Born: Josephine Pearl Price on 16 Sept 1880, in Garner, Iowa
Parents: Lucien B. Price & Harriett O'Cain
Adopted by Elwood & Catherine Price Alexander, 1882
Married: 14 Sept 1904 to Robert C. Kerr
1944 to Allan Ramsey at Los Angeles Courthouse
Children: Elwood P. Kerr, Kingdon Kerr
Grandchildren: Judith Kerr, Connie Kerr, Robert K. Kerr, Janet Kerr
Known Addresses:
1507 Fair Oaks Ave, South Pasadena, then somewhere on Ramona Ave.
11747 Sunset Blvd, Apt 2, Los Angeles
182 Denslow Ave, Westwood, CA
Died: 9 Jun 1965
Interred beside Robert C. at Glendale Forest Lawn, Graceland, Lot 6267, Spaces 5 & 6Josephine's mother died when Josephine was two. Her father then sent her to be raised by his sister, Catherine Alexander. At 18, Josephine approached her estranged father, who had accumulated significant wealth as a mercantilist, and asked him to fund her higher education -- an unusual ambition for a young lady of the early 1900s. Lucien agreed and the two developed a relationship. Josephine attended Goucher College in Maryland, where she met and married Robert C. Kerr. They moved to Boston and started a family before relocating to California. Josephine had boundless energy and was always engaged in a cause -- whether it was defending her sons' inheritance, campaigning door-to-door against a fourth term for FDR, or documenting all of human history for the educational advancement of her grandchildren.
Josephine had known Allan for some time as a business associate of her first husband, Robert. Allan was also a widower when he moved from Illinois to California to marry Josephine in 1944. Allan arrived by train at Union Station, where Elwood, Kingdon and their wives took Josephine to meet him. Seven-year-old granddaughter Judy was along for the occasion and remembers: "Grandma and Allan proceeded to Los Angeles City Hall where they were married legally without ceremony. That was because Grandma felt that it would be improper to go anywhere with Allan until they were married. I think we all had dinner at the Biltmore or somewhere to celebrate, then drove the newlyweds back to Grandma’s house in West LA. That was the beginning of 20 very happy years for them."
Josephine had a passion for history and its lessons. She held strong opinions and shared them through her writings. These were often given to her grandchildren along with cuttings from a variety of subscription publications including the Los Angeles Times and U.S. News & World Report. Granddaughter Judy kept a "Grandma Ramsey" file, some of which has been scanned and pictured below. Documents not scanned included:
Greece, a history from B.C. 3000-1962, by Josephine Ramsey, typewritten on 3 pages
English Constitutional History, by Josephine Ramsey, typewritten on 21 pages
Chronological Succession Rulers of England, a meticulously hand-lettered chart showing the rule of Britain from Neolithic man through Elizabeth II
Histomap of Evolution: Earth, Life and Mankind for Ten Thousand Million Years, a 5'x2' color poster published by Rand McNally in 1947.
A Map of the Missions, Presidios, Pueblos & Some of the More Interesting Ranchos of Spanish California, a 5' x 3' color poster published by Westways magazine in 1956.