Obadiah Ramsbottom was born in Yorkshire, near Leeds, England, March 3, 1814, and reared and educated in the country of his nativity. His father was a manufacturer of clothing, and when Obadiah left school he began working with him and learned that business. Mr. Ramsbottom continued in that calling until 1840, when he emigrated to this country. After a short stay in New York City, be came to Daviess county and settled on a farm about three miles from Gallatin, where he remained until 1865. He then moved into Harrison township, where he has ever since resided. Mr. Ramsbottom owns a fine, large farm of 480 acres of well improved land, on which he has a handsome, two-story, frame residence, a fine new barn, and other buildings and improvements to match. The farm is well supplied with water, having four living wells, besides being intersected by Lick Fork Creek.
Mr. Ramsbottom was married, in Daviess county, January 15, 1844, to Miss Matilda Hemry, a native of Ohio, born March 12, 1822. Ten children have been born of this union, six of whom still survive. Their names and dates of birth are here given: William, born March 27, 1845; John, born October 5, 1846, died November 28, 1856; Julia Ann, born January 1, 1849; Sarah Jane, born June 21, 1850, died October 14, 1857; Mary O., born December 30, 1851, died January 6, 1875; Angeline, born September 27, 1854, died November 27, 1856; Thomas, born January 13,1857; Amanda, born January 2, 1859; Ruth, born December 19, 1861; Charles, born December 8, 1863.
Mr. Ramsbottom is known to all his acquaintances as a hospitable, genial gentleman, whose latch-string is always out to his friends, and whose purse-strings are ever unloosed to the needy. A man of large, practical experience, of a matured judgment, backed by force of character, he ranks among the most substantial men of the county.