Genealogical and Family History
of the
STATE OF MAINE

Compiled under the editorial supervision of George Thomas Little, A. M., Litt. D.

LEWIS HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY
New York
1909.

[Please see Index page for full citation.]

[Transcribed by Coralynn Brown]

[Many families included in these genealogical records had their beginnings in Massachusetts.]

RING The earliest settlers of this name in New England are those mentioned in the following sketch, although they were soon succeeded by John and Robert Ring, who came in the "Bevis" and settled in Salisbury in 1638. That the Rings of this sketch were persons of character and standing is evidenced by their marriages into some of the leading New England families. That their descendants in revolutionary times and after were patriotic and brave is shown by their record in the wars of the country. The energy and thrift of the ancestors still shows in their descendants. (I) Mary Ring, widow, with three children - Susan, Andrew and Elizabeth - came in 1629 from England to Plymouth, Mass. She made her will there Oct. 28, 1633, and died soon after. (II) Andrew, son of Mary Ring, was born in 1616, and was about thirteen years old when he came with his mother to Massachusetts. By the terms of his mother's will he was left to the care of Elder Fuller. In 1646 he was made freeman. His name is on the list of voters of Plymouth, Dec. 10, 1646, and March, 1651. Among "the names of those that have interest and properties in the Townes land att Punckateesett over gainst Road Iland," is that of Andrew Ringe. In 1661 "A small pcell of swamp or meddow is gruanted joyntly unto Andrew Ringe and Abraham Jackson lying att the south meddow at the further end of the Cove." Oct. 27, 1662, the name of Andrew Ringe is found among "the names of such as desire meddow att the new found meddow in the south side of Turkey Swamp." He "desired a peece of meddow lying southerly from the cedar bridge." Feb., 1663, at this meeting, "A little peece of swamp was graunted unto Andrew Ringe lying between the pond on the backside of the fort hill and Gabriell ffallowells ffence." At a town meeting held at the meeting house at Plymouth, Oct. 14, 1674, Andrew Ringe and Jonathan Barnes were appointed by the town to see unto and procure Mr. Cotton's maintenance. In the same record are "the names of the men that engaged to draw wood," and opposite the name of Andrew Ringe is marked "8 load." At the town meeting held at the meeting house at Plymouth, Sept. 17, 1677, "The Towne have graunted unto Andrew Ringe a small psell of upland near his house about halfe an acree more or lesse to plant an orchyard or otherwise to use as he shall see Cause." In 1654 Andrew Ringe received a grant of a parcel of meadow "upon Caine Brooks by Josiah Pratt's so it exceed not six Acrees." At a town meeting held Feb. 10, 1843, it was voted "Stephen Wood and Andrew Ring are to repair the herring wear and to have it for three years next ensuing and are to have 14 pence per thousand for drawing the fish and delivering out the share during the said term." Andrew Ringe was appointed to serve on the grand jury May 17, 1649; May 12, 1669; May 16, 1673; May 14, 1677; May 27, 1681; and May 24, 1674 was appointed one of a committee of three to prohibit "the cutting and transporting any bark out of the township; great spoil and strip of timer is made on the town's commons by that means." In 1640 Andrew Ringe owned land in what was afterward called Ring's Lane in Plymouth. "Andrew Rinb was a man of influence in Plymouth Colony. He was among the first settlers in Middleboro, and in King Philip's War his name appears as one who served from Middleboro. He was included among the Twenty-six Men's Purchase, and Sixteen Shillings purchasers." A list of the names of the Proprietors of the liberties of the township of "Middleberry" taken at "Plimouth" at a meeting of the main or major part of the proprietors "the 28th of June Anno Doma, 1677, includes the name of Andrew Ring who is credited with '1 propritation.'" He died in Middleboro in 1692, in his seventy-fifth year. He married (first) 1646, Deborah, daughter of Stephen Hopkins, the Pilgrim; (second) Lettys, widow of John Morton. Children, all by 1st wife: William, Eleazer, Mary, Deborah and Elizabeth. (III) Eleazer, second son of Andrew and Deborah (Hopkins) Ring, is mentioned in a list of the proprietors of the Twenty-six Men's Purchase, in 1690, as jointly in possession with his brother of the share of Andrew Ring, his father. He married, Jan. 11, 1687, Mary Shaw. Children: Andrew, Phebe, Samuel, Deborah, Mary, Jonathan, Susanna and Elkanah. (IV) Andrew (2), eldest child of Eleazer and Mary (Shaw) Ring, born 1696, died 1744, was a mariner in the county of Plymouth, Mass., and removed thence to North Yarmouth, Maine, about 1729. He was a large real estate owner in North Yarmouth on the western side of Royalls river, and later his son Eleazer made extensive conveyances of real estate for farms and building lots. A house he occupied but did not build is still standing. Andrew Ring married Zeruiahh, fourth child of Ebenezer, a grandson of Capt. Myles STANDISH, the famous Puritan soldier [trans note: I thought he was a Pilgrim, not a Puritan; they aren't the same]. The first wife of the latter was Rose _____, who died Jan. 29, 1621; his second wife was Barbara _____, and they were the parents of Alexander, Myles, Capt. Josiah, Charles, Lora and John. Alexander, eldest child of Capt. Myles and Barbara Standish, married (first) Sarah Alden, dau. of John and Priscilla (Mullanes) Alden, who bore him: Miles, Ebenezer, Lorah, Lydia, Mary, Sarah and Elizabeth. He married (second) Desire, dau. of Edward Doty, and widow successively of Israel Holmes and William Sherman. She bore him: Thomas, Desire, Ichabod and David. Ebenezer, second son of Alexander and Sarah (Alden) Standish, was born 1672, and died in 1748. He resided in Plympton, and married Hannah, dau. of Samuel Sturtevant, of Plymouth, who was the mother of: Zachariah, Moses, Hannah, Zeruiah, Sarah, Ebenezer and Mercy. "Zeruiah", second daughter of Ebenezer and Hannah (Sturtevant) Standish, became the wife of Andrew RING (2), as above noted. She was born Jan. 8, 1706, and died April 26, 1778. After the death of Mr. Ring, she married (second) Dec. 19, 1745, Andrew Gray, treasurer and selectman of North Yarmouth. (V) Eleazer (2), fourth child and second son of Andrew (2) and Zeruiah (Standish) Ring, born in North Yarmouth May 7, 1740, died Oct. 22, 1821. He succeeded to the ownership of Lot 9, North Yarmouth, which his father bought of Robert Johnson when he made settlement in 1729, and was engaged in agriculture. He married (first) Feb. 21, 1767, Olive Mitchell, born in 1750, died Oct. 18, 1773. He married (second) Mary Sweetser, born in 1751, died Jan. 2, 1839. Children of 1st wife: Andrew, Jonathan and Hannah. Children of 2d wife: Eleazer, Reuben, Olive M., Mary, Betsey, John, Zeruiah Standish and Martin. (VI) Andrew (3), son of Eleazer (2) and Olive (Mitchell) Ring, born March 16, 1768, died May 13, 1837. He resided in North Yarmouth. He married Sept. 27, 1787, Lucy Loring, born March 6, 1771, died March 13, 1828. Children: William, Levi, Loring, Olive M., Lucy, Andrew, Jeremiah Loring, Eleazer, Dorcas Loring, Hannah Gage, Joanna Loring, Charles Lee and Mary Stewart. (VII) Dorcas Loring, eighth child and third daughter of Andrew (3) and Lucy (Loring) Ring, born Aug. 5, 1804, died Oct. 9, 1846. She married, at Yarmouth, Artemas Rich.