Justus Ramsey Stone House

Infobox_nrhp | name =Justus Ramsey Stone House
nrhp_type =

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caption = The home in 1960
location=252 7th Street West Saint Paul, Minnesota
lat_degrees = 44
lat_minutes = 56
lat_seconds = 33
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 93
long_minutes = 6
long_seconds = 16.5
long_direction = W
locmapin = Minnesota
area =
built =1851
architect= Unknown
architecture= Greek Revival
added = May 06, 1975
governing_body = Private
refnum=75001014cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]

The Justus Ramsey Stone House is the oldest known house still standing in Saint Paul in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The house, located at 252 West 7th Street is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The home is an example of a Saint Paul residence of a settler of some financial means.

Ramsey

Justus Cornelius Ramsey was born in Hummelstown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania and learned the printer's trade. He was first employed as a surveyor for the Pennsylvania Railroad, then came to Saint Paul in 1849 where he engaged in the grocery business and in real estate. He was the older brother of the first governor of Minnesota Territory, Alexander Ramsey. In 1850, he was elected to the Minnesota Territorial Legislature and served for three terms; he also served in other governmental posts, including carrying the treaty payment to the Dakota when the Dakota War of 1862 erupted.

The building

The 35-acre (14 ha) parcel including 252 West 7th Street was purchased by Henry Hastings Sibley, Henry M. Rice, and Justice Ramsey for $60.00 in 1849. The land was subdivided in 1850, and Justus Ramsey kept the title to the lot where this two-room house was built; it is believed that he initially lived in the home. It was constructed with 2-foot-thick light gray quarry-faced limestone walls, ashlar-coursed with lime mortar. In 1859, Ramsey lost or sold the home, after which it served as a barber shop and a residence.

Ramsey committed suicide in 1881, leaving behind a fortune of $200,000.

References

*cite web| title =Justice Cornelius Ramsey House| work =HABS| publisher =Library of Congress| url =http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hhh.mn0019| accessdate = 2007-12-14
*cite book|title=The National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota|last=Nord|first=Mary Ann|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|date=2003|isbn=0-87351-448-3
*cite web| last =Martin| first =Lawrence A.| title =Observations on Architectural Styles, Irvine Park to Cherokee Park Hike| work = Thursday Night Hikes: Irvine/Cherokee Park Hike Architecture Notes, Part 1| date =June 14, 2001| url =http://www.angelfire.com/mn/thursdaynighthikes/irvine_arch1.html| accessdate =2007-12-14