LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor
Since 2004

Tag: Rainey Tree Service

  • [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.

  • 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.

  • Update on the Ramsey Paxton Cemetery

    Update on the Ramsey Paxton Cemetery

    Maggie Schildmeyer-Mischenko, Riverveiw Monuments with Rob Geiger, President Ramsey Paxton Cemetery Association

    by Rob Geiger

    It’s been almost a year since the work was started on the historical cemetery, Ramsey Paxton Cemetery, located on Ramsey Court in the White Pillars Subdivision.

    To recap the series of events: December, 2018 the city of Loveland reinstalled the Clermont County Bicentennial sign next to the cemetery and cleared trees and brush on city owned property away from the cemetery property line; September, 2019 dead and decaying trees were removed, the old fence taken down by Rainey Tree service; fence was replaced with a new black aluminum spear fence, and May, 2020 the new refurbished antique gates were installed by Eads Fence Company.

    Rob Geiger is the President of the Ramsey Paxton Cemetery Association

    Our next project we have partnered with Riverview Monuments. “This is a privilege and an honor for our company to be involved in this project” stated Maggie Schildmeyer-Mischenko. “We are excited to donate our services to sandblast the death date on Minerva Arbuckle Ramsey who died in 1913 and place a marker on each unknown burial in the cemetery to commemorate the farmhands that lost their lives due to an epidemic that swept through this area sometime between 1910 to 1912.”

    The story was passed down through the years: the farmhands working on farms in the area lost their loved ones during that time due to sickness and since they could not afford to have a proper burial, they asked Minerva Arbuckle Ramsey if they could bury their dead in the Ramsey Paxton Cemetery, to which she agreed. The only reminder of the loved ones are field stones and in some cases a depression in the ground where a person was buried.

    Riverview Monuments also designed the two new headstones that will be added to the two Revolutionary War Soldiers’ graves, Lt. Col. Thomas Paxton (founder of Loveland, and credited as the first permanent white settler in the Virginia Military Track, 1795) and his son-in-law Capt. John Ramsey.

    The original stones have weathered to the point that you cannot read the inscriptions. The new headstones have the same verbiage as the original stones for future generations to know the historical significance of these two men.

    Design of the new headstones for Col. Thomas Paxton for the Ramsey Paxton Cemetery

    The new headstones have been ordered and hopefully will be installed in October with the other work completed before Thanksgiving, 2020.

    “How exciting this project is turning out and knowing Riverview Monuments have collaborated with the Ramsey Paxton Cemetery by preserving this great sacred spot in our hometown of Loveland. Our family business started 180 years ago and has been in Loveland for the last 120 years. We (Riverview Monuments, Tufts Scheildmeyer Funeral Home, and Ramsey Paxton Cemetery Association) share the same passion to preserve, protect, and educate about our historical sites in Loveland, Ohio,” said Schildmeyer-Mischenko

    Design of the new headstones for Capt. John Ramsey for the Ramsey Paxton Cemetery

    The Ramsey Paxton Cemetery has some seed money to buy supplies for getting some much needed ground work completed by leveling out areas in the cemetery, controlling the crabgrass, and planting grass seed in areas of the cemetery. We have been reaching out to some lawn professionals and hope to find a local company that will provide an in-kind donation, literally labor of love, to supply the manpower to accomplish this task before winter sets in.

    If your company would like to help with the project, please contact Rob Geiger at 513-677-3303.

    The Cemetery would like to hold a rededication of the cemetery sometime in the year 2021 or when Covid-19 pandemic is over. Please keep up to date with Loveland Magazine for more information.

    Loveland Magazine is the Media Sponsor for the Ramsey Paxton Cemetery  Restoration Project

  • [Video] Rob Geiger announces milestone for Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery restoration project

    [Video] Rob Geiger announces milestone for Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery restoration project

    Loveland, Ohio – On Monday LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV took our camera to the Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery in the White Pillars subdivision where Rob Geiger made an important announcement regarding the on-going restoration project. Geiger is the President of the Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery Association.

    In an email to Loveland Magazine Geiger exclaimed, “Look what got installed May 1, 2020!”

    Geiger has worked for the last two years to make Loveland’s most significant historical site presentable again. They removed a 20-year old rusty and broken fence, installed a new one, removed dying trees that threatened the new fence and tombstones, attempted a gentle restoration of the 208-year-old tombstones, brought a historical marker that had been in storage to the cemetery, and just this week saw the installation of a historical wrought-iron gate.

    History of White Pillars

    In this video, you will see Geiger explain how all the work was accomplished and hear about how the community and local businesses pitched-in to accomplish it all.

    The cemetery is where Loveland’s “Founding Family” is buried and Rob is a direct ancestor.

    In this video clip, Rob Geiger talks about how important the Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery is to Loveland’s heritage.

    He also talks about the work the Association still hopes to accomplish as more funds become available.

    You can make a tax-deductible donation to help complete the project by sending a check to Geiger Made out to:

    Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery Association

    C/O Rob Geiger

    PO Box 25

    Loveland, Ohio 45140.

    Listen as Rob Geiger talks about the cultural significance of the Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery to the Greater Loveland Community…

     

    A note From Rob Geiger to the sponsors of the restoration project:

    I’d Like to thank:

    • David Miller – Loveland Magazine Media Sponsor
    • City Manager Dave Kennedy and City of Loveland Public Works
    • Kevin Egan – Ramsey Trailside and Paxton’s Grill
    • Steve Max – Loveland Legacy Foundation
    • Ralph Dunnigan and Sandy Russell – Paxton’s Grill
    • John Zielke – Ramsey’s Trailside
    • Gloria Wilson – Loveland Sweet Shop
    • Kevin Malof – Bonds Home Furnishings
    • Bill Re – Bush Re Shea Insurance Agency
    • American Legion Post 256
    • American Legion Auxiliary 256
    • Loveland Museum Center – Jan Beller
    • Paige Craig and Wand Langdon – Clough Valley Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution
    • Steve Rainey – Rainey Tree Service
    • Dale Eads and Becky Eads Sands – Eads Fence Company   

    Fun Facts

    Breakdown of the donations

    • Family of the Ramsey Paxton $6,175
    • Businesses $3,650
    • Fundraising Events (Total 4) $2,456
    • Individual donations $3,531

    Total $15,812

  • After waiting 23 years the work has started on the restoration of Ramsey Paxton Cemetery

    After waiting 23 years the work has started on the restoration of Ramsey Paxton Cemetery

    by Rob Geiger

    What a beautiful day on Monday, September 16th, 2019 turned out to be not only weather-wise but after waiting 23 years the work started on the Ramsey Paxton Cemetery located on Ramsey Drive in Loveland, Ohio. 

    The Rainey Tree Service started early that morning to remove the old rusted chain-link fence, started the clearing of bushes and trees. “We got the trees in the nick of time!” stated Steve Rainey, owner of the Rainey Tree Service, “Since the roots were pretty far gone due to rot, and damaged by ants. Most of the wild Cherry Trees we just pulled them out, roots and all.”  The tree service company worked hard for three days to get the cemetery shipshape removing all the potential hazards that could harm the new fence, removing and grinding the stumps, and reworking the ground that was disturbed in the process. 

    Eads Fence Company started their work by installing the new fence on Thursday, September 19th and got much of the project finished. I arrived in the late afternoon on Thursday and I was astonished most of the project was finished and how wonderful the new fence looked? I could not help but look at the surrounding area imagining what the old Ramsey Farm must have looked like when the first interment took place in March 1813 with Lt. Col. Thomas Paxton the first permanent white settler in the Virginia Military Track. 

    We are waiting for the installation of a section of fence and setting the gateposts before the gate can be restored and put into place. We are hoping this part of the project will be completed by mid to late November 2019. The headstones are scheduled to be cleaned by October 22, 2019, by Cold Jet located on Wards Corner Road. I’m looking into how much it would cost to have a new marker placed on the weathered limestone slab of Lt. Col. Paxton’s grave having the same verbiage that was once etched depicting his contributions when he fought in the American Revolution and the Battle of Fallen Timbers. If the cost is substantial, we might have to wait for the next group of caretakers of the cemetery to take on that project? Hopefully, it won’t be another 23 years.       

    I could not help myself getting choked up a little to see what was accomplished in the last four days and how many people were involved to make this project a success! Everyone who was and is involved by donating money and or their time should come up to the cemetery see the great progress in preserving one of our great landmarks in the area!    

    We are hoping in the Spring of 2020 to have a formal rededication of the Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery. Please continue to look for additional updates with the Loveland Magazine publication.

    Loveland Magazine is the Media Sponsor for the restoration of the Ramsey Paxton Cemetery.

  • [Video Interview] Matching Grant announced to help restore historic Loveland cemetery

    [Video Interview] Matching Grant announced to help restore historic Loveland cemetery

     

    Fundraisers and supporters of efforts to restore the Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery were at the cemetery on Monday, May 19 for the announcement of the matching grant offered by the Loveland Legacy Foundation and see first-hand why the restoration of the historic cemetery is needed.

    Loveland, Ohio – The Loveland Legacy Foundation has partnered with the Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery Association, Inc. and will offer a dollar-for-dollar match up to $1,500 to complete the funding needed to restore the historical cemetery located in White Pillars subdivision on Ramsey Court. With your help, and this matching grant, the restoration work will be completed this summer and this historically significant site can be restored to a level of care that it deserves.

    In this LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV video Cassie Mattia talks with Steve Max and Rob Geiger about the history of the cemetery, who is buried there, and the announcement of the matching grant.

    The first burial at the cemetery was Lt. Col. Thomas Paxton in 1813, a Revolutionary War patriot who dined with General George Washington as one of the officers of the day at Valley Forge on Christmas Day in 1777. Paxton also was chosen by General Anthony Wayne to lead the advance guard at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794.

    Paxton was credited as being the first permanent settler in Clermont County. Paxton and his sons-in-law carved out the wilderness to make a home for their families in 1795 and brought their wives and children here to Loveland in 1796. Paxton is the founder of Clermont County, Miami Township, the city of Loveland, and he helped with the Statehood of Ohio.

    Capt. John Ramsey, Paxtons’s son-in-law, also a Revolutionary War patriot, is buried in the cemetery along with other family members. 

    The Loveland Legacy Foundation, passionate about preserving our founding families’ place of rest, has partnered the Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery Association to restore the historic Loveland landmark. Other partners include American Legion Post # 256, American Legion Auxiliary Post #256, Bond Home Furnishings, City of Loveland, Clough Valley Daughters of the Revolution, Eads Fence Company, Loveland Magazine, Paxton’s Grill, Ramsey’s Trailside, Loveland Sweets, and Rainey Tree Service. They have all united together to make this project a reality which will include removal of the dead and decaying trees, the replacement of the chain link fence to a 4’ black aluminum industrial grade fence, and a 10’ antique wrought iron gate provided by Eads Fence that will be fully restored and installed.

    You now have an opportunity to help secure the final part of the funds needed with this generous match from the Loveland Legacy Foundation which doubles the value of your donations up to $3,000.

    Here are ways you can help:

    • Please go to https://lovelandlegacyfoundation.org/ and click on the DONATE NOW button to make your online contribution.
    • Visit these local downtown Loveland businesses to place your donation in the donation jars at: Bond Home Furnishings • Eads Fence Company • Paxton’s Grill • Ramsey’s Trailside • Loveland Sweets.
    • Make out a check, payable to Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery Association and mail it to Rob Geiger, PO Box 25 Loveland OH 45140.  Both Loveland Legacy Foundation and Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery Associations are 501-3C organizations so your contributions may be tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law.

     

    The Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery is a hidden gem locally, statewide and nationally. Jan Beller, Director of the Loveland Museum Center (Greater Loveland Historical Society) said: “We are fortunate to have such a historical site right in our own thriving town!”   

    Steve Max, Chairman of the Loveland Legacy Foundation and Rob Geiger, President of the Ramsey-Paxton Cemetery Association both added: Thank you for joining us to see this project through and living up to our motto “Loveland Strong.”

    Loveland Magazine is the proud Media Sponsor of the effort to restore this extraordinary local landmark.