Our family was surprised to find what was hidden within the walls.

Outside and Inside View of Uncovered Walls

How the Story Unfolded

A TRAIL LEADING BACK TO AN ANCIENT SCOTTISH CASTLE

In 1925, F. J. and Lulu Armstrong along with their family moved to a farm on the outskirts of Cape Girardeau. They founded Armstrong Dairy on Silver Springs Road—the farm being located about a half mile north of what is now Central High School. Below is a 1929 photo of the dairy delivery truck of Lulu Armstrong and children four children Russell, Olive, Bonnie and Eileen. Carl was born later—not knowing he had grown up in a log cabin.

Fast Forward to the 1980’s when historian Edwin Strum of Scott City visited the home in the quest of locating the original home of pioneer Andrew Ramsay—referred to in the history books as founding a home in 1795 and being the first English settler in the area. The Armstrong family had noted the walls in the front half of the house were very thick and well insulated. A section of plaster was removed to reveal massive poplar logs. Historian Shrum had located what he was looking for. Then, began the quest to learn more details.

The quest led to the discovery that Andrew Ramsay’s sister married into the Giboney family and founded Elmwood which was styled after Dalhousie Castle in Scotland. Elmwood became the Home of Louis Houck who was very prominent in Southeast Missouri history. Shrum used history book clues to find the home.

HISTORY BOOK REFERENCE TO RAMSEY HOME

“As has been stated the settlement at Cape Girardeau was purely American, there not being more than five French families in the entire district. Of this settlement Andrew Ramsay was the pioneer. Attracted by the liberal offers of land, the salubrity of climate and fertility of the soil, as well as, no doubt, by the personality of the commandant, or more properly speaking by the personality of his able, accomplished and intellectual secretary, Andrew Ramsay, in 1795, settled immediately adjacent to the grant of the commandant, and for many years his home was the point to which the hardy pioneers of Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee directed their course.

An eye witness, Jesse Friend, now dead, but who as a boy remembers the encampment around Ramsay’s plantation, gave a graphic picture of these hardy pioneers, who, under the inducements offered by the Spanish Government, now crowded across the Mississippi. Every day, he said, new settlers would arrive from the States, and after a long and weary journey, rest along the bank of a creek that meandered through his plantation, and yet known as Ramsay’s Creek, and allow their cattle to pasture in the open and park-like woods, filled in summer with luxuriant cane and grass, while they themselves, accompanied by Ramsay, prospected the country for eligible locations.

On Sundays, especially, the whole settlement would congregate at Ramsay’s to hear the latest news from the latest immigrants, and to pass the day in such enjoyments as a new country afforded.

Andrew Ramsay was a man of substance and the owner of a goodly number of slaves. He exercised a decided influence in the settlement, and so early as 1799 an English school, the first west of the Mississippi, was established at what was called Mount Tabor, a mile from his plantation, and in the center of the new settlement. He was one of the largest landholders in the district.”

[Southern Historical Preservation ISBN: 089308431X History of Southeast Missouri; Goodspeed]

BOOKS BY CARL ARMSTRONG GIVING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Elmwood’s 1000 Year Dalhousie Castle Legacy: Cape Girardeau’s Ramsay – Houck Pictorial Chronicles – See Details Below – by Carl Armstrong (Author)

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Southeast Missouri’s transformation from a largely unsettled wilderness to the modern era is chronicled in this book’s history of three families: the Ramsays, the Lormiers and the Houcks. The Ramsay connection reaches back about 1000 years to the beginnings of the Ramsays of Dalhousie Castle – located near Edinburgh, Scotland.

The book treats you to a tour of the still standing Dalhousie Castle and a 1795 log cabin. It also includes a pictorial tour, in color, of Elmwood Manor – a visual treat which has had only limited access by the public.

Louis Lormier founded the Cape Girardeau settlement in 1793 and Andrew Ramsay and his sister Rebecca Ramsay Giboney followed to establish the first entrée of English speaking settlers in Southeast Missouri. Andrew Ramsay built a log cabin in 1795 which still stands today. Andrew was also instrumental in establishing the first English language school west of the Mississippi River.

His sister Rebecca Ramsay, and her husband Alexander Giboney, obtained a large land grant in 1797 from the Spanish government and settled on a knoll just west of Cape Girardeau. Their land was titled El Bosque de los Olmas or Elmwood in English. Their son, Andrew Giboney, in addition to owning a large plantation, was a merchant of wide influence in the Mississippi River basin.

Over the years, the wooden beginnings of Elmwood was transformed into a likeness of Dalhousie Castle. In 2002, part of the original plantation was converted into Dalhousie Golf Course.

In 1872, Louis Houck, a lawyer with an anti-slavery background, married Mary Giboney of southern plantation gentry. Louis Houck became a mover and shaker in regional commerce, railroad development and also education; he was a founder of the Cape Girardeau Normal College which evolved into Southeast Missouri State University.

ANOTHER BOOK

Briarwood’s Window on Cape Girardeau’s Regional History: Missouri’s Lorimier, Ramsay, Houck and Juden Pioneers by Carl Armstrong (Author)

About the Book:

Readers are treated to a colorful insight into the pioneer settlement of Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri. The book features a color photographic tour of Briarwood Manor – a colonial structure situated high and eminent on the slope of Mount Tabor overlooking the city and the Mississippi River.

The form and fashion of the interior with its grand staircase is stunningly beautiful. It includes a fireplace added from the 1904 Worlds Fair in St. Louis. Briarwood Manor is located in the middle of the American Pioneer District Portal – this area opened the floodgate of American settlers pouring into Southeast Missouri.

You will be treated to information about a still standing 1795 log cabin which served as an available land information center for newly arriving settlers. You will learn about the 1797 Elmwood Plantation being given a land grant of over seven square miles. Elmwood Manor is a replica of Dalhousie Castle – about 1000 years old and still standing in Scotland.

Briarwood Manor’s history gives an insight into the circa 1900 development of education, roads, railroads and drainage of swampland that lifted Southeast Missouri into the modern era.

Other books by Carl Armstrong with a Christian Theme may be found at this link: DaySpringonHigh.com

PHOTOS AND MORE DETAILS

Andrew Ramsay founded the first English speaking school west of the Mississippi. A replica of this school was built by Earl Norman. Located on Bloomfield Road about a half mile west of Campster School as one travels west. French speaking schools were in the St. Louis general area.

Below is a photo of the springs. The cool 60 degrees springs were used to cool milk for the Armstrong Dairy.

Pictures from Carl’s visit to Dalhousie Castle in Scotland

Carl in Front of Dalhousie Castle

Carl on chair in Dalhousie Castle

Backview of Dalhousie Castle

we hope you have enjoyed this brief tour through history. now watch the video about uncovering the hidden logs

VIDEO – TURN UP THE SOUND

Email: Carl@1795LogCabin.com