 John
Peters (Johnny) Ringo, cattleman,
feudist, and outlaw, son of Martin and
Mary (Peters) Ringo, was born on May 3,
1850, at Green's Fork, Indiana. The
family moved to Missouri in 1856. In
1864, due to Martin Ringo's tubercular
condition, the Ringos resolved to
resettle in California. They joined a
wagon train at Liberty, but during the
voyage west
Martin Ringo
accidentally killed himself with his
rifle. The family continued to San
Jose, where they lived for some time
with Coleman Younger, the husband of
Mary Ringo's sister Augusta. John Ringo
remained in California until late 1869,
when he left for Texas. By Christmas
day 1874 he was in Burnet, Texas, where
he fired a pistol across the town
square, an act for which he was fined
seventy-five dollars. After the
beginning of the Mason County War and
the killing of Moses Beard in September
1875, Ringo and a man identified as
Bill Williams rode to Jim Cheyney's
home and killed him in revenge for
luring Beard to his death. During the
following months Ringo was prominently
featured in Texas newspapers and was
considered to be a leading member of
the Cooley faction.
On December 27,
1875, he and Scott Cooley were arrested
in Burnet. During the next few months
the two were transferred variously
between Austin and Burnet and were
finally sent to Lampasas, where a mob
of their friends broke them out of
jail. Ringo and feudist George Gladden
were recaptured in Llano County in
November. Ringo spent the duration of
1876 and most of 1877 in jail during
his trial for the Cheyney killing and
was freed in May 1878, when the case
was dismissed. He then settled in Loyal
Valley, where on November 5 he was
elected constable of Precinct Four. It
appears that he did not serve long. By
December 1879 he was in Arizona, where
he shot and wounded Louis Hancock at
Safford during a saloon quarrel on
December 14.
Except for a
visit to his family in California,
Ringo appears to have remained in
Arizona during most of 1880. On March
8, 1881, he was present at Camp Thomas,
Arizona, when cattle rustler Dick Lloyd
was killed. Contrary to folklore, he
took no part in the shooting. After the
so-called OK Corral gunfight in
Tombstone, in which William Clanton and
the McLaury brothers were killed on
October 26, 1881, Ringo was a leader of
the anti-Earp forces. On January 17,
1882, he challenged Wyatt Earp, gunman
John H. (Doc) Holliday, and other
members of the Earp gang to a street
fight. He was also a member of the
posse that pursued the gang during its
flight from Arizona. On July 13, 1882,
Ringo apparently committed suicide
after a long spell of drinking,
although some observers think he may
have been murdered by some of his
numerous enemies. Ringo remains a
controversial figure of the Tombstone
years because of the popularity of
Wyatt Earp and Earp's accusations that
Ringo was involved in cattle theft
there. No contemporary evidence has
been located indicating that Ringo was
ever charged for this in
Arizona.
Ringo was once
in the custody of Texas Ranger, Nelson
Orcelus (Mage) Reynolds.
"RINGO,
JOHN
PETERS."
The Handbook of Texas Online.
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Born
May 3,
1850
Green's Fork, Indiana
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1856
Family moved to Missouri
age
6
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1864
Family moved to California
age
14
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1869
Ringo left for Texas
age
19
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Christmas
day
1874
Fined $75 for firing a pistol
across town square in Burnet,
Texas
age
24
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September
1875
Ringo was identified in
connection with the killing of
Moses Beard
age
25
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December
27,
1875
Ringo arrested in Burnet, Texas
for the killing of Moses
Beard
age
25
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Sometime
in
1876,
Lampasas, Texas
Ringo was broken out of jail by
mob of friends
age
26
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November
1876
Recaptured in Llano County in
November.
Spent most of 1877 in jail during
his trial.
Released in May 1878 when case
dissmissed.
age
26
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November
5,
1878
Elected constable of Precinct
Four, Loyal Valley, Texas.
Didn't apparently serve long.
age
28
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December
14,
1879
Shot and wounded Louis Hancock at
Safford during a saloon
quarrel.
age
29
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March
8,
1881
Present but did not take part
when cattle rustler Dick Lloyd
was killed in Camp Thomas,
Arizona.
age
30
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October
26,
1881
Ringo was a leader of the
anti-Earp forces after the
gunfight at OK Corral.
age
31
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January
17,
1882
Johnny Ringo openly challenged
Wyatt and Doc Holliday to a
shoot-out in the middle of Allen
Street in Tombstone, Arizona.
James Flynn, police officer, is
credited with having grabbed
Ringo from behind, thereby
breaking up the conflict.
age
31
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July
13,
1882
Ringo apparently committed
suicide after a long spell of
drinking, although some observers
think he may have been murdered
by some of his numerous
enemies.
age
32
|
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