Frederick Lee Ramsdell

b. 29 November 1884, d. September 1972

Frederick Lee Ramsdell, 1884-1972
  • Frederick Lee Ramsdell was born on 29 November 1884 in Salado, Bell County, Texas.
  • Charles H. Ramsdell and Augusta Fredonia Halley appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1900 in Brazoria County, Texas. Other members of the household included Frederick Lee Ramsdell, Charles William Ramsdell, Robert Leroy Ramsdell, Marshall Albert Ramsdell and Alice Emma Ramsdell.
  • The following appeared on 15 August 1909 in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Fred Ramsdell, erstwhile track and field star of the University of Texas, will not be allowed to play football at Pennsylvania this fall, though he abandoned the Texas school for the express purpose of making the quaker eleven. But another career is held out to the famous college athlete. Mike Murphy, track coach at Pensy, has sent Ramsdell back to Texas and will nurse him through the winter months with the hope of making him the greatest sprinter collegiate circles have ever known. Here is an account of the Texas boy's doings in the East: "Fred 'Texas' Ramsdell, the University of Pennsylvania sprinter, will be lost to the Red and Blue football team this year because of imperative orders from Mike Murphy, the track coach, that he should confine himself to the cinder path, and the big Texas flyer left last night for his home in Texas, where he will remain until college re-opens. Ramsdell remained in this city during the summer for two reasons, first to join the Pennsylvania football squad and try for a position on the eleven, and secondly, to go to Seattle to compete in the championships this year. Otherwise he would have gone south at the close of the college year. No teams were sent to Seattle by the eastern colleges, and this blocked the chances of Ramsdell to compete at Seattle, and his first reason for remaining in Philadelphia was gone. Still he wanted to get into the football line-up. Murphy has been writing to 'Texas,' and when he realized his crack sprinter wanted to play football, Murphy told him to go home and take a good rest, as he has been traiing almost all summer."
  • The following appeared on 30 July 1911 in the Dallas Morning News: S. L. Pinckney of Austin, manager of the Texas University football team. . . "The men will begin to report about the middle of September. Wasmund has been retained as coach and Billy Disch will be trainer. We will probably increase our coaching staff for the early weeks. Marshall Ramsdell, brother of the world famous sprinter, has been selected as captain. At present the outlook for the teem seems to be very bright. . . ."
  • It appears that he was booked to depart Liverpool for New York on 28 August 1911 aboard the SS Lusitania, but actually sailed on the SS Caronia on 20 August, arriving in New York on 28 August. Occupation is given as civil engineers.
  • The following appeared on 29 August 1911 in the Dallas Morning News: Fred L. Ramsdell, better known to the followers of University of Pennsylvania as "Tex" Ramsdell, last year's star sprinter of the University of Pennsylvania track team and all-American football player, has deserted the ranks of the amageurs and will henceforth be called "professional." Ramsdell has made this declaration tonight, just as he has returned home from a trip to Europe, where he defeated many rack runners of England and Scotland. In announcing his retirement from the ranks of the amateurs, Ramsdell has also let it be known that he has been engaged as athletic director of the Carnegie Technical School at Pittsburg and will soon leave to assume his new duties. He won the 100 and 200-yard championships in england, but met with ill luck in his Edinburgh races, where runners were given a fifteen-yard handicap in the 220-yard dash, and although "Tex" breasted the tape in ahead of his rivals the race was given to a local runner. This so angered Ramsdell that he left the field and refused to enter further competitions. Ramsdell will take an active part in the running races in the United States in the near future and is willing to meet all comers. He severely criticises the English methods of training and said he does not believe that England will win many races in the coming Olympic games because of their lax training methods. "England is far behind America in training athletes," said Ramsdell. "They take little care of themselves after a race or game, but they are ever ready to give home talent the best of all decisions to the discomfiture of the visitors." Ramsdell leaves here Thursday to take up his new position in Pittsburg.
  • The following appeared on 24 December 1911 in the Dallas Morning News: Fred ("Texas") Ramsdell, famous as a sprinter and football star was in Dallas yesterday, stopping here on his way to Austin, where he will spend the holidays with his family. Fred Ramsdell broke records first at the University of Texas and later went to Pennsylvania where he played on the Football team and was sent to Europe for a tour with a track team from that school. In England, Germany and France Ramsdell competed with world famous runners. He was in Dallas with his brother, Bob Ramsdell, who also played on the University of Texas football teams and is now a medical student at Galveston. This is the first time Fred Ramsdell has been home in nearly three years and he expresses great pleasure at being back in the State, saying that it looks better to him than any other country. He is now coach in Football, track and basket ball at the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburg. He comes of a family all of whom are excellent athletes, is brother Marshall having been captain of the Univeristy of Texas football team during the past season. His sister also won her letter at the University of Texas, playing on the girls' basket ball team.
  • He married Edna Foster, daughter of Lena (?), on 1 September 1913.
  • Frederick Lee Ramsdell registered for the draft on 12 September 1918 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tenessee, while living at 1408 Dallas Avenue in Nashville and working as a construction engineer (with ?Dupont Engles?) in Jacksonville, Cherokee County, Texas.
  • Frederick Lee Ramsdell and Edna Foster appeared in the US federal census of 1 January 1920 in Yeadon, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Other members of the household included Frederick Lee Ramsdell Jr.
  • He was a department manager for a publishing company.
  • Frederick Lee Ramsdell and Edna Foster appeared in the US federal census of 1 April 1930 in Haveford, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, at 4 Orchard Road. Other members of the household included Frederick Lee Ramsdell Jr.
  • He was a highway contractor, according to the 1930 census.
  • Frederick Lee Ramsdell and Edna Foster appeared in the US federal census of 1 April 1940 in Haverford, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, at 4 Orchard Road. Other members of the household included Frederick Lee Ramsdell Jr. and Lena (?)
  • He was employed as a construction engineer, according to the 1940 census.
  • Frederick Lee Ramsdell registered for the draft in 1942 while living with his wife Edna at 4 Orchard Road in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania.
  • Frederick Lee Ramsdell and Edna Foster arrived in the Port of New York on 2 April 1951, aboard SS Talananca, having departed Puerto Barrios, Guatemala on 28 March.
  • The SSDI lists Havertown, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, as the last residence of record of Frederick Lee Ramsdell.
  • Frederick Lee Ramsdell died in September 1972 at age 87.
  • Last Edited: 6 Oct 2012

Family: Edna Foster b. 5 December 1890, d. 23 February 1989