Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/42

 RANNEY

RANSOM

first rector of De Lancej- Divinity school, Geneva, N.Y., 1861-96 ; president of Hobart college, Sept. 7, 1869-July 11, 1871 ; a trustee of Union college, 1876-80. and dean of Geneva, 1880-95. He was a trustee of the General Theological seminary ; a deputy to the general convention and federal council, and a member of the ecclesiastical court of western New York. He received the honorary degree of A.M. from Trinity in 18-18, and from Hobart in 1857 ; the degree S.T.D. from Hobart in 1863. and that of LL.D. from Union in 1895. He died in Geneva. N.Y\. Dec. 16, 1896.

RANNEY, Ambrose Arnold, representative, was born in Townsheud, Vt.. April 17, 1821 ; son of Dr. ^Vaitstill R. and Pho?be (Atwood) Ran- ney ; grandson of Waitstilland Abigail (Harlow) Ranney and a descendant of Thomas Ranney (born in Scotland, 1616. and one of the first set- tlers of Middletown, Conn.), and Mary (Hub- bard) Ranney. His father was a leading far- mer and physician of Windham county, and lieutenant governor of Vermont for two terms. Ambrose attended Townshend academy and was graduated from Dartmouth college, N.H., in 1844. He was principal of Chester academy, 1844- 46 ; studied law with Andrew Tracy at Wood- stock, Vt.; was admitted to the bar in 1848, and after teaching in the Brimmer Street school for some months, began practice in Boston. He was city solicitor, 1855-57 ; a representative in the state legislature in 1857, 1863 and 1864, and was a Republican representative from the third district in the 47th, 48th and 49th congresses, 1881-87, serving as chairman of special committees on the pan-electric schemes. He was married, Dec. 4, 1850 to Maria D., daughter of Addison and Maria (Ingals) Fletcher, and his only son, Fletcher, be- came his law partner. He died in Boston, Mass., Marcli 5. 1S99.

RANSDELL, Joseph Eugene, representative, was born in Alexandria, La., Oct. 7, 1858 ; son of John H. and Amanda (Terrell) Ransdell. He was graduated from Union college, Schenectady, N.Y., in 1882 ; was admitted to the bar in June, 1883, and established himself in practice at Lake Providence, La., where he also engaged exten- sively in cotton planting. He was married, Nov. 15, 1885. to Olive Irene Powell of Lake Providence. He was district attorney of the eighth judicial district of Louisiana, 1884-96 ; a member of the levee board of the Fifth Louisiana levee district, 1896-99 ; a member of the convention that framed the new constitution of the state in 1898. and was elected Democratic representative in the 56th congress to fill the unexpired term of Samuel T. Baird who died, April 22. 1899. He was re-elected to the .57th and .58th congresses, 1899-1905. serving in .57th congress as a member of the committee on rivers and harbors.

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RANSOM, Epaphroditus, governor of Michi- gan, was born in Shelburne Falls, Hampshire county, Mass., in February, 1797 ; son of Maj. Ezekiel and (Fletcher) Ransom and grand- son of General Fletcher of Vermont, an officer in the Revolutionary war. He removed with his parents to Townshend, Windliain county, Vt.; worked on a farm in the summer and either attended or tauglit school in the winter. He was graduated from Chester acad- emy, Windham county, Vt.; Judge Taft, at Townshend, and w;is graduated from the law school at Northampton, Mass., in 1823. He practi-sed in Windham county, and was a representative in the state legislature for several terms. In 1834 he removed to Michigan and setr tled in Kalamazoo, where he established himself in practice with Cliarles E. Stuart. In 1836, upon the admission of Michigan into the union, he was appointed first judge of the second judicial circuit and associate justice of the supreme court of the state. He was promoted chief justice in 1843, and was governor of the state, 1847. Failing to receive a renomination, he retired to private life. He was a representative in the state legislature in 1853, and in 1857 removed to Kansas, where he was receiver of the Osage land office. He died at Fort Scott. Kan., in November. 1859.

RANSOM, George Marcellus, naval officer, was born in Springfield. N.Y'., Jan. 18, 1820. He attended the public schools of New Y'ork and Ohio ; was appointed to the U.S. navy as a mid- sliipman from Ohio, July 25, 1839 ; served on the Marion off the Brazil coast, 1839-42, and on the Erie of the Pacific squadron, 1843-44. He was at the naval school, Philadelphia, Pa., in 1845 ; was promoted passed midshipman, July 2, 1845 ; was stationed at the naval observatory, Washington, D.C., 1845-46, and was engaged on the coast of Mexico for seven months in 1847. He was again stationed at the naval observatory, 1847-48 ; served on the Portsmouth off the coast of Africa, 1848-50. and on the Relief, 1851-52. He was pro- moted master, June 28, 1853 ; served on the Michi- gan on the lakes, 1853-.55; was promoted lieu- tenant, Feb. 21, 1854 ; served on the Pen-y, Dol- phin and Jamestown off the coast of Africa, 1855- 57 ; was on ordnance duty at Boston, Mass.. 1857- .59, and was engaged on the Narragansett and Saranac on the Pacific station, 1860-61. He was promoted lieutenant-commander, July 16, 1862 ; commander, Jan. 2, 1862, and commanded the Kineo of the Western Gulf blockading squadron under Farragut in the Mississippi river during its various encounters. March and April, 1862. He served under Farragut at Forts Jackson and