that eminent statesman. Mr. Ramsdell died at Washington, May 25, 1887. His wife was a daughter of William Garretson, of Tioga.

The Washington Critic
Thursday Evening, May 26, 1887
Death Of Mr. Ramsdell
The Late Register Wills and Well Known Journalist
Mr. Hiram J. Ramsdell, who has been in a precarious condition of health for two or more years past, suffering from a complication of diseases, the kidneys being especially affected, died at his residence, 1408 H Street Northwest, about 7 o'clock last evening, Mrs. Ramsdell, a son and daughter and Dr. Sowers being the only persons present. Mr. Ramsdell was a man of wonderful vitality and at periods, seemed to have recovered his wonted health and spirits. On such occasions he no doubt often exposed and overtasked himself imprudently. Yesterday morning, notwithstanding the heat of the day and the great crowd and confusion, he was out with Mrs. Ramsdell and her daughter to see the military parade. Sometime along in the afternoon, after his family had returned home, he was attacked by one of his old fainting spells, when near the City Hall and completely prostrated. Dr. Briscoe of C Street, being the first physician to respond to a call for medical assistance, at once pronounced his condition serious and word to this effect was conveyed to Mrs. Ramsdell, who, accompanied by her son and daughter and Dr. Sowers, the family physician, were soon at the dying man's side. He was in a state of coma and recognized nobody. Dr. Sowers had his patient taken to his apartments and there, at 7 o'clock, he breathed his last. James R. Young, his lifelong friend, remained with the body last night and many prominent people called to condole with the widow.

Mr. Ramsell was born in Laona, Chautauqua County, New York, August 11, 1839. At the breaking out of the war, then being one of the editors of the Agitator, at Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, he enlisted in the Sixth Pennsylvania Reserves and served three years.

In 1866 he came to Washington and was James R. Young's assistant in the New York Tribune bureau. He was afterward with the Boston Herald and later on the correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial, when the late George W. Adams resigned that position. When Mr. Young was relieved of the Tribune by Z.L. White, Mr. Ramsdell once more entered the bureau and during 1871 gained an international reputation.

While the joint high commission was negotiating the treaty of Washington, Messrs. White and Ramsdell got surreptitious hold of the text of that document and sent it to the Tribune. Senators Conkling and Carpenter were loud in demanding an investigation and Mr. Ramsdell refusing to answer any questions, was locked up in a committee room as a contumacious witness. Of course, as a newspaper man, he enjoyed the sensation he was creating. In 1873 Mr. Ramsdell went to California for the Tribune and when he returned transferred his services to the Philadelphia Press and later to the Philadelphia Times. In 1878 he purchased the Republic and was its editor until ill health compelled him to give it up, about two years ago.

He was appointed Register of Wills of this District by President Garfield and his commission was the last paper to which Garfield put his signature. He was succeeded in the office of Register of Wills by Mr. Dorsey Clagett last August. Mr. Ramsdell was an accomplished and brilliant writer and a man of strong characteristics. He had the intimate friendship of Mr. Blaine and a large majority of the public men of both parties who have been in Washington in this generation. Recently he had been engaged on a work containing a review of current political affairs.

The funeral services will be held at 4 o'clock tomorrow (Friday) afternoon at the late residence of the deceased and the interment take place at Oak Hill, Rev. Dr. Shippen officiating. The following gentlemen have been selected as pallbearers: Justice S.F. Miller, George B. Williams, James R. Young, Frank A. Richardson, H.V. Boynton, Henry A. Willard, Hallet Kilbourn, S.H. Kauffmann, Dr. Z.C. Sowers, Stilson Hutchins.

There will be a meeting of the Washington correspondents of the local press at the rooms of Mr. John M. Carson of the Philadelphia Ledger, 513 Fourteenth Street, this evening at 9 o'clock to take action on the death of their lase associate, Mr. Ramsdell.

Sergeant, Company H, Sixth Pennsylvania Reserves

Age 48 years. Buried May 27, 1887.

He was the son of Erastus Worthington Ramsdell and his second wife, Cordelia, whose maiden name is unknown.
Oak Hill Cemetery records list him as Henry J. Ramsdell.
His death certificate lists him as Hiram J. Ramsdell although his obituary and his 1897 biography list him as Henry J. Ramsdell.
He enlisted in the Sixth Pennsylvania under the name of Hiram J. Ramsdell and as Registrar of Wills he was appointed as Hiram J. Ramsdell.
As he often used the initials H.J. Ramsdell perhaps an assumption was made by the author of the obituary and the 1897 biography that his first name was Henry.

History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania by R. C. Brown & Co., published by Press of Harrisburg Publishing Company, 1897.
The noted newspaper correspondent, Henry J. Ramsdell, was foreman in the Agitator office when the war broke out. He was born in Chautauqua County, New York, August 11, 1839 and was therefore about twenty-two years of age when the call for troops was made. He was among the first to volunteer from Wellsboro and became a Sergeant of Company H, Sixth Pennsylvania Reserve. Mr. Ramsdell saw much service and was wounded at Antietam. When discharged he entered journalism and soon made his mark as a correspondent. In 1865 he became attached to the staff of the Tribune in Washington and afterwards was correspondent for the Cincinnati Commercial and the Philadelphia Times and Press. He accompanied the Congressional Commission to San Domingo and Alaska. President Garfield appointed him Register of Wills for the District of Columbia and the last paper signed by the President (July 2, 1881) before he was shot by Guiteau, was Ramsdell's commission. President Cleveland removed him from office. He was a warm friend and admirer of Blaine and did much to promote the political interests of that eminent statesman. Mr. Ramsdell died at Washington, May 25, 1887. His wife was a daughter of William Garretson, of Tioga.

The Washington Critic
Thursday Evening, May 26, 1887
Death Of Mr. Ramsdell
The Late Register Wills and Well Known Journalist
Mr. Hiram J. Ramsdell, who has been in a precarious condition of health for two or more years past, suffering from a complication of diseases, the kidneys being especially affected, died at his residence, 1408 H Street Northwest, about 7 o'clock last evening, Mrs. Ramsdell, a son and daughter and Dr. Sowers being the only persons present. Mr. Ramsdell was a man of wonderful vitality and at periods, seemed to have recovered his wonted health and spirits. On such occasions he no doubt often exposed and overtasked himself imprudently. Yesterday morning, notwithstanding the heat of the day and the great crowd and confusion, he was out with Mrs. Ramsdell and her daughter to see the military parade. Sometime along in the afternoon, after his family had returned home, he was attacked by one of his old fainting spells, when near the City Hall and completely prostrated. Dr. Briscoe of C Street, being the first physician to respond to a call for medical assistance, at once pronounced his condition serious and word to this effect was conveyed to Mrs. Ramsdell, who, accompanied by her son and daughter and Dr. Sowers, the family physician, were soon at the dying man's side. He was in a state of coma and recognized nobody. Dr. Sowers had his patient taken to his apartments and there, at 7 o'clock, he breathed his last. James R. Young, his lifelong friend, remained with the body last night and many prominent people called to condole with the widow.

Mr. Ramsell was born in Laona, Chautauqua County, New York, August 11, 1839. At the breaking out of the war, then being one of the editors of the Agitator, at Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, he enlisted in the Sixth Pennsylvania Reserves and served three years.

In 1866 he came to Washington and was James R. Young's assistant in the New York Tribune bureau. He was afterward with the Boston Herald and later on the correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial, when the late George W. Adams resigned that position. When Mr. Young was relieved of the Tribune by Z.L. White, Mr. Ramsdell once more entered the bureau and during 1871 gained an international reputation.

While the joint high commission was negotiating the treaty of Washington, Messrs. White and Ramsdell got surreptitious hold of the text of that document and sent it to the Tribune. Senators Conkling and Carpenter were loud in demanding an investigation and Mr. Ramsdell refusing to answer any questions, was locked up in a committee room as a contumacious witness. Of course, as a newspaper man, he enjoyed the sensation he was creating. In 1873 Mr. Ramsdell went to California for the Tribune and when he returned transferred his services to the Philadelphia Press and later to the Philadelphia Times. In 1878 he purchased the Republic and was its editor until ill health compelled him to give it up, about two years ago.

He was appointed Register of Wills of this District by President Garfield and his commission was the last paper to which Garfield put his signature. He was succeeded in the office of Register of Wills by Mr. Dorsey Clagett last August. Mr. Ramsdell was an accomplished and brilliant writer and a man of strong characteristics. He had the intimate friendship of Mr. Blaine and a large majority of the public men of both parties who have been in Washington in this generation. Recently he had been engaged on a work containing a review of current political affairs.

The funeral services will be held at 4 o'clock tomorrow (Friday) afternoon at the late residence of the deceased and the interment take place at Oak Hill, Rev. Dr. Shippen officiating. The following gentlemen have been selected as pallbearers: Justice S.F. Miller, George B. Williams, James R. Young, Frank A. Richardson, H.V. Boynton, Henry A. Willard, Hallet Kilbourn, S.H. Kauffmann, Dr. Z.C. Sowers, Stilson Hutchins.

There will be a meeting of the Washington correspondents of the local press at the rooms of Mr. John M. Carson of the Philadelphia Ledger, 513 Fourteenth Street, this evening at 9 o'clock to take action on the death of their lase associate, Mr. Ramsdell.