Coleman and Ann Ringo, Clinton Cemetery, Hickman County, Kentucky.

Our search for the Ringo family began in Clinton Cemetery, in Hickman County, where four members of the family are buried – Coleman Ratliffe, his wife Ann Hardin Scruggs and their daughter Emily Ringo Rennick.

Coleman Ringo, born May 26, 1807, died March 13, 1891.

Ann Hardin Scruggs Ringo is buried beside her husband.

Ann Ringo, born April 3, 1812, died December 31, 1880.

Oldest child, Emily Ringo Rennick is buried beside her parents.

Emily Rennick, born June 8, 1832, died June 2, 1897.

Other family members are buried in the older Ringo Graveyard, also in the town of Clinton.  It’s looks to be on East Clay Street between Washington Street and N. Waterford Drive – but I cannot see it on Google Earth.  Unfortunately, Ritchey and I did not visit this cemetery.  Members of the Ringo family buried here include Dr. James Stone Ringo, his wives Elizabeth Neal Harris and Sarah White, as well as children Amanda Ringo McDonald, Joel Butler Ringo, and Thomas Neal Ringo.  Coleman and Ann Ringo’s children Mahala, Joseph and Henry are buried here.  Coleman and Ann’s son James Alvin Ringo was in the Civil War and is buried in the Columbus Confederate Cemetery within the county.  Their son William Major Ringo is buried in New Chapel Cemetery, also in the county.

James Stone Ringo was born December 28, 1800, and Coleman Ringo was born May 26, 1807, sons of Joseph Ringo and Mary Ann Ratliffe.  Joseph Ringo was born March 12, 1763, in Hunterdon County, New Jersey.  Mary Ann Ratliffe was born June 2, 1781, in Prince William County, Virginia.  The couple married December 6, 1798, in Montgomery County, Kentucky.  Children of Joseph Ringo and Mary Ann Ratliffe:

1. Elijah Major Ringo, 1799-1857, married Elzira Todd.
2. James Stone Ringo, MD, 1800-1874, married first Elizabeth Harris Neal, second Sarah White.
3. Micajah Ringo, 1802-1825.
4. Margaret Ringo, twin, 1803-1825.
5. Frances Ringo, twin, 1803-1839, married Ellison A. Daniel.
6. Susan Ringo, 1805-1855.
7. Alvin Ringo, 1806-1888, married first Emily R. Masterson, 1816-1842, second Mary Jane Masterson Clark.
8. Coleman Ratliffe Ringo, 1807-1891, married Ann Hardin Scruggs.
9. William Henry Harrison Ringo, 1813-1884.
10. Eleanor Ringo, 1818-1873.
11. Julia Ringo, 1820-1858.
12. Albertis Ratliffe Ringo, 1822-1875.

Of the twelve children listed above, in the vital statistics of the county, I found information for only the descendants of James Stone Ringo and Coleman Ratliffe Ringo.  The brothers and their children were the only Ringo families listed in the 1850 census of Hickman County.  You will notice Joseph and Mary Ann Ringo had a set of twins.  Several of their descendants also had twins.

The following list of marriage records for Ringo family members from the 1850’s through the 1880’s in Hickman County:

• Kate Ringo married David A. Hopkins October 20, 1881.
• Martha (Mattie) Ringo married John D. Hales March 10, 1880.
• William Major Ringo married Amanda L. Vaughn August 31, 1859.
• Belle Ringo married James Gardner Brinkley March 3, 1881.
• Fee Ringo married Thomas S. Gore April 9, 1862.
• Amanda Ringo married Malcolm McDonald November 18, 1857.
• Mary S. Ringo married William N. Scott June 5, 1889.
• Julia H. Ringo married John Luther Brinkley January 14, 1883.
• Ella Ringo married Robert H. Langford January 14, 1883.
• George R. Ringo married Josie Davis August 29, 1888.

Now we arrive at what I have worked on for almost a week.  I think we sometimes forget how ‘vitally’ important vital statistics are for genealogy research.  All counties are different.  They gathered birth and death records for different time periods.  Hickman County started taking their records in 1852.  Birth records are from 1852-1861.  The Civil War disrupted every part of life.  No records were taken from 1862-1873.  They start again in 1874-1879.  None taken 1880-1881.  They started again in 1882-1888.  None taken 1889-1890.  Started 1891-1894.  None for 1895-1899.  Again in 1900-1901.  None 1902-1903.  Again 1904-1909.  Deaths were recorded in much the same years.  In 1911 statewide birth and death certificates were begun.  As you can see, if you have an ancestor born in the years when no records were taken, you will find nothing.  But if you take a family and bring all their information together you can piece together a good portion of their lives.

Let’s talk about the information we find in the birth records – the name of the child, their sex, date of birth, father and mother, and sometimes their place of birth, parents and children.  Death records give the name, age, sex, where born, parents names and cause of death.

I made the following chart about the Ringo family.  Births and deaths are incorporated into one chart.  The first portion of the chart, in the highlighted portion, shows the wives of the two men listed at the bottom.  The second half of the chart is highlighted as to children of the four men listed at the bottom.  I thought this might be helpful to be able to see the family units, especially for daughters with a married name.  All those listed on the chart are descendants of Joseph and Mary Ann Ratliffe Ringo, the original settlers of the county.

As a finance officer for a small school system I used Excel spreadsheets for everything, and that has carried over to my genealogy research as well.  If you have any questions about the chart, or how to make one, just send me an email.  I am anxious to see what you think of this as I may use these in later blogs.

Since the children of Dr. James Stone Ringo and Coleman Ratliffe Ringo stayed in Hickman County, I will list their children.

Children of Dr. James Stone Ringo and Elizabeth Harris Neal:

1. Joel Butler Ringo, 1825-1865, married Elizabeth Matthews.
2. Mary Ann Ringo, 1830-1852, married Malcolm M. McDonald.
3. Thomas Neal Ringo, 1831-1908, married Nancy E. Brand.

Children of Dr. James Stone Ringo and Sarah White:

1. Amanda Ringo, 1834-1880.
2. Ann Martha Ringo, 1838-1914, married John Caldwell Sublett.
3. Fee Ringo, 1839-1917, married Thomas S. Gore.
4. James Morris Ringo, 1845-1907, married Ruth Cheaney.

Children of Coleman Ratliffe Ringo and Ann Hardin Scruggs:

1. Emily Ringo, 1832-1897, married George William Rennick.
2. William Major Ringo, 1833-1892, married Amanda Vaughn.
3. James Alvin Ringo, 1837-1874, married Sarah Jane Ashley.
4. Mahala W. Ringo, 1839-1855.
5. Joseph A. Ringo, 1841-1862.
6. Henry H. Ringo, 1843-1865.
7. George P. Ringo, 1848-1855.