John Ringo, King of the Cowboys: His Life and Times from the Hoo Doo War to Tombstone, Second Edition

Chapter 2. "passionate, domineering and dangerous"

9 2 C H A P T E R “passionate, domineering and dangerous” WAYNE COUNTY WAS IN A STATE OF FLUX during 1850. In addition to the anti-prejudice movements, there were temperance and women’s suffrage movements. The latter movement was first organized in Wayne County. Meeting at Dublin in 1851, a group of militant women formed the Women’s Rights Association, declaring “that unless women demand their rights politically, socially and financially, they will continue in the future as in the past, to be classed with negroes, criminals, insane persons , idiots and infants.”1 John Ringo was born in Clay Township in Wayne County, officially created in May 1831 on petition from Thomas Hatfield and others.2 The date of his birth and the precise name of Ringo’s birthplace proved troubling to his biographers, at least in part because both the place name and its spellings changed. One biographer refers to the town as Greenfork.3 Another states that Ringo was born in Green Fork on March 3, 1850, noting that the town had previously been known as Washington Village.4 Ringo researcher Allen Erwin also mistakenly gave the date of John’s birth as March 3, placing it at Greensfork.5 Still another Ringo biographer places Ringo’s birth at “Washington (Clay Township), Wayne County, Indiana.”6 Since it was first created in the 10 JOHN RINGO, KING OF THE COWBOYS early 1800s the town has had many names. Even today the name is routinely misspelled. The settlement was originally designated Westfield, but in 1818 it was renamed Washington in honor of the first president. During the late 1860s the name was changed to Green’s Fork because another Washington already existed in Daviess County, Indiana. In time the name was shortened to Greens Fork, which it officially remains today.7 It may be the only town in America that once had the name of a distinguished president but was “renamed in honor of a reputed murderer.”8 The town took its name from John Green, a controversial figure in early Wayne County history. Green was allegedly an accessory to the murders of Charles Morgan and Morgan’s two half-brothers in 1813.9 The brothers were working in their maple sugar camp when Indians attacked and killed them.10 Authorities had no proof of Green’s involvement and took no action against him.11 The killing of John Shortridge the same year proved a different matter. Shortridge was ambushed while on his way to Germantown with Isaiah Drury. Suspicion fell on Green, but his guilt was never proven. Hearing that a mob planned retribution, Green fled. His ultimate fate remains unknown. John Peters Ringo was born at what was then named Washington , Wayne County, Indiana, on May 3, 1850.12 He was named for his maternal grandfather. The earliest located public record of John Ringo is found in William Russey’s September 26, 1850, census enumeration of the “Free Inhabitants of Washington, Clay Township.” Russey noted them as family 665 in dwelling 665. Martin Ringo 31 Kentucky Mary 24 Missouri John P. 2/12 [meaning 2 months out of 12] Indiana Sarah Singer 26 Ohio John’s age is noted incorrectly, placing his birth in July. Martin’s property was valued at $200.13 Details concerning Sarah Singer are lacking. No occupation is listed for Martin. Contemporary records “passionate, domineering and dangerous” 11 are not enlightening. Martin had one milk cow, valued at twelve dollars.14 Equally uninformative is the Production of Industry Schedule, which names neither Martin nor any other Ringo in Wayne County.15 Martin apparently rented his home, for no deeds of property in his name have been located in the county.16 This evidence and his later life suggest that Martin worked as a laborer or, more likely, some sort of clerk. Martin’s occupation is further suggested by the presence of his brother-in-law Elias F. Halliday in the next residence. Elias is listed as a merchant, aged twenty-six, with his wife (Mancia) Jane, twenty-five, and their children Margaret A., aged two, and William Ringo Halliday, aged four months.17 John’s birth came as gold fever swept the nation. Following the discovery of gold in California, a mass of immigrants headed west. Wayne County was no exception, and by late 1848, Samuel C. Meredith had closed the Wayne County Record...