Ramsey, Darley Hiden

  General Notes:

Darley Hiden Ramsey was born in Gretna, Va., in 1891. After his marriage to Mary Sumnr he moved to Asheville in 1903. His mother and father, Caly and Lucy Ramsey also moved to Asheville, NC at this time. In Asheville Ramsey served as Commissioner of Public Safety until 1919 at which time he went to Winston Salem for a year in the same capacity. He returned to Asheville in 1920 when he became associate editor of the Citizen, the Asheville newspaper. He later became the editor of the Asheville Times (1921-1926) and then general manager of the Citizen-Times Company (1930-1954). He also served on the State Board of Education (1945-1953) and on the State Board for Higher Education (1955-1960). His family papers are held by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

He holds two degrees, both from the University of Virginia. The A.B (1912) is in Economics and the M.A. (1913) is in the same field of study. While he pursued his doctorate but never completed the degree he was given two honorary degrees. He was made Doctor of Laws by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Doctor of Letters by Western Carolina College. His talents were recognized in many

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Darley Hiden Ramsey, son of Simeon Clay and Lucy (Pinckard) Ramsey, was born in Gretna, Va., in 1891. In 1903, his family moved to Asheville, N.C., to the same neighborhood as Thomas Wolfe. Ramsey received two degrees from the University of Virginia, an A.B. (1912) and an M.A. (1913) in economics. He also pursued a year of doctoral studies as Supply Professor of Economics.

In 1915, Ramsey was elected Commissioner of Public Safety of Asheville and served a year in the same capacity in Winston-Salem after his term expired in 1919. In 1920, he joined the Asheville press as associate editor of the Citizen, and was successively editor of the Asheville Times, 1921-1926; general manager of the Times, 1926-1930; and general manager of the Citizen-Times Company, 1930-1954.

Ramsey was actively connected with public education during most of his career. He served as chairman of the board of trustees of Western Carolina College; a member of the State Board of Education, 1945-1953; and on the first Board of Higher Education, 1955-1960. Among other civic posts he held were president of the North Carolina Conference for Social Service, 1923-1924; chairman of the State Planning Board, 1944-1945; president of the North Carolina Press Association and director of the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association; chairman of the Buncombe County Sinking Fund Commission, the clean-up operation in the wake of the Asheville-Buncombe County financial default; treasurer of the School of Journalism Foundation of North Carolina, 1949-1953; director of the North Carolina Forestry Association; and director of the James G. K. McClure Education and Development Fund (Farmers Federation Fund), which engaged in health, educational, and religious philanthropies in Western North Carolina.

Ramsey was often urged by his correspondents and by editors in the state press to become a candidate for governor. He never sought public office after 1919, but was influential in the state Democratic Party through keynote addresses, writing party platforms, and campaigning for governors. He was a presidential elector in 1940 and 1960.

Ramsey was much in demand as a speaker for commencements, elections campaigns, radio broadcasts, memorials, dedications, and other civic occasions. Besides editorials, he frequently wrote magazine articles on journalism, education, conservation, Western North Carolina history, and other topics.

Ramsey married Mary Sumner in 1926. He was made Doctor of Laws by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Doctor of Letters by Western Carolina College. areas and while he declined to runfor any public office after 1919, he served on various committees and boards of local and state significance. The following represent the more significant appointments:

* Western Carolina College - Chairman of the Board of Trustees
* State Board of Education (1945-1953)
* State Board of Higher Education (1955-1960)
* North Carolina Conference for Social Service - President (1923-1924)
* State Planning Board - Chairman (1944-1945)
* North Carolina Press Association - President
* Southern Newspaper Publishers Association - Director
* Buncombe County Sinking Fund Commission - Chairman
* School of Journalism Foundation of North Carolina - Treasurer (1949-1953)
* North Carolina Forestry Association - Director
* James G.K. McClure Education and Development Fund (Farmers Federation Fund) - Director
* Presidential Elector for the Democratic party in 1940 and again in 1960

D. Hiden Ramsey was married to Mary Sumner in 1926. They had one son, D. Hiden Ramsey, Jr. .

Darley married Mary Catherine Sumner, daughter of Bynum Hilliard Sumner and Annie May Haynes, WFT Est 1911-1944. (Mary Catherine Sumner was born on 26 Aug 1897 and died WFT Est 1911-1991.)