Martin Ringo was the father of western figure Johnny Ringo. Johnny was fourteen years old when his father was killed by a shotgun blast to the head.
On July 30, 1864, a fatal accident occurred while the Ringo's were crossing through Wyoming. Martin Ringo accidentally shot himself with his own shotgun. This horrible tragedy was later reported by the Liberty Tribune:
We regret to announce the death of Martin Ringo, formerly of this city, but more recently from Gallatin, Mo. He was killed by the accidental discharge of his gun, between Ft. Laramie and Salt Lake, on his way to California. The load entered his eye and came out the top of his head, scattering his brains in all directions.--Mr. Ringo was esteemed by his acquaintances as one of the best of men, and his sad fate will be deeply regretted. His family continued thier journey to California.
The initial report of the death of Martin Ringo lacked details. However, a week later another story appeared in the Liberty Missouri Tribune concerning the tragedy based on a letter written by William Davenport to Robert Miller of Liberty, Missouri, the publisher of the local newspaper and Mary Ringo's brother-in-law:
"Just after daylight on the morning of July 30, 1864 Mr. Ringo stepped out...of the wagon, as I suppose, for the purpose of looking around to see if Indians were in sight and his shotgun went off accidentally in his own hands, the load entering at his right eye and coming out at the top of his head. At the report of his gun I saw his hat blown up 20 feet in the air and his brains were scattered in all directions. I never saw a more heartrending sight, and to see the distress and agony of his wife and children (Johnny Ringo included) was painful in the extreme. Mr Ringo's death cast a gloom over the whole company... He was buried near the place he was shot in as decent a manner as was possible with the facilities on the plains.(source: Johnny Ringo by--Steve Gatto).
In 1982 Ed Bartholomew described how he had researched Ringo for years, and located Martin's grave. Bartholomew described the discovery succinctly: "...in 1982 I worked hundreds of miles of the Oregon trail and finally walked up to two lonley graves. I knelt down in the brush and inspected a flat gravestone which evidently had lain there for over a century...I made out a faint inscription on the nearly buried headstone. It read simply, 'M. Ringo.'"
Mattie Ringo later wrote of the accident that her father was killed while raising his gun. It got "caught in his boot strap as the boots were worn over his pants." (source: John Ringo by--David Johnson).
Martin Ringo's grave is located a few miles west of Glenrock, Wyoming. Near his grave is another emigrant, J.P. Parker, who died four years earlier on the same wagon trail. (source: Johnny Ringo by--Steve Gatto).
The Glenrock Wyoming Chamber of Commerce provides some additional information about the Martin Ringo grave site:
Located two miles west of Glenrock on Highway 20-26-87, stands two sandstone markers, silent sentinels over the final resting place of two more victims of the old trails. One simply reads: "J.P. Parker, Died July 1, 1860. Age 41 Ys., Iowa." The other bears only the name of "M. Ringo", nothing more.
However, research brings to light another tale: Martin Ringo, veteran wagonmaster and freighter during the War with Mexico, was enroute to California with his family. While camped near Deer Creek, an accident caused his gun to discharge, mortally wounding him.
To his 14 year old son fell the distasteful task of burying his father, who continued on to California with his family. But perhaps the traumatic experience of burying his father so young proved his undoing, for Martin's son reportedly grew up to be the notorious gunman and outlaw of the Southwest, Johnny Ringo. (Researched by Mr. Ed Bartholomew of Fort Davis, TX).
Contributor's Note* A photo in Johnson's book shows an iron fence surrounding the Martin Ringo grave site. "Ben Traywick's" book: Wyatt Earps's Thirteen Dead Men, indicates the grave site is about 2.7 miles west of State Hwy 95, on U.S. 20 near Glenrock, Wyoming.
I have not visited the grave but my mapping software gives an approximate coordinate which should help to locate it:
42.860916 -105.925182
On July 30, 1864, a fatal accident occurred while the Ringo's were crossing through Wyoming. Martin Ringo accidentally shot himself with his own shotgun. This horrible tragedy was later reported by the Liberty Tribune:
We regret to announce the death of Martin Ringo, formerly of this city, but more recently from Gallatin, Mo. He was killed by the accidental discharge of his gun, between Ft. Laramie and Salt Lake, on his way to California. The load entered his eye and came out the top of his head, scattering his brains in all directions.--Mr. Ringo was esteemed by his acquaintances as one of the best of men, and his sad fate will be deeply regretted. His family continued thier journey to California.
The initial report of the death of Martin Ringo lacked details. However, a week later another story appeared in the Liberty Missouri Tribune concerning the tragedy based on a letter written by William Davenport to Robert Miller of Liberty, Missouri, the publisher of the local newspaper and Mary Ringo's brother-in-law:
"Just after daylight on the morning of July 30, 1864 Mr. Ringo stepped out...of the wagon, as I suppose, for the purpose of looking around to see if Indians were in sight and his shotgun went off accidentally in his own hands, the load entering at his right eye and coming out at the top of his head. At the report of his gun I saw his hat blown up 20 feet in the air and his brains were scattered in all directions. I never saw a more heartrending sight, and to see the distress and agony of his wife and children (Johnny Ringo included) was painful in the extreme. Mr Ringo's death cast a gloom over the whole company... He was buried near the place he was shot in as decent a manner as was possible with the facilities on the plains.(source: Johnny Ringo by--Steve Gatto).
In 1982 Ed Bartholomew described how he had researched Ringo for years, and located Martin's grave. Bartholomew described the discovery succinctly: "...in 1982 I worked hundreds of miles of the Oregon trail and finally walked up to two lonley graves. I knelt down in the brush and inspected a flat gravestone which evidently had lain there for over a century...I made out a faint inscription on the nearly buried headstone. It read simply, 'M. Ringo.'"
Mattie Ringo later wrote of the accident that her father was killed while raising his gun. It got "caught in his boot strap as the boots were worn over his pants." (source: John Ringo by--David Johnson).
Martin Ringo's grave is located a few miles west of Glenrock, Wyoming. Near his grave is another emigrant, J.P. Parker, who died four years earlier on the same wagon trail. (source: Johnny Ringo by--Steve Gatto).
The Glenrock Wyoming Chamber of Commerce provides some additional information about the Martin Ringo grave site:
Located two miles west of Glenrock on Highway 20-26-87, stands two sandstone markers, silent sentinels over the final resting place of two more victims of the old trails. One simply reads: "J.P. Parker, Died July 1, 1860. Age 41 Ys., Iowa." The other bears only the name of "M. Ringo", nothing more.
However, research brings to light another tale: Martin Ringo, veteran wagonmaster and freighter during the War with Mexico, was enroute to California with his family. While camped near Deer Creek, an accident caused his gun to discharge, mortally wounding him.
To his 14 year old son fell the distasteful task of burying his father, who continued on to California with his family. But perhaps the traumatic experience of burying his father so young proved his undoing, for Martin's son reportedly grew up to be the notorious gunman and outlaw of the Southwest, Johnny Ringo. (Researched by Mr. Ed Bartholomew of Fort Davis, TX).
Contributor's Note* A photo in Johnson's book shows an iron fence surrounding the Martin Ringo grave site. "Ben Traywick's" book: Wyatt Earps's Thirteen Dead Men, indicates the grave site is about 2.7 miles west of State Hwy 95, on U.S. 20 near Glenrock, Wyoming.
I have not visited the grave but my mapping software gives an approximate coordinate which should help to locate it:
42.860916 -105.925182
Martin Ringo was the father of western figure Johnny Ringo. Johnny was fourteen years old when his father was killed by a shotgun blast to the head.
On July 30, 1864, a fatal accident occurred while the Ringo's were crossing through Wyoming. Martin Ringo accidentally shot himself with his own shotgun. This horrible tragedy was later reported by the Liberty Tribune:
We regret to announce the death of Martin Ringo, formerly of this city, but more recently from Gallatin, Mo. He was killed by the accidental discharge of his gun, between Ft. Laramie and Salt Lake, on his way to California. The load entered his eye and came out the top of his head, scattering his brains in all directions.--Mr. Ringo was esteemed by his acquaintances as one of the best of men, and his sad fate will be deeply regretted. His family continued thier journey to California.
The initial report of the death of Martin Ringo lacked details. However, a week later another story appeared in the Liberty Missouri Tribune concerning the tragedy based on a letter written by William Davenport to Robert Miller of Liberty, Missouri, the publisher of the local newspaper and Mary Ringo's brother-in-law:
"Just after daylight on the morning of July 30, 1864 Mr. Ringo stepped out...of the wagon, as I suppose, for the purpose of looking around to see if Indians were in sight and his shotgun went off accidentally in his own hands, the load entering at his right eye and coming out at the top of his head. At the report of his gun I saw his hat blown up 20 feet in the air and his brains were scattered in all directions. I never saw a more heartrending sight, and to see the distress and agony of his wife and children (Johnny Ringo included) was painful in the extreme. Mr Ringo's death cast a gloom over the whole company... He was buried near the place he was shot in as decent a manner as was possible with the facilities on the plains.(source: Johnny Ringo by--Steve Gatto).
In 1982 Ed Bartholomew described how he had researched Ringo for years, and located Martin's grave. Bartholomew described the discovery succinctly: "...in 1982 I worked hundreds of miles of the Oregon trail and finally walked up to two lonley graves. I knelt down in the brush and inspected a flat gravestone which evidently had lain there for over a century...I made out a faint inscription on the nearly buried headstone. It read simply, 'M. Ringo.'"
Mattie Ringo later wrote of the accident that her father was killed while raising his gun. It got "caught in his boot strap as the boots were worn over his pants." (source: John Ringo by--David Johnson).
Martin Ringo's grave is located a few miles west of Glenrock, Wyoming. Near his grave is another emigrant, J.P. Parker, who died four years earlier on the same wagon trail. (source: Johnny Ringo by--Steve Gatto).
The Glenrock Wyoming Chamber of Commerce provides some additional information about the Martin Ringo grave site:
Located two miles west of Glenrock on Highway 20-26-87, stands two sandstone markers, silent sentinels over the final resting place of two more victims of the old trails. One simply reads: "J.P. Parker, Died July 1, 1860. Age 41 Ys., Iowa." The other bears only the name of "M. Ringo", nothing more.
However, research brings to light another tale: Martin Ringo, veteran wagonmaster and freighter during the War with Mexico, was enroute to California with his family. While camped near Deer Creek, an accident caused his gun to discharge, mortally wounding him.
To his 14 year old son fell the distasteful task of burying his father, who continued on to California with his family. But perhaps the traumatic experience of burying his father so young proved his undoing, for Martin's son reportedly grew up to be the notorious gunman and outlaw of the Southwest, Johnny Ringo. (Researched by Mr. Ed Bartholomew of Fort Davis, TX).
Contributor's Note* A photo in Johnson's book shows an iron fence surrounding the Martin Ringo grave site. "Ben Traywick's" book: Wyatt Earps's Thirteen Dead Men, indicates the grave site is about 2.7 miles west of State Hwy 95, on U.S. 20 near Glenrock, Wyoming.
I have not visited the grave but my mapping software gives an approximate coordinate which should help to locate it:
42.860916 -105.925182
On July 30, 1864, a fatal accident occurred while the Ringo's were crossing through Wyoming. Martin Ringo accidentally shot himself with his own shotgun. This horrible tragedy was later reported by the Liberty Tribune:
We regret to announce the death of Martin Ringo, formerly of this city, but more recently from Gallatin, Mo. He was killed by the accidental discharge of his gun, between Ft. Laramie and Salt Lake, on his way to California. The load entered his eye and came out the top of his head, scattering his brains in all directions.--Mr. Ringo was esteemed by his acquaintances as one of the best of men, and his sad fate will be deeply regretted. His family continued thier journey to California.
The initial report of the death of Martin Ringo lacked details. However, a week later another story appeared in the Liberty Missouri Tribune concerning the tragedy based on a letter written by William Davenport to Robert Miller of Liberty, Missouri, the publisher of the local newspaper and Mary Ringo's brother-in-law:
"Just after daylight on the morning of July 30, 1864 Mr. Ringo stepped out...of the wagon, as I suppose, for the purpose of looking around to see if Indians were in sight and his shotgun went off accidentally in his own hands, the load entering at his right eye and coming out at the top of his head. At the report of his gun I saw his hat blown up 20 feet in the air and his brains were scattered in all directions. I never saw a more heartrending sight, and to see the distress and agony of his wife and children (Johnny Ringo included) was painful in the extreme. Mr Ringo's death cast a gloom over the whole company... He was buried near the place he was shot in as decent a manner as was possible with the facilities on the plains.(source: Johnny Ringo by--Steve Gatto).
In 1982 Ed Bartholomew described how he had researched Ringo for years, and located Martin's grave. Bartholomew described the discovery succinctly: "...in 1982 I worked hundreds of miles of the Oregon trail and finally walked up to two lonley graves. I knelt down in the brush and inspected a flat gravestone which evidently had lain there for over a century...I made out a faint inscription on the nearly buried headstone. It read simply, 'M. Ringo.'"
Mattie Ringo later wrote of the accident that her father was killed while raising his gun. It got "caught in his boot strap as the boots were worn over his pants." (source: John Ringo by--David Johnson).
Martin Ringo's grave is located a few miles west of Glenrock, Wyoming. Near his grave is another emigrant, J.P. Parker, who died four years earlier on the same wagon trail. (source: Johnny Ringo by--Steve Gatto).
The Glenrock Wyoming Chamber of Commerce provides some additional information about the Martin Ringo grave site:
Located two miles west of Glenrock on Highway 20-26-87, stands two sandstone markers, silent sentinels over the final resting place of two more victims of the old trails. One simply reads: "J.P. Parker, Died July 1, 1860. Age 41 Ys., Iowa." The other bears only the name of "M. Ringo", nothing more.
However, research brings to light another tale: Martin Ringo, veteran wagonmaster and freighter during the War with Mexico, was enroute to California with his family. While camped near Deer Creek, an accident caused his gun to discharge, mortally wounding him.
To his 14 year old son fell the distasteful task of burying his father, who continued on to California with his family. But perhaps the traumatic experience of burying his father so young proved his undoing, for Martin's son reportedly grew up to be the notorious gunman and outlaw of the Southwest, Johnny Ringo. (Researched by Mr. Ed Bartholomew of Fort Davis, TX).
Contributor's Note* A photo in Johnson's book shows an iron fence surrounding the Martin Ringo grave site. "Ben Traywick's" book: Wyatt Earps's Thirteen Dead Men, indicates the grave site is about 2.7 miles west of State Hwy 95, on U.S. 20 near Glenrock, Wyoming.
I have not visited the grave but my mapping software gives an approximate coordinate which should help to locate it:
42.860916 -105.925182
Gravesite Details
See memorial # 4284, son: Johnny Ringo
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