Pastor First Baptist Church 1870-1891

In 1858, Dublin and Laurens County gained a distinguished, valued and revered citizen in the coming to this county of Col. Whiteford S. Ramsay—a citizen who played a prominent and beneficent role in shaping the religious, educational and civic life of the community. Excerpts from tributes paid to Co. Ramsay at the time of his death, March 16, 1900, bear testimony to the universal love and esteem in which he was held.

“Colonel Whiteford S. Ramsay was perhaps the best known and most universally beloved man in middle Georgia. He was born at Milledgeville, Georgia June 8, 1839, and came from a distinguished Scotch family. His father was Randolph H. Ramsay, one of the noted educators in Georgia at this time. Col. W.S. Ramsay was educated at Oglethorpe University under his father and graduated in 1857. The following year he took a course at Princeton; later he located in Dublin and opened a school. For more than twenty years he was one of Laurens County’s most zealous educators. There was a temporary suspension of his services in this direction during the War Between The States, as he went on the battlefield at the opening of the conflict. He raised a company in Laurens County known as the Blackshear Guards, which was mustered into the 14^th Georgia Regiment, confederate Service, of which he was elected Captain and was later promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. His regiment was ordered to Virginia and that was the scene of his services.”

Immediately after the war he resumed teaching and a few years later was ordained a minister of the Baptist Church. On August 14, 1874 Col. Ramsay was made a Master Mason; in June 1891, he joined a chapter of the Royal Arch Masons; later connected himself with the St. Omer Commandry Knights Templar and other Masonic bodies, being considered at the time of his death one of the most brilliant Masons in the State. For several years he served as chairman of the Foreign Correspondence Committee of The Grand Lodge, Grand Chaplain of The Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, Grand Chaplain of the Royal and Silent Masters, and Grand Chaplain of the order of the High Priesthoos.

But it is as a minister and as an educator that the people knew him best. For almost twenty-two years Col. Ramsey was pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dublin, and at the time of his death was pastor of the Poplar Springs Church, and Ohoopee Baptist Church, Bethlehem Baptist Church and the Baptist Church at Jeffersonville, Georgia. As a pulpit orator he had few equals in the state. Some of the most eloquent sermons ever delivered in Georgia were by him. During his ministry he perhaps married more people and buried more people than any minister in Middle Georgia.

Colonel Ramsay was a born educator, not only as a teacher, but also as an able director of the educational life of this county. For twenty years he served as County School Commissioner and a few days before his death was re-elected for another term of four years. Co. Ramsay died at his home in Dublin March 16, 1900. His funeral is said to have been the largest ever held here. So vast was the crowd which came from all parts of the state to pay a last tribute of respect to this honored Georgian that the portico of the First Baptist Church was used as a pulpit, and the assembly overflowed the church grounds and extended into the school campus across the street.

On December 15, 1858 Whiteford S. Ramsay was united in marriage to Henrietta Jane Guyton, member of one of the oldest County families. Eight Children were born to Whiteford S. and Henrietta Guyton Ramsey. Ida, Elbert, Alice Viola, Tullulah Corinne, Mary Guyton, Thomas Randolph and Virginia Augusta, and Martha Bass.

Copied from the Book by Bertha Sheppard Hart, M.A.

History of Laurens County, Georgia 1807-1941