Authored a book on the Ransom genealogy and history, "Historical outline of the Ransom family of America," published in 1903.
Formerly worked as an auditor for the Saginaw, Tuscola & Huron Railroad.
Ransom and Mary Mottram are listed as parents of 7 children:
Arthur, born 1854
William E., born 1857
Robert B, born 1861
Maud, born 1864
Agatha, born 1867 (wife of Ernest F Smith)
Marguerite, born 1871 (wife of James Allwood Smith)
Kenneth, born 1876
Greater detail regarding the lives of the children of Wyllys Ransom and Mary Mottram can be found here at “The Historical Outline of the Ransom Family, Volume 2”:
http://books.google.com/books/about/Historical_Outline_of_the_Ransom_Family.html?id=4llHAAAAYAAJ
MAJOR RANSOM DIES SUDDENLY
Expires Saturday Night at the Home of Daughter.
FORMERLY LIVED HERE
Was Prominent in Business at One Time and Had Gallant Record in Civil War.
Major Wyllys C. Ransom, a former resident of Kalamazoo and one of the most prominent men in Michigan died suddenly Saturday night at the home of his daughter, Mrs. James A. Smith, of Grand Rapids, after a brief illness. He lived in Kalamazoo a good share of the time from 1884 to 1881, when he retired to a large farm near St. Joseph, which has been his home most of the time since. Major Ransom had a long and eventful career. He was born April 28, 1828, In Townshend, Vt., and was therefore nearly 80 years of age. Major Ransom was of revolutionary stock. His grandfather, Major Ezekial Ransom, was a member of the non-commissioned staff of George Washington and fought in most of the battles of the Virginia campaign. He was president at the execution of of Major Andre, the British spy. [sic]
Major Ransom emigrated with his parents in October 1834, to Michigan and was reared in the paternal home at Kalamazoo. He was educated in the district schools and the Michigan Huron institute later the branch of the University of Michigan and now Kalamazoo college, where he was prepared for admission to the sophomore class of 1845. He graduated from the university in the class of 1848 with the degree of A. B., and in 1896 the regents conferred on him the degree of A. M. The major, therefore, at the time of his death was one of the oldest living graduates of the university. Hon. Thos. W. Palmer was his companion in college. Jan. 1, 1848, he was appointed private secretary to his father, Epaphroditus Ransom, who had just been elected governor of the state, the capital having been removed from Detroit to Lansing by the previous legislature.
In Banking Business. Major Ransom was associated with his father at Kalamazoo in banking and various business enterprises. He emigrated to the territory of Kansas in 1857, resided there during the exciting period of the pro-slavery faction and border ruffian gangs that were sparing no endeavor to make Kansas a slave state. With the fall of Fort Sumpter the major enlisted in Company E, of the Second regiment of Kansas volunteers and was elected lieutenant and later captain of his company. He served in all the battles of the Missouri and Kansas border under General Nathaniel Lyon, was on the staff of Brig. Gen. Thomas Ewing, Major General Samuel R. Curtis, Major Blunt and Gen. Sykes. He served during the entire war. In 1877 Major Ransom returned to Michigan and in 1881 was appointed deputy state railroad commissioner by Commissioner of Railroads Judge Williams, and was reappointed deputy by Commissioners Innes, MacPherson and John T. Rich. Many of the railroad laws of this state now in force were prepared by Major Ransom for the legislative committees. At the close of his official career he retired from active life to a home in St. Joseph, Mich., where he lived with his wife until her death last March. Major Ransom in his early days was a prominent Mason, being master of the local blue lodge. He was also a Knight Templar, member of the G. A. R., Michigan Pioneer society and was greatly interested in educational matters and particularly those of the Michigan university. He was one of the oldest living members of Lambda chapter of Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He is survived by an only sister, Mrs. George J. Clark, of Aspen, Col.; five children, Robert B. of Detroit, Kenneth M. of Chicago, Mrs. E. P. North of Holt, Mrs. Ernest F. Smith of Chicago and Mrs. James A. Smith of Grand Rapids, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The funeral will be held from the home of his daughter Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock. The major will be buried beside his wife and children in the family lot in Mountain Hope cemetery at Kalamazoo Tuesday afternoon at 8 o'clock. Kalamazoo Evening Telegraph Feb 3, 1908 page 1
Formerly worked as an auditor for the Saginaw, Tuscola & Huron Railroad.
Ransom and Mary Mottram are listed as parents of 7 children:
Arthur, born 1854
William E., born 1857
Robert B, born 1861
Maud, born 1864
Agatha, born 1867 (wife of Ernest F Smith)
Marguerite, born 1871 (wife of James Allwood Smith)
Kenneth, born 1876
Greater detail regarding the lives of the children of Wyllys Ransom and Mary Mottram can be found here at “The Historical Outline of the Ransom Family, Volume 2”:
http://books.google.com/books/about/Historical_Outline_of_the_Ransom_Family.html?id=4llHAAAAYAAJ
MAJOR RANSOM DIES SUDDENLY
Expires Saturday Night at the Home of Daughter.
FORMERLY LIVED HERE
Was Prominent in Business at One Time and Had Gallant Record in Civil War.
Major Wyllys C. Ransom, a former resident of Kalamazoo and one of the most prominent men in Michigan died suddenly Saturday night at the home of his daughter, Mrs. James A. Smith, of Grand Rapids, after a brief illness. He lived in Kalamazoo a good share of the time from 1884 to 1881, when he retired to a large farm near St. Joseph, which has been his home most of the time since. Major Ransom had a long and eventful career. He was born April 28, 1828, In Townshend, Vt., and was therefore nearly 80 years of age. Major Ransom was of revolutionary stock. His grandfather, Major Ezekial Ransom, was a member of the non-commissioned staff of George Washington and fought in most of the battles of the Virginia campaign. He was president at the execution of of Major Andre, the British spy. [sic]
Major Ransom emigrated with his parents in October 1834, to Michigan and was reared in the paternal home at Kalamazoo. He was educated in the district schools and the Michigan Huron institute later the branch of the University of Michigan and now Kalamazoo college, where he was prepared for admission to the sophomore class of 1845. He graduated from the university in the class of 1848 with the degree of A. B., and in 1896 the regents conferred on him the degree of A. M. The major, therefore, at the time of his death was one of the oldest living graduates of the university. Hon. Thos. W. Palmer was his companion in college. Jan. 1, 1848, he was appointed private secretary to his father, Epaphroditus Ransom, who had just been elected governor of the state, the capital having been removed from Detroit to Lansing by the previous legislature.
In Banking Business. Major Ransom was associated with his father at Kalamazoo in banking and various business enterprises. He emigrated to the territory of Kansas in 1857, resided there during the exciting period of the pro-slavery faction and border ruffian gangs that were sparing no endeavor to make Kansas a slave state. With the fall of Fort Sumpter the major enlisted in Company E, of the Second regiment of Kansas volunteers and was elected lieutenant and later captain of his company. He served in all the battles of the Missouri and Kansas border under General Nathaniel Lyon, was on the staff of Brig. Gen. Thomas Ewing, Major General Samuel R. Curtis, Major Blunt and Gen. Sykes. He served during the entire war. In 1877 Major Ransom returned to Michigan and in 1881 was appointed deputy state railroad commissioner by Commissioner of Railroads Judge Williams, and was reappointed deputy by Commissioners Innes, MacPherson and John T. Rich. Many of the railroad laws of this state now in force were prepared by Major Ransom for the legislative committees. At the close of his official career he retired from active life to a home in St. Joseph, Mich., where he lived with his wife until her death last March. Major Ransom in his early days was a prominent Mason, being master of the local blue lodge. He was also a Knight Templar, member of the G. A. R., Michigan Pioneer society and was greatly interested in educational matters and particularly those of the Michigan university. He was one of the oldest living members of Lambda chapter of Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He is survived by an only sister, Mrs. George J. Clark, of Aspen, Col.; five children, Robert B. of Detroit, Kenneth M. of Chicago, Mrs. E. P. North of Holt, Mrs. Ernest F. Smith of Chicago and Mrs. James A. Smith of Grand Rapids, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The funeral will be held from the home of his daughter Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock. The major will be buried beside his wife and children in the family lot in Mountain Hope cemetery at Kalamazoo Tuesday afternoon at 8 o'clock. Kalamazoo Evening Telegraph Feb 3, 1908 page 1
Authored a book on the Ransom genealogy and history, "Historical outline of the Ransom family of America," published in 1903.
Formerly worked as an auditor for the Saginaw, Tuscola & Huron Railroad.
Ransom and Mary Mottram are listed as parents of 7 children:
Arthur, born 1854
William E., born 1857
Robert B, born 1861
Maud, born 1864
Agatha, born 1867 (wife of Ernest F Smith)
Marguerite, born 1871 (wife of James Allwood Smith)
Kenneth, born 1876
Greater detail regarding the lives of the children of Wyllys Ransom and Mary Mottram can be found here at “The Historical Outline of the Ransom Family, Volume 2”:
http://books.google.com/books/about/Historical_Outline_of_the_Ransom_Family.html?id=4llHAAAAYAAJ
MAJOR RANSOM DIES SUDDENLY
Expires Saturday Night at the Home of Daughter.
FORMERLY LIVED HERE
Was Prominent in Business at One Time and Had Gallant Record in Civil War.
Major Wyllys C. Ransom, a former resident of Kalamazoo and one of the most prominent men in Michigan died suddenly Saturday night at the home of his daughter, Mrs. James A. Smith, of Grand Rapids, after a brief illness. He lived in Kalamazoo a good share of the time from 1884 to 1881, when he retired to a large farm near St. Joseph, which has been his home most of the time since. Major Ransom had a long and eventful career. He was born April 28, 1828, In Townshend, Vt., and was therefore nearly 80 years of age. Major Ransom was of revolutionary stock. His grandfather, Major Ezekial Ransom, was a member of the non-commissioned staff of George Washington and fought in most of the battles of the Virginia campaign. He was president at the execution of of Major Andre, the British spy. [sic]
Major Ransom emigrated with his parents in October 1834, to Michigan and was reared in the paternal home at Kalamazoo. He was educated in the district schools and the Michigan Huron institute later the branch of the University of Michigan and now Kalamazoo college, where he was prepared for admission to the sophomore class of 1845. He graduated from the university in the class of 1848 with the degree of A. B., and in 1896 the regents conferred on him the degree of A. M. The major, therefore, at the time of his death was one of the oldest living graduates of the university. Hon. Thos. W. Palmer was his companion in college. Jan. 1, 1848, he was appointed private secretary to his father, Epaphroditus Ransom, who had just been elected governor of the state, the capital having been removed from Detroit to Lansing by the previous legislature.
In Banking Business. Major Ransom was associated with his father at Kalamazoo in banking and various business enterprises. He emigrated to the territory of Kansas in 1857, resided there during the exciting period of the pro-slavery faction and border ruffian gangs that were sparing no endeavor to make Kansas a slave state. With the fall of Fort Sumpter the major enlisted in Company E, of the Second regiment of Kansas volunteers and was elected lieutenant and later captain of his company. He served in all the battles of the Missouri and Kansas border under General Nathaniel Lyon, was on the staff of Brig. Gen. Thomas Ewing, Major General Samuel R. Curtis, Major Blunt and Gen. Sykes. He served during the entire war. In 1877 Major Ransom returned to Michigan and in 1881 was appointed deputy state railroad commissioner by Commissioner of Railroads Judge Williams, and was reappointed deputy by Commissioners Innes, MacPherson and John T. Rich. Many of the railroad laws of this state now in force were prepared by Major Ransom for the legislative committees. At the close of his official career he retired from active life to a home in St. Joseph, Mich., where he lived with his wife until her death last March. Major Ransom in his early days was a prominent Mason, being master of the local blue lodge. He was also a Knight Templar, member of the G. A. R., Michigan Pioneer society and was greatly interested in educational matters and particularly those of the Michigan university. He was one of the oldest living members of Lambda chapter of Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He is survived by an only sister, Mrs. George J. Clark, of Aspen, Col.; five children, Robert B. of Detroit, Kenneth M. of Chicago, Mrs. E. P. North of Holt, Mrs. Ernest F. Smith of Chicago and Mrs. James A. Smith of Grand Rapids, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The funeral will be held from the home of his daughter Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock. The major will be buried beside his wife and children in the family lot in Mountain Hope cemetery at Kalamazoo Tuesday afternoon at 8 o'clock. Kalamazoo Evening Telegraph Feb 3, 1908 page 1
Formerly worked as an auditor for the Saginaw, Tuscola & Huron Railroad.
Ransom and Mary Mottram are listed as parents of 7 children:
Arthur, born 1854
William E., born 1857
Robert B, born 1861
Maud, born 1864
Agatha, born 1867 (wife of Ernest F Smith)
Marguerite, born 1871 (wife of James Allwood Smith)
Kenneth, born 1876
Greater detail regarding the lives of the children of Wyllys Ransom and Mary Mottram can be found here at “The Historical Outline of the Ransom Family, Volume 2”:
http://books.google.com/books/about/Historical_Outline_of_the_Ransom_Family.html?id=4llHAAAAYAAJ
MAJOR RANSOM DIES SUDDENLY
Expires Saturday Night at the Home of Daughter.
FORMERLY LIVED HERE
Was Prominent in Business at One Time and Had Gallant Record in Civil War.
Major Wyllys C. Ransom, a former resident of Kalamazoo and one of the most prominent men in Michigan died suddenly Saturday night at the home of his daughter, Mrs. James A. Smith, of Grand Rapids, after a brief illness. He lived in Kalamazoo a good share of the time from 1884 to 1881, when he retired to a large farm near St. Joseph, which has been his home most of the time since. Major Ransom had a long and eventful career. He was born April 28, 1828, In Townshend, Vt., and was therefore nearly 80 years of age. Major Ransom was of revolutionary stock. His grandfather, Major Ezekial Ransom, was a member of the non-commissioned staff of George Washington and fought in most of the battles of the Virginia campaign. He was president at the execution of of Major Andre, the British spy. [sic]
Major Ransom emigrated with his parents in October 1834, to Michigan and was reared in the paternal home at Kalamazoo. He was educated in the district schools and the Michigan Huron institute later the branch of the University of Michigan and now Kalamazoo college, where he was prepared for admission to the sophomore class of 1845. He graduated from the university in the class of 1848 with the degree of A. B., and in 1896 the regents conferred on him the degree of A. M. The major, therefore, at the time of his death was one of the oldest living graduates of the university. Hon. Thos. W. Palmer was his companion in college. Jan. 1, 1848, he was appointed private secretary to his father, Epaphroditus Ransom, who had just been elected governor of the state, the capital having been removed from Detroit to Lansing by the previous legislature.
In Banking Business. Major Ransom was associated with his father at Kalamazoo in banking and various business enterprises. He emigrated to the territory of Kansas in 1857, resided there during the exciting period of the pro-slavery faction and border ruffian gangs that were sparing no endeavor to make Kansas a slave state. With the fall of Fort Sumpter the major enlisted in Company E, of the Second regiment of Kansas volunteers and was elected lieutenant and later captain of his company. He served in all the battles of the Missouri and Kansas border under General Nathaniel Lyon, was on the staff of Brig. Gen. Thomas Ewing, Major General Samuel R. Curtis, Major Blunt and Gen. Sykes. He served during the entire war. In 1877 Major Ransom returned to Michigan and in 1881 was appointed deputy state railroad commissioner by Commissioner of Railroads Judge Williams, and was reappointed deputy by Commissioners Innes, MacPherson and John T. Rich. Many of the railroad laws of this state now in force were prepared by Major Ransom for the legislative committees. At the close of his official career he retired from active life to a home in St. Joseph, Mich., where he lived with his wife until her death last March. Major Ransom in his early days was a prominent Mason, being master of the local blue lodge. He was also a Knight Templar, member of the G. A. R., Michigan Pioneer society and was greatly interested in educational matters and particularly those of the Michigan university. He was one of the oldest living members of Lambda chapter of Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He is survived by an only sister, Mrs. George J. Clark, of Aspen, Col.; five children, Robert B. of Detroit, Kenneth M. of Chicago, Mrs. E. P. North of Holt, Mrs. Ernest F. Smith of Chicago and Mrs. James A. Smith of Grand Rapids, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The funeral will be held from the home of his daughter Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock. The major will be buried beside his wife and children in the family lot in Mountain Hope cemetery at Kalamazoo Tuesday afternoon at 8 o'clock. Kalamazoo Evening Telegraph Feb 3, 1908 page 1
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