BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO

"History of the Upper Ohio Valley" Vol. II, 1890.

Presented by Linda Fluharty from hard copies provided
by Mary Staley & Phyllis Slater.

Pages 753-754.

JOHN RAMSER, proprietor of the United States distillery, No. I, Eighteenth district
of Ohio, situated at Powhatan, Ohio, is a native of Switzerland, in which country he
was born May 18, 1825, emigrating to this country June 17, 1847. He first located in
Allegheny City, where he worked as a laborer and carpenter until 1854, when he moved
to Powhatan, where he built himself a house and engaged in the carpentry trade; he
afterward sold his house and removed to California in 1858, taking his wife and two
children with him; they went by way of Panama to San Fransisco. When he landed in
San Francisco he found that his entire outfit had been stolen; he at once went to
work for a Jew, manufacturing safes. He then resumed his old trade, working at it
until he had accumulated sufficient money to buy another outfit for himself and
family, when they started for the mines. On this journey they encountered many
obstacles, the severe snow storms hindered them much and caused the blindness of
one of his children for several months. Finally they reached the mines at Forest
City, and Mr. Ramser had only worked for a few days when the entire town was
burned down. From here he went to the mines on Rock creek, where he worked in the
mines for two years, at the expiration of which time he removed to Sacramento with
the purpose of going into the huckstering business. He crossed the mountains
forty times, encountering all the perils and hardships of a frontier life. After
some time spent in this way, he moved onto a ranch and burned charcoal for a
living. While here his wife died. Soon after he started back over the plains
with his five motherless little children. The return trip took over four long
months of weary travel. Reaching Powhatan he built a distillery on Cat's Run
in 1867, and operated the same until 1880, when he removed to Powhatan, where
he established the large distillery now owned and operated by himself. By his
first wife Mr. Ramser had eleven children, six of whom are living. By his
second wife, who was Miss Lena Berger, he has had eleven children, six of
them being dead. Mr. Ramser is a member of the I. O. O. F., and of the
Masonic order of Powhatan, Maria lodge. No. 105, having completed the
degrees of the latter May, 1868. A man of various experiences, yet one
who has made a success of his life, and who is respected by his neighbors.