William Ringo
Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 December 1886, page 4
NEWPORT
An interesting will case was called before Judge Arthur in the
Circuit Court at Newport yesterday. The plaintiff in the case is John Tinker,
who is seeking to set aside the probation of the will of the late William Ringo.
The new steps that have been taken in the case recently merit a review.
William Ringo, one of Newport's most wealthy citizens, died at this home in that city in the year 1884. He left a will, in which he bequeathed to his six adopted children all of his estate, both personal and real. There being a large bulk of the property in Cincinnati, Mr. Andy J Mullane was named as one of the executors, and Hannah Andrews was named as the other.
Miss Andrews had been Ringo's housekeeper for the thirty-five years previous to his death, and was not by the provisions of the will required to give any bond. She was also named as testamentary guardian of the children, and she so qualified in the County Court at Newport. John Tinker, who claimed to be one of the legal heirs of William Ringo, objected to the will being probated in the County Court.
Evidence on this was heard and the document was finally admitted to probate. From this decision Tinker appealed and the case is now receiving a judicial airing on the appeal. The subscribing witnesses to the will were Hon A S Berry and William Owens. The case was called and owing to the absence of Mr. Berry, the case was continued yesterday until the next regular term of the Court.
That the contestants mean to make a bitter struggle to secure the possession of the estate was illustrated by their actions yesterday. In the afternoon a motion was made to remove Hannah Andrews as one of the executors on the grounds that she was wasting the estate and was extravagant with the funds derived from her trust and that she had not given bond.
The jurisdiction of the Court was questioned on this point. Judge Arthur held that, while the Court may not possibly be vested with the power to remove an executor, it certainly had a right to protect the litigants. The reports of the settlements of Miss Andrews as executrix of the estate and guardian of her wards were brought into Court, and there was a little judicial sparring but the Court held that the proof was not sufficient to remove her from the trust she held.
This was the second blood that the kids obtained in the case yesterday. An effort will be made today to remove Miss Andrews as guardian of the children. Billy Ringo, as he was familiarly known, left the six adopted children an estate valued at $400,000 in round numbers. In life Mr. Ringo was of a companionable and convivial disposition, but seemingly was a fond lover of single blessedness, as he was never married.
He was at the time of his death, over sixty years of age and the only female for whom he seemed to have any desire was his housekeeper, Miss Andrews. She was in his employment for thirty-five years and came from the City of Baltimore. She was in her early days, a very attractive lady, but as age is fast telling on her features now, as she has passed the fiftieth mile post in the path of life.
In his declining days, Billy Ringo was seized with a great and uncontrollable passion for children, and on more than one occasion expressed a desire to adopt a child that he could call his own. On day there was an advertisement in the paper asking for some benevolent person to adopt a child. The child was in Cincinnati and a lady by the name of Mrs. Thompson, who was possessed of a benevolent disposition, went to see the mother of the child.
The mother claimed that the only reason that she had for giving up her child was that she was poor and unable to support it. Mrs. Thompson told her of Mr. Ringo's desire to adopt a child, but thought that it was too young to e taken from the mother's breast.
It was finally agreed to try Ringo and see if he would take to the child. The kid was neatly done up in a basket and placed on the doorstep of Ringo's house and the bell pulled. The child was taken in and Ringo was told that it was not his child. "No" said he, "I would give a thousand dollars if it was mine." It was suggested to him that the child was too young to keep, and he replied: "No it is not and unless the child is claimed this shall always be its home." That settled it and the kid was taken in. The above story was never related to Mr. Ringo until a few days previous to his demise.
The child was a girl and in the court of a year, Mr. Ringo said that he wanted a little boy for her to play with and he adopted a little boy by the name of Peter Williamson. he named the girl Anna Maria Ringo and the boy William Ringo. The girl was adopted in the year 1881.
The adoption of these two little ones seemed to increase his love for children and he subsequently adopted four more children as follows: Maud Pearl Featherstone, Mattie Lee Featherstone, Charles Clark and Choireum Williamson. After taking out the adoption papers, he went before the Circuit Court and filed a petition and made them all his legal heirs at law.
Ringo's will was probated last January. The wonderful manner in which Ringo's relatives have sprung up in the past few years is remarkable and they are all in court now. They are heirs at law of Thomas Ringo and claim to be the lawful cousins or nephews of Billy Ringo.
The case is only fairly started now and before it ends there will be some ugly words used. The children have been taught to recognize Miss Anderson as their mother and she seems to take great interest in the case and watches the proceedings closely. Nelson & Washington of Newport, and Paxton & Washington of this city, are caring for the children's interests.