Sanford Gray Ramsey

Sanford Gray Ramsey was born on July 31st, 1833 and was the eldest child of Benjamin Ramsey and Nellie Dishman.

Sanford was born and raised in Overton county, Tennessee and married Elizabeth Catherine Speck circa 1855. Together they had 11 children. - P29

Restored photo of Sanford Gray Ramsey sitting on a small wagon. Photo originally circulated by Dovie Sisco, one of Sandford's great-granddaughters.

Sanford was known as a tall mountain man. He worked as a blacksmith during the civil war and made horseshoes for soldiers in the area. - P29 Later he owned a grist mill, located on the East Fork of the Obey River, where he made flour and corn mill. The mill is no longer standing, but is now a favorite swimming spot for locals, referred to as the Ramsey Mill Hole.

Picnic at the Ramsey Mill Hole (colorized) - Original photo from The RAMSEY Family of Overton County Tennessee - Family Photographs, submitted by Roger Sisco.

Elizabeth, Sanford’s beloved wife, died on November 1st, 1876 during childbirth. Sanford was heartbroken, and spent many nights visiting her grave, located at the foot of Cub Mountain and marked by a large rock . After Elizabeth’s death, Sanford gave some of his younger children away to friends and family in the area.

According to the census records, Sanford’s children Alta, Chambers Floyd, and James Hillary were living with Sanford in 1880 , but his youngest daughter, Catherine, was living with her grandfather, Benjamin Ramsey .

Later on, assumably after 1880, Sanford’s youngest son, James Hillary, was taken in by two old maids whom Sanford thought would take good care of him. Sanford would visit Hillary periodically to make sure the women were treating him right .

Sanford standing with his son.
Benjamin Ramsey (left), Sanford Ramsey (right)

Not Your Average Mountain Man

Sanford was considered to be a unique man with an atypical attitude and way of life. From the construction of his home to his sense of humor, Sanford was by all accounts quite quirky. Later in life he even owned a coal powered movie projector. Below are excerpts from “Memories Told of Sanford G. Ramsey” by Janet Ramsey detailing the personal stories of Burt Padgett, one of Sanford’s grandchildren.

“… Sanford's house was unusual according to Burt Padgett. The wooden house was one room with six or eight sides. It was constructed with open beams with a hole in the middle of the roof with no chimney. He would build his fires in the middle of the room and the smoke would escape through a hole in the roof. Sanford cooked once a week over the fire. His diet consisted mainly of cornmeal and molasses.”

“As a child, one of Burt Padgett's chores was to take corn to Sanford's to be ground … if Sanford saw Burt coming, he would pull a bear skin over himself and hide behind a tree and then jump out and scare Burt.”

“… He owned a movie projector. The projector was powered by coal oil and he showed a movie about a sleeping man who had a mouse crawl into his open mouth. He traveled to many schools to show this movie to the students.”

– Memories Told of Sanford G. Ramsey by Janet Ramsey

Death and Burial

Sanford died on June 24th, 1914 at the age of 81 due to an illness.

He told his son Hillary that he wanted to be buried wearing new shoes. Hillary walked several miles before Sanford’s funeral in order to find the illusive size 12 shoes for his deceased father.

Sanford also wished to be buried next to his wife, Elizabeth, who had died almost 40 years prior and was laid to rest in Falling Springs Cemetery. Since Sanford died in the summer while the creek was up, his descendants were forced to bury him in Wilson Cemetery, located a mile away from where his grist mill once stood.

His gravestone was donated and erected by the families of Horace Ramsey and Early Padgett.

Sanford Gray Ramsey's tombstone located in Wilson Cemetery