Ramsey, Dallas
County, Arkansas
The Ramsey Community was settled around 1845 by the Culbreath
family and was known as the Redbud Community, probably due
to the Redbud trees. The Culbreath family were bear hunters
and after hunting declined, they moved to other areas. The
second known settlers were the Wyatts. Mrs. Wyatt was the first
person to be buried in the Ramsey Community. In 1852 the Dedmans
emigrated from Alabama.
The land surrounding Ramsey
was covered in giant Oak, Gum and Pine, making Timbering, a
profitable enterprise. Several trees were cut measuring 20
feet in circumference at the ground. The area also grew cotton.
Jobez B. Wheeler operated the first cotton gin and gristmill
and powered both with horses. The first timber in the area
sold for commercial use was also by Jobez in 1889.
Timber is still the major enterprise in Ramsey and Dallas County.
Ramsey never had a permanent railroad; however, due to its
vast resources of timber a rail line was constructed in 1893
by the Fordyce Lumber Company to haul timber from the deep
woods. Fordyce Lumber Company was later sold to Georgia Pacific.
The first southern pine plywood mill was constructed by Georgia
Pacific in Fordyce and is currently the major employer in the
Fordyce area.
R. N. Parham was a plantation owner and was the first to establish
a mercantile business in Ramsey. He also built the first saw
mill and steam operated cotton gin. Frank Barnes sawed the
first board at the mill. Today, the Barnes family owns several
acres of timber, a small saw mill and the Fordyce Picture Frame
factory. Squire Ramsey ran the first post office in the Redbud
community. The Redbud Community was later renamed Ramsey, in
honor of Squire Ramsey. Today, Ramsey is served by a Fordyce
rural route. There are no commercial businesses in Ramsey today.
Two of the early churches that settlers attended were the
Macedonia Baptist
Church and the Redbud Methodist Church. The
Macedonia Church was several miles from the Ramsey Community
and the Redbud Methodist was in the Redbud (Ramsey) community.
Not far from the Ramsey Community were the Temperance Hill
Methodist Church and the Salem Presbyterian Church. Temperance
Hill Methodist Church still holds services once a month. The
Salem Church was organized in 1895 by Reverend J. M. Brown
but later disbanded and was razed in 1924. The history of the
Redbud Methodist Church is unknown, but the church does not
exist today. The Macedonia Baptist Church still holds services.
In 1902 William E. and Callie (Dedman) Hawkins purchased land
for a church from Fordyce Lumber Company. With the help of
a home missionary named Reverend Southalland, along with others,
they organized the Prosperity Baptist Church and built the
church. The Hawkins deeded the land to the Church in 1908.
Richard D. Dedman is the only known charter member of Prosperity
Baptist Church. Since its formation in 1904, services have
been held each Sunday at the church. In addition to holding
church services, it serves as a community center and voting
precinct for Dallas County. Prosperity Baptist Church is the
oldest structure remaining in the Ramsey Community.
SOURCE: Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. Prosperity Baptist
Church. Retrieved
May 28, 2005, from http://www.arkansaspreservation.org/historic-properties/_search_nomination_popup.asp?id=376
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