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Vinnie Ream Hoxie

I get quite a few inquiries about Vinnie Ream. So here are my notes.


   Born: September 25, 1847 in Madison, Wisconsin
   Died: November 20, 1914 in Washington D.C.
   Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Plot: Section 3 Lot 1876 Grid T-16    Grave Site Photo    Find-a-grave    Arlington Grave    Arlington Search    Arlington Search

. . Parents: Robert Lee Ream (1811-1885) Born: Greggs Township, Centre County, PA
. . Parents: Lavina McDonald (1809-1893) Born: Hagerstown, Washington County, Maryland
. . . GrandParents: John Fredrick Ream (1754-1837) and Barbara Ream (1772-~1837) (Yes, her Maiden name was Ream)
. . . . . . . Barbara was her husband's 1st Cousin, once removed. (ie. She married her Father's 1st Cousin)
. . . . . . . She was daugther of Abraham Ream (1747-1817) (see previous Web page #3)
. . . . . . . Barbara, Born: 10 Dec 1772, Breaknock Township, Berks County, PA
. . . . . . . Barbara, Died: Abt 1837, Buried: Centre County, PA
. . . . . . . John F., Born: 14 Oct 1754, Reamstown, Cocalico Township, Lancaster County, PA
. . . . . . . John F., Died 3 Feb 1837, Buried: Hickman Cemetery, Gregg Township, Centre County, PA
. . . . . GreatGrandParents (via John F.): Matthias Ream (1726-1789) and Magdalena??
. . . . . GreatGrandParents (via Barbara): Abraham Ream (1747-1817) and Elizabeth Neidig (1749-1786)

Jump to Vinnie Ream Family Tree


Noted June 2019. There seems to be some varying opinions on the true year of birth for Vinnie. 1847 vs 1840.
As per emails from Barbara P. to me:       ReamVinnie_1850CensusWisconsin.pdf
      The 1850 Census of Madison, Wisconsin.  
        It lists R. Ream as being 40 and a clerk  
        Lavina, her mother as 33
        Robert Jr. as 13 years old
        C.A. (They called her Mary) as 11
        and L.E. as 9
        Also lists Mrs. Ream's mother (Mary McDonald) as being 68 and born in PA (she was born in Hagerstown.) 

        Vinnie was named for her mother, full name:   Lavinia Ellen "Vinnie" (Ream) Hoxie
        So there are two L.E.s on the census listed, one age 33 (mother) and her daughter (9)

        When Mary McDonald died (Vinnie's grandma), they called C.A. (Vinnie's sister) Mary to perpetuate the name--common at that time. 
        I have read the entire material on Vinnie in the Library of Congress and never saw her C.A. referred to as anything but "Mary."

        The Ellen Thompson on the list was 23 and from Norway--think she might have been a boarder or helper, also common. I never researched her.

        You'll also note that Vinnie's brother Robert L., Jr. was 13 and born in Ohio, while the two girls were born in Wisconsin.

        You'll also notice that Vinnie's Father was making the princely (at that time) sum of $7,000/yr.  
        The Postmaster of Madison is also on this census page as making $20,000 - that was an awful lot of money for the times...he must have had other income.


   Vinnie married Lieutenant Richard Leveridge Hoxie (1844-1931). Vinnie was the age of thirty, married May 28, 1878.
Richard Leveridge Hoxie received his early education in Italy, where his father was a merchant and importer. He returned to America in 1858. He then attended Iowa State University for three years. When the Civil War started, he enlisted in the First Iowa Cavalry. After the war, he served in the Army Engineers, in Western exploration and in the construction of new water and sewer systems. As District Engineer, he designed and constructed the Washington, D.C. water supply system, including filtration plants and underground aqueducts. He laid out part of the Rock Creek Park in Washington. He married Vinnie Ream in 1878. Brig. Gen. Richard Levering Hoxie retired from the U.S. Army in 1908. On November 20, 1914, Vinnie Ream died. She was buried in Arlington National Cemetary.
In 1917, Richard L. Hoxie married Mae Ruth Norcross (called Ruth) of Clearfield, PA. She was an education editor for the Philadelphia Record. She had attended George Washington University and took a great interest in the work of her husband's first wife and her friend in Washington social circles, sculptor Vinnie Ream. General Hoxie died in April of 1930. Ruth and General Hoxie had a son named Ritchie who died in 1936 of cancer. In July of 1959, Mae Ruth Norcross died. She, along with General Hoxie and Vinnie Ream Hoxie are all buried at Arlington National Cemetary in the family plot.

   One Son: Richard Ream Hoxie (1883-~1936)    Find-a-grave.com


Interesting Web Pages:
    VinnieReam.com
    Ream Family Origins (centric Vinnie)
    Arlington National Cemetery
    A Woman a Week
    Vinnie Ream and R.L. Hoxie papers    Library of Congress
    Wall Street Journal Article, January 2021   An Embattled Statue, Under Siege


Sculptor of the Abraham Lincoln statue in the U. S. Capitol Building

Vinnie Ream



Painting by: George Peter Alexander Healy,   Rome, Italy 1870
"Vinnie Ream", 31.375" x 22.5", National Museum of American Art at Smithsonian Institution

Vinnie Ream



"A Labor of Love"
"The Life and Art of Vinnie Ream"
by Glenn V. Sherwood,   First Edition 1997.
Vinnie Ream
Glenn is a descendent of Abraham Ream (1747-1817),
and his 2nd wife, Magdalena, child George F. Ream.




"Vinnie Ream", First Edition 1963.
Vinnie Ream
Vinnie Ream



Farragut Square
Vinnie Ream Statue   April 2003
Vinnie Ream



 

Vinnie Ream's Family Tree.    Source: Glenn Sherwood
Vinnie Ream