Necrology of Toledo's Woodlawn Cemetery

Ramson Richards

Ramson Richards was the son of William and Eliza Richards. The Richards traced their lineage back to the Pilgrims. Ramson was born on October 13, 1833 in Candice, Onatrio City. When he was four years old Ramson's mother died. In February of 1842, Ramson and his family moved to Chesterfield Township, Ohio.Waggoner, [History of the City of Toledo and Lucas County, Ohio, vol. 2 (New York: Monsek & Company Publishers, 1888), pp.727-728. For a picture, see p.726]. Richards spent the following ten years working to clear the land and he was often called upon to travel to Toledo's grist mills. The journey was a four day trip.

As a young boy, Richards wrote a few credible articles. As he grew older, Richards started a productive writing and newspaper career. This started with his submission of two poems: "A Golden Sunset" which was printed in the Perrysburg Star and "The Western Wilds" which appeared in the Toledo Republican.

From there he became apprenticed to the Toledo Commercial Republican where he gathered news and copied telegraph reports.(Toledo Biographical Scrapbook, Local History Room, Toledo Lucas County Public Library). From there he went on to become a reporter for the Toledo Blade as the local and commercial reporter. He remained at this post until 1853 when ill-health forced him to move to Michigan. In 1855, Ramson Richards returned to Toledo and his job at the Toledo Blade.

After returning to Toledo, he was active as the author of books on such diverse topics as the Masons and a Toledo business directory. At the same time he was farming some acreage of land that was located next to Woodlawn Cemetery. Richards dabbled in real estate from 1867-1871. In 1876, Richards sold his farm and moved to Parkwood Avenue. While on a trip to Florida in April of 1886, Ramson Richards developed a severe cold. He died there on April 15 of that year.

Ramson Richards's grave

(Photography of Woodlawn Cemetery by Josef Schneider.)