Ringgold Evangelical Church

SCHOOLER, KATER, JARRED, MCANINCH, SWIGART, MARSHALL, SULLIVAN, PITTMAN, ZINN, HALEY, SMITHSON, CASE, POTTORFF

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 3/13/2010 at 18:42:32

RINGGOLD EVANGELICAL CHURCH

Originally called Schooler Grove in the 1840's after Charles Harrison SCHOOLER, Ringgold City was the first settlement in Ringgold County. When SCHOOLER's wife and infant daughter Manoah B. died, SCHOOLER established the first cemetery in Ringgold County. Laid out as a town in 1855, the same year as when Ringgold County was organized, Ringgold City was located on the Dragoon Trace, a natural trail through the county and one that had been used by the Native Americans and later the Dragoon militia.

Many of the funerals were held in either the homes or at the Ringgold Evangelical Church.

From the records of Ringgold Evangelical Church:

Samuel McFadden KATER converted to the church around the year 1884. Approximately a year later Mary L. JARRED, who was about seventeen-years-old, was among five persons converted during a revival meeting held at the schoolhouse. Mary later married Sherman McANINCH. She was a faithful member of the congregation until she died April 4, 1919. She was interred at the Ringgold Cemetery.

Elizabeth "Edith" SWIGART was adopted by Roy and Jennie (McANINCH) SWIGART. Elizabeth was converted at Ringgold church at age sixteen. She led a very active and pious Christian life until her early death two years later, October 22, 1926. Young Alto Reed MARSHALL and Elizabeth "Edith" SWIGART were both interred in Ringgold Cemetery

Ida (SULLIVAN) McANINCH, the wife of Oscar McANINCH, was a faithful member from 1905 until her death in February 1920 at age of thirty-nine years.

Ida (SULLIVAN) and Oscar McANINCH's two young sons, Emerson and Weldon, led contrasting religious lives. Emerson McANINCH became a school teacher, evangelist and preacher. As an adult he returned to Ringgold county and preached guest sermons at Ringgold and Salem Evangelical Churches, Caledonia Methodist church and as late as the 1960’s or 1970’s at the Free Methodist Church in Mount Ayr.

Weldon McANINCH fell into gambling and lost his horses. He robbed a bank in Kansas City and killed an official during his escape from the scene. He was captured and sent to Alcatraz Prison at San Francisco, California. Due to the plea of his brother Emerson, Weldon was released from prison after serving ten years or so. Weldon married and raised a family. It is believed that Weldon died in Sacramento, California, in November of 1984.

Other known members in the history of the Ringgold Evangelical Church were as follows: Sherman McANINCH, Milburn J. PITTMAN, Roy SWIGART, Minnie ZINN and Mrs. Cora HALEY. Dallas SMITHSON, Mrs. Moses (Sarah) POTTORFF and Mrs. A. L. (Rosetta) CASE were probably members of the church, too.

Although there were high hopes for the settlement in anticipation of a railroad line and from traffic off the Dragoon Trace, Ringgold City was never more than a hamlet. Ringgold City's post office was in operation from 1860 to 1908. When it became apparent that the railroad would never pass through Ringgold City, the settlement began to decline.

The church was torn down in 1939 with the materials used to build a new Assembly of God Church at Redding.

SOURCES:
Banner, Raymond V. Ringgold City, Iowa 1844-2002: From First Settlement to Forgotten Community Pp. 36-9. 2002.

McAninch, Frank, ed. McAninch Family History Newsletter v.X.n.3 Pp. 2002-19. July 2002.

Transciption by Sharon R. Becker, March of 2010