Jump to content

Johnny Ringo

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Stillstudying (talk | contribs) at 14:03, 19 June 2006. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
File:JRingo.jpg
The Only Known Photograph of John Peters Ringo

John Peters Ringo (May 3,1850-July 13, 1882), better known as Johnny Ringo, was a cowboy who became a legend of the Old West because, among other things, of his alleged involvement in the Gunfight at the OK Corral, in Tombstone, Arizona. Though he was actually not a participant of that fight, his affiliation with the Clanton Gang is undisputed.

That group of outlaws was known commonly as "the cowboys" around Tombstone, and Ringo himself was called "the King of the Cowboys." Unfortunately for the reputation of this gunfighter, there is no record that he ever actually had a single gunfight (he did shoot several unarmed men). Even his violent death may have been at his own hand. (though the legend through the years has been that he died at the hand of Doc Holliday, who would neither confirm nor deny the story, he merely stated that Ringo, who supposedly was waiting for Wyatt Earp to fight him, had been so depressed at his depravity that he killed himself; how Doc knew this was left unspoken)

Ringo was occasionally erroneously referred to as Ringgold by the newspapers of the day, but this was clearly not his name, and there is no evidence that he deliberately used it.The Encyclopædia Britannica confirms the name Ringo.

Early Years

He was born in Indiana and as a teenager travelled to Texas with his family, eventually making his way to Arizona. He also lived in Missouri for a short period of time.

On July 30, 1864, while the Ringo family was traveling through Wyoming on their way to California, Martin Ringo (Johnny's father) stepped out of his wagon while holding a shotgun, which accidentally went off. The shotgun charge entered the right side of his face, exiting the top of his head, scattering his brains. Young John Ringo and the rest of his family had to pick up the remains and bury him on a hillside alongside the trail [1].

Louis L'Amour wrote that he had found nothing in Old West history to commend John Ringo as a 'bad' man. Ringo was instead a surly, bad-tempered man who was worse when he was drinking, and that his main claim to fame was shooting an unarmed man (John Hancock) in an Arizona Territory saloon in 1879 for ordering beer after Ringo told him to order whiskey (Hancock survived). L'Amour wrote that he didn't understand how Ringo got to be such a 'bad man' in legend. Other authors have concluded that perhaps Ringo's memorable name had something to do with it.

Legend versus Reality

It was generally believed for many years that Johnny Ringo was involved in the OK Corral gunfight, and that he shot Virgil Earp before being shot himself. However, when fact was separated from myth, the accepted history of the OK Corral Gunfight does not have Ringo physically present in Tombstone at the time of the fight in October, 1881.

Ringo was unquestionably involved in one altercation with the Earp faction. On January 17, 1882, less than 3 months after the O.K. Corral shootout, and 6 months before Ringo's death, Ringo and Doc Holliday had a public disagreement which might have led to a gunfight. However, before the fight could happen, both were arrested by Tombstone chief of police James Flynn, and hauled before a judge for carrying weapons in town, and both fined. This interuption of the quarrel was doubtless to the benefit of Ringo, who was merely surly and a mean drunk, since Holliday was a genuinely dangerous man, both sober and drunk.


Ringo's Death

Even Ringo's death brought controversy. Some people claimed his body was found shot between the eyes. Others say that Ringo's body had a bullet wound to the back of his head when he was found, which would indicate that Ringo may have been murdered without shooting at anyone himself. Yet others claim that Ringo actually committed suicide, and that the single bullet wound was to his right temple. Ringo was found dead in the crotch of a large tree in West Turkey Creek Valley. His body was not wearing boots, and these were found tied to the saddle of his horse, which was captured 10 miles away. This is very strange ending for a cowboy.

There is a folk story that Wyatt Earp was recovering from injuries at a local hospital when he received a visit from old friend Doc Holliday. Earp and Ringo were scheduled to carry a showdown once Earp left the hospital, but instead, Holliday stepped in for Earp and shot Ringo to death. This version has been further popularized by the 1993 film Tombstone, in which Ringo is the main antagonist. There is historical question that Earp was supposed to face Ringo, as at the time of Ringo's death, news reports have both Earp and Holliday in Colorado for the previous three months. Holliday in particular would have had to slip back to lower Arizona and then return to Colorado with only 2 weeks between reported Colorado sightings. Why Doc would do this when he was wanted in the Arizona Territory, is a mystery. However, Holliday considered the Earps his only personal friends, and was even closer to Morgan than Wyatt. If Holliday believed Ringo was a danger to the Earps he would have cheerfully killed him if he could, and there is little doubt he could.

Johnny Ringo is buried exactly at the same spot where his body was found, on the West Turkey Creek Canyon. The place is currently a private area, and visitors must ask the owner first if they wish to visit Ringo's grave.

Folklore and fiction

A 1959-60 television show used Ringo's name, but had little to do with his actual life (the real Ringo never wore a badge). Johnny Ringo aired for one season (38 episodes). Ringo was played by Don Durant and carried a customized 7-shot revolver with a second barrel modified to fire a shotgun shell. External link to this series is here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052478/

The John Wayne character "The Ringo Kid" in Stagecoach may have been used to suggest John Ringo.

Ringo is played by John Ireland in the 1957 film Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. In this version the animosity between Ringo and Doc Holliday is fueled by the fact that Big Nose Kate (called 'Kate Fisher' here, a known alias of Kate) has left Doc to become Ringo's lover. This is non-historical, although in Kate's letters she does note that Ringo visited her when Holliday was in jail briefly in November 1881 in connection with the O.K. Corral Spicer hearing, and it is quite possible that Holliday grew jealous.

Ringo is the inspiration for the historically inaccurate, but highly popular song Ringo sung by then Bonanza TV-cowboy Lorne Greene, which topped the pop charts at #1 in late 1964 (replacing the Shangri-La's Leader of the Pack). For lyrics see [2]. There is no "star" (badge) on the real Ringo's grave, and no reason for there to be one.

In the 1986 television remake of Stagecoach the Ringo Kid is played by Kris Kristofferson. The character of Doc Boone becomes Doc Holliday (Holliday is probably the inspiration for both Doc Boone and the gambler Hatfield in the original film). In the remake, Holliday is played in name by Willie Nelson. In the movie Doc and Ringo are allies, which is ironic given their relationship in real life.

One version of the Ringo story makes him a highly educated man, a fact suggested in having him trade Latin taunts with Doc Holliday in the 1993 film Tombstone. However, this myth also does not appear to have any substance (see the Burrows biography above). This Ringo, played by Michael Biehn, is given the role of a sadistic psychopath.

Ringo is played by in the 1994 film Wyatt Earp by Norman Howell. In this film, Curly Bill Brocius is the major antagonist.

References

  • Primary sources concerning Johnny Ringo
  • Steve Gatto (2002). Johnny Ringo. Lansing: Protar House. ISBN 0-9720910-1-7.
  • Jack Burrows (1987). John Ringo: The Gunfigher Who Never Was. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. ISBN 0816509751.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Johnny_Ringo&oldid=59438248"