John Ringgold aka Johnny Ringo's famous Colt SAA Revolver S/N 222

[Zulch]

    As we all know, much mystery and myth surround this old west outlaw. Was Johnny Ringo killed or was it suicide? At 14 years of age, Ringo witnessed his fathers death from an accidental gunshot to the head while dismounting a wagon, or so they claim. Fast forward many years to July 14th 1882 and Johnny Ringo is found dead, leaning against a tree just outside of Tombstone with a single gunshot wound to the head while still clutching this Colt SAA, serial number 222. His death was officially ruled a suicide stating that Ringo purportedly had suffered from severe depression. If not suicide, did he die at the hand of Doc Holliday or even possibly Wyatt Earp? We may never know, if only his gun could talk.

[Marshal Will]

That's an interesting pistol. Ringo was an even more interesting figure. Thanks for posting this.

[ShotgunDave]

Funny that in the movies they portray him as carrying and using a shorter barreled gun. You'd think as a gunfighter, he would. Instead he carried what looks to be a 7 1/2" gun. Very interesting.

[Zulch]

Thanks Marshal and Dave. I’m sure there are a lot of folks that no more about this interesting character. Hopefully they will also chime in.

[Miguel Loco]

Yup...Mr Ringold was "interesting". Portrayed as a gunfighter by Hollywood, it is doubtful that he ever went face to face with anyone. He may have gunned down a few, but it was always an ambush.

His Colt is definitely pretty cool though. The full story about it and Ringold will never be known.....however, the most logical scenario is that being a total drunk and a coward, the paranoia of late stage alcoholism, the fact that both Wyatt and Doc were still out there (even though they were no longer looking for Ringold)  led to the conclusion we know today. He just couldn't take the pressure.

I've been to the tree....talked to many about it....and there are a couple other theories out there.

I could go on....but no sense boring everyone.

[Zulch]

Yup...Mr Ringold was "interesting". Portrayed as a gunfighter by Hollywood, it is doubtful that he ever went face to face with anyone. He may have gunned down a few, but it was always an ambush.

His Colt is definitely pretty cool though. The full story about it and Ringold will never be known.....however, the most logical scenario is that being a total drunk and a coward, the paranoia of late stage alcoholism, the fact that both Wyatt and Doc were still out there (even though they were no longer looking for Ringold)  led to the conclusion we know today. He just couldn't take the pressure.

I've been to the tree....talked to many about it....and there are a couple other theories out there.

I could go on....but no sense boring everyone.

Thanks Mick. not boring at all. I think it's great that you have visited the tree? It's definitely an old tree for sure LOL. Your spelling of his name is interesting too. I've seen it both ways but I certainly don't know the actual spelling. Ringold or Ringgold?  Wiki states it's Ringo but we know about Wiki that as a source.  By the way, since you are in relatively close proximity of the tree do you think you could post a picture of the tree?

[G Dog]

Good post.

"I'm afraid the strain was more than he could beare."

[Miguel Loco]

Here's a pic of his grave in Turkey Creek Valley I found on the internet. You need permission to get in as it is private land. I went with 5 guys who were all dressed like Ringo from the movie.....

There are lots of tree in close proximity...just pick one. Not sure it actually still survives but the trees here are very old...so I wouldn't be surprised if it was one of them.

[Zulch]

Fantastic Mick! Thank you sir! I wonder if that old tree on the ground was the tree.

[Miguel Loco]

Could be..... could be 3 or 4 others still standing. I've seen 'em all so I'm pretty sure I've seen the one. So much history in this area....makes it fun to live here. I'm still waiting on connections to get to where Wyatt killed Curley Bill.

Here's a short video on Ringo's grave site....and that tree is what I was told was the one......right behind the grave in my photo. But no one is 100% certain.

[Zulch]

Thanks for the video Mick. Interesting for sure. After watching my thoughts are if he was killed by any of the folks mentioned in the video then most likely it was somewhere in the general vicinity. If so, why would someone drag or hoist him up and move him to a tree. If Holliday killed him with a rifle while Ringo was possibly sitting at the tree, maybe drunk, that would not be in character of Holliday? If several people came there and he was shot by one of them there would be an awful lot of tracks found that may suggest foul play? My biggest question would be why would anyone bother to move him if they shot him. Okay, maybe he was standing by the black oak tree and fell dead right where they found him. I guess that is possible as well. Interesting to ponder.

[Marshal Will]

Great photo and video, Mick. Thanks for posting those. Ya gotta love all this history.

[Hawg]

It's been awhile since I read up on Ringo but from what I remember his horse was found a few days later with one of his boots tied to the saddle horn. The other one was never found. He had tied his undershirt around his feet and he had apparently walked this way for some time. His gun had one fired cartridge under the hammer. The gun was still in his hand. The bullet IIRC went in the side of his head on an upward angle and lodged in the tree. His rifle was propped against the tree. The coroner ruled it a suicide and I tend to agree with him.

[Miguel Loco]

You're right Hawg. His horse had wondered a couple miles away and his boot was there on the horse. His shirt was wrapped over his feet.  Some very interesting details surrounding this supposed suicide (which is the theory I subscribe to).

I had the pleasure of spending many an hour with Ben Traywick, who has written 30+ books on the doings and people around Tombstone. He doesn't abide by the "suicide" theory. His belief is that Wyatt Earp was in the employ of Wells Fargo for many years after his stay in Tombstone (supposedly backed up with documents). Wyatt worked much like Charley Siringo, kind of like an "undercover" agent to catch thieves. One assignment took him close to the Tombstone area and he took and extra couple of days to finish his vendetta. Wyatt shot him with Ringo's own gun, then set the "suicide" stage. His theory goes much deeper...but the result ends up the same, with Wyatt shooting the drunken/hungover Ringo.

We'll never know for sure.... but there are always new things being discovered. About 10 years ago somebody uncovered a cache of loot hidden by the McLaurey clan on the south end of the Dragoons. We go out looking quite often, but have always come up empty handed.

[Bishop Creek]

Funny that in the movies they portray him as carrying and using a shorter barreled gun. You'd think as a gunfighter, he would. Instead he carried what looks to be a 7 1/2" gun. Very interesting.

Yeah, not like the nickel plated shorter barreled Colt shown in the movie "Tombstone," one of my all time favorite movies.