Loveland Magazine

LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

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Since 2004

Tag: Daughters of the American Revolution

  • [Video and Slide Show] Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery Association holds ceremony for marking new headstones and grave dedication

    [Video and Slide Show] Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery Association holds ceremony for marking new headstones and grave dedication

    Sean Behling
    Sean Behling is a Loveland Magazine Reporter

    by Sean Behling

    Loveland, Ohio – A cold, drizzly morning on Saturday, May 7th, gave way to more tolerable weather by noon when a momentous ceremony was held at the Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery in the White Pillars subdivision. It was a celebration of the dedication of new headstones for Lt. Col. Thomas Paxton, Captain John Ramsey, and Isabella Paxton Ramsey. After a member of the Sons of the American Revolution gave a speech detailing the historical significance of Ramsey, Paxton, and their family, a parade arrived, led by living descendants, to celebrate the renovations they’ve made to the cemetery. 

    Once the parade arrived, the National Anthem was sung, and people gathered closer to witness the ceremonial ribbon-cutting. The ribbon-cutting featured, 102-year-old Kay Promton, the oldest living descendant of Lt. Col. Paxton. Joining Kay were community leaders and contributors to the Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery restoration. The large crowd then gathered and listened to the heartwarming speech that Rob Geiger, president of the Association, gave.

    Following the touching speech, Geiger handed out plaques to those who had worked hard and long to keep this landmark of Loveland intact. The plaques held ceremonial keys to the cemetery and were set on pieces of cherry wood salvaged from a decaying tree that had to be removed during the cemetery’s restoration.

    Receiving plaques were:

    • Loveland Legacy Foundation
    • Loveland Magazine
    • City of Loveland
    • Paxton’s Grill
    • Ramsey’s Trailside
    • Eads Fence
    • Rainey Tree Service
    • Riverview Monuments
    • American Legion Post 256 and Auxiliary
    • Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5749
    • Emma Clemons, Girl Scout Troop 43534

    After the plaques were handed out, and the new gravestones were unveiled, the ceremony ended with a musket salute. The Sons of the American Revolution lined up, their muskets loaded and pointing out into the nearby woods, firing off numerous shots, before finally putting their heads down in respect of these fallen soldiers.

    Other groups participating during the dedication ceremony were, Clough Valley Chapter – Daughters of the American Revolution, Cincinnati Chapter/Sons of the American Revolution, American Legion Post 256 and Auxiliary, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5749. Individuals playing important parts in the dedication were, Will Freeman singing the National Anthem, Kay Thomson, Bella Geiger, Kassidy Ostendorf, and Robert Reid signing Amazing Grace. Tiffany Niehaus, Stephanie Pinella, and Cindy Abbott read biographies of Thomas Paxton, John Ramsey, and Isabella Paxton Ramsey.

    Debby Niehaus and Paige Craig led a responsive reading.

    The emcee for the event was Rob Geiger, the President of the Ramsey Paxton Cemetery Association.

    Thank you to everyone who was able to make this ceremony happen and to everyone that has worked to keep this historic location alive for so many years. The Ramsey-Paxton Ceremony is located on Ramsey Court in White Pillars, so feel free to go on down and pay respects to the founder of Loveland while soaking in the cemetery’s history.

    The Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery began in 1813 with the burial of Lt. Col. Thomas Paxton. Lt. Col. Paxton was a Revolutionary War Soldier who served with General George Washington at Valley Forge in 1777 as well as General Anthony Wayne at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794. The curved bridge on West Loveland Avenue over the Lt. Col. Paxton.

    Paxton is considered the first permanent settler between the Little Miami River and the Scioto River in the Virginia Military Tract, credited with raising the first local crop of corn, and was the founder of Loveland. Paxton’s involvement goes even further, from helping to have the first polling place in Clermont County to help make the statehood of Ohio possible.

    Paxton’s son-in-law, as well as Revolutionary War patriot and one of the first settlers of Clermont County, Captain John Ramsey, was buried in the cemetery in 1847, as were other family members up until 1913.

  • SAVE THE DATE! RAMSEY-PAXTON GRAVE DEDICATION

    SAVE THE DATE! RAMSEY-PAXTON GRAVE DEDICATION

    Loveland, Ohio – On Saturday, May 7 at 12:45 PM, a parade will leave the John Ramsey Homestead in the White Pillars subdivision and end at the Ramsey-Paxton Cemetary at 206 Ramsey Court; where a formal dedication of new and restored gravestones will take place.

    During the ceremony, the Clough Valley Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, in conjunction with the Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery Association, the Cincinnati Chapter/Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), and the Loveland American Legion Post #256 will be marking graves for Thomas Paxton, John Ramsey, and c.

    Bagpiper Robert Reid, will lead the parade and perform during the ceremony. The SAR will be demonstrating muzzle rifle firing and conducting the 21-gun salute.

  • Ramsey Paxton Cemetery improvements still ongoing and wrapping it up in 2022 with a dedication date May 7, 2022

    Ramsey Paxton Cemetery improvements still ongoing and wrapping it up in 2022 with a dedication date May 7, 2022

    by Rob Geiger

    In the last year, it has been a challenging time with serious health diagnoses, treatment, and the looming concerns regarding Covid. Plans were slowed down but our pioneer blood kept forging ahead keeping progress moving ahead. 

    We are winding up the capital improvements to the cemetery and it’s hard to believe the capital fundraising started in 2018 with two big line items completed in 2019 – removal of the dead and dying trees, the old rusted fence, installing the beautiful black aluminum fence, the installation of the one of a kind wrought iron gates in 2020 and two new headstones installed for Lt. Col. Thomas Paxton and Capt. John Ramsey. 

    This past year, 2021, Riverview Monuments came through with their commitment and supplied the cemetery with beautiful black granite remembrance markers for the unknown graves within the confines of the cemetery. Riverview Monuments also sandblasted the death date of Minerva Arbuckle Ramsey on her headstone and is currently working with the Daughters of the American Revolution, Clough Valley Chapter which commissioned bronze plaques to the matching black granite used for the remembrance markers to mark LT. Col. Thomas Paxton and his daughter Isabella Paxton Ramsey’s grave. The Cincinnati Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution is also coming up with their own marker for Captain John Ramsey to be installed in the cemetery. 

    We still could not find a local landscape company to even return phone calls to work on the grounds by leveling it out, planting grass seed, and providing grass management. Hopefully, we can find a company to provide this service in the early fall of 2022. 

    We are looking for volunteers to sand the flagpole and paint or donate a new flag pole in the month of April, 2022. 

    The Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery Association appreciates everyone that made this project a success! We could not even accomplish this task without some very key and instrumental partnerships. A huge “Thank You” to Loveland Magazine-our Media Sponsor, City of Loveland, Rainey Tree Service, Eads Fence Company, Loveland Legacy Foundation, Paxton’s Grill, Ramsey’s Trailside, and Riverview Monuments.    

    With the work coming to the end, we are pleased to announce the dedication of the cemetery in 2022. Please save the date: Saturday, May 7, 2022, at 1 PM at the Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery across from 185 Ramsey Court, Loveland, Ohio. We will have more information in the next couple of weeks. Everyone is invited to attend and celebrate Loveland’s heritage along with the families of Paxton and Ramsey.

    For the ones that are not familiar with the historically significant of this cemetery the biography of Paxton and Ramsey are as follows:

    The Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery originated in 1813 with the burial of Lt. Col. Thomas Paxton, a Revolutionary War Soldier, on land that he received for his military service. Paxton’s original land grant was 1,100 acres generally speaking the Northwest section of Clermont County. In 1795 Paxton and his sons-in-law came to settle the land and a year later sent for their wives and children to join them in their new home. 

    Lt. Col. Paxton (1739-1813) served with George Washington at Valley Forge in 1777 and with General Anthony Wayne at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794. Lt. Col. Paxton is considered the first permanent settler between the Little Miami River and the Scioto River in the Virginia Military Tract, credited with raising the first crop of corn, and was the founder of Loveland. Paxton’s involvement is quite extensive helping Lytle with surveying lands in Clermont County down to parts of today’s community of Hyde Park, having the first polling place in Clermont County, and helping with the statehood of Ohio.

    Captain John Ramsey, a son-in-law, was buried in the cemetery in 1847, along with other family members until 1913. Captain John Ramsey (1764-1847) was a Revolutionary War Patriot and one of the first settlers of Clermont County with other family members. He was considered a proficient hunter even though his leg was amputated as a result of carrying out military duties.