Ramsey Resident - 1992 - December

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8. THE REAL HISTORY OF RAMSEY'S FOUNDER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 the rudimentary Territorial legislature, but it seems there may be another story. Thaddeus, using his inborn wily skills, convinced the others in the group that they could best get the bill to St. Paul by a much faster means than just horse or carriage. He drafted the document onto a quite small piece of paper or two and, when done, secured it to the leg of a rather large homing pigeon, raised by Thaddeus V who planned on creating a new mode of postal service called "Pigeon Express." Assuring the resident of Itasca that this was their salvation, the 'W' set free the pigeon which at first circled the village and then unerringly flew south along the Mississippi River bearing with it the hopes of Itasca. That evening, an unnamed member of the few Chippewa bands that still lived in the vicinity praised his son and wife as they sat before a fire at their home on King's Island at the west edge of Anoka. He told his son he was proud of his skill with the bow and arrow and said he was equally happy with how well his wife had prepared the juicy bird his son had brought down. His only wonderment was why anyone would tie what looked like a fine layer of birch bark with marks on it to the bird's leg. It didn't affect the taste, however, and that night they lay down under the stars not far from the soon to be forgotten village of Itasca. The Ramsey family was one of the first, if not the exact first, to leave Itasca soon after it was discovered that the bill had not reached the legislature. They did not travel far, however, because they came to a flat open area with some woods and a lovely small lake. Thaddeus looked at the land and admired its potential, especially a somewhat low depression that sat to the west of the lake and northeast of the long flat area. As he stood in the open field he had a vision of large birds flying about and of long lines of people coming in their carts to leave their possessions in his care. He di~n't really understand what the vision meant, but he did know that he was getting too old to travel farther seeking his fortune. If it was to be made, he had to settle here and let the chips fall as they may. As he did in Itasca, he again buill a small house and took up farming. His family grew up and moved away, leaving Thaddeus and Rebecca at their old homestead by the shores of the lake that Thaddeus named in honor of his wife's family name. The children took wives and husbands and settled in the area, taking advantage of the good soil and raising corn for the most part. Thaddeus, for his part, used most of his time having neighbors bring in fill dirt from their various projects in order to fill in the low spot on his holdings. He didn't know why, but he felt his vision required him to continue: sort of a "build it and they will come" philosophy, I suppose. While he did this and scratch-farmed the area he and Rebecca enjoyed, the eagles and hawks soared over the flatlands in search of prey. CITY OF RAMSEY: Nothing further occurred with the lives of Thaddeus and. Rebecc~ Ramsey in the ensuing years, probably because he had simply qUit attempting to put his schemes into place and decided to accept his holdings as the final fruition of Lord Ramsey's dream of another estate far from England and the King. On October 22, 1888, Thaddeus Cadwallader Ramsey IV lay down on his growing hill west of Sonfisch Lake to watch the hawks circle. Like so many of his efforts, this didn't work too well either and Rebecca found him there that evening, a thoughtful and somewhat scheming expression on his face. Rebecca and her neighbors buried Thaddeus in a pioneer cemetery located on the edge of the estate in the flatlands in a grove of oaks. Within a year Rebecca joined him. Sleep well Thaddeus and Rebecca, sleep well. Until just recently birds did soar where your vision saw them. Not the birds you had envisioned but, rather birds of man's creation. Now there are hawks that rise and fall to the curre~ts of warm summer air that eddies and swirls around the massive hill that stands on your homestead. Sleep, Thaddeus. People did come, but not bearing what you had envisioned, although it must be admitted that they did fill in your low area. Shortly the grass will grow on y?ur "mount.ain" and the birds that sit and nest in the trees that shade you will, along With the other creatures of nature, inhabit it and the prairie and woods surrounding. Sleep, Thaddeus. The deer, ducks, foxes and other residents of your home won't disturb you nor will those other "birds" for they are gone. The bluebirds, which seemed to be gone forever from the area, have returned and nest in their man-made homes amid the grasses around the mountain. While you and Rebecca have slept, we have built a community and it is called Ramsey. There are those who believe it is so named because of a governor by that name. I'm not s~ sure of that and I. prefer to think you have one honor that will never leave while you rest here With us. Perhaps that ~ow ugly, polluting mound that grew from your vision can, like the fabled ducklmg, be turned into something beautiful and enriching to us. If you hear or sense anything, maybe it will be the laughter of families sliding on its slope~ or the busy chatter of picnickers enjoying a summer day along the lake, rowing and canoeing on its waters. Families from near and afar ~ay come to "ooh and aah" and whisper in wonderment as they walk the trails through the woods and prairie land, many of them seeing for the first time creatures that they have only read about. They may see wildflowers growing of a type.that you and Rebecca and your families lived with every day and, by studymg what lives and grows there, they may learn to live in harmony with nature. Perhaps. " No Thaddeus, you were not a governor, not a "mover and shaker of great deeds and actions. Like your ancestors your schemes and plans never seemed to pan out. But it is just possible that your last h~m?stead and your last vision could become a reality as not an End, but a Begmnlng. 441-4077 Mayor: James Gilbertson Councilmembers: Sheila Beyer Glen Hardin Kenneth Peterson Gerald Zimmerman City Administrator: Ryan Schroeder Administrative Offices: Public Works Department: Parks Department: Police Department: Fire Department: Fire and Police Emergency: TDD: 753-4314 753-4964 427-3844 753-4387 427-1410 427-1410 427-4180 427-1741 427-6812 427-3674 911 427-8591 Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday '- ./ CAR.RT SRT BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 131 ANOKA, MN 55303 POSTAL CUSTOMER