- RING, Merritt Clarke, a prominent lawyer and public man of
Neillsville, was born in Milton,
- Rock county, Wis., October 30th, 1850. His father, Eleazer
F. RING, was born in Massachusetts in 1820, and reared in the
Western Reserve, Ohio. He was engaged in agricultural and literary
pursuits, and early espoused the anti-slavery cause, was one
of its vigorous advocates and defenders, and a sturdy member
of the Republican party from its information. He came to Wisconsin
in 1846, settling in Rock county, where he resided until 1856,
when he removed to Madison, and a year later to Sparta, where
the family was reared. His wife, M. C. RING's mother, whose maiden
name was Almira BICKNELL, was born in Vermont and came to Wisconsin
with her parents in the forties. The paternal ancestors came
from England and settled at Plymouth, Mass., in 1629. They owned
considerable land in what was afterward called RING's Lane in
Plymouth. Joslyn RING, his grandfather, married Polly THAYER
of Chesterfield, Mass., and they had five sons and two daughter,
of whom E. F. was the third. The maternal ancestors are traceable
to early residents of Massachusetts and Vermont, including the
BICKNELLs, the DUSTINs and the SHERMANs. Rev. S. S. BICKNELL
was president (or principal of Milton Academy, at Milton Wis.
His wife, who was Lydia SHERMAN, was related to the distinguished
general and the senator of that name.
- M. C. RING received his education in the public schools of
Sparta, Wis., and was graduated
- from the law department of the University of Wisconsin in
1873.
- In November, 1874, Mr. RING settled in Neillsville, then
a village of only about five hundred
- inhabitants, without railroad communication and with few
of its present attractions and advantages. He had nothing to
start with but his profession, unlimited energy and a determination
to succeed. With this capital he began the practice of his profession,
and has met with more than the average success. He has been identified
with the growth, development and improvement of the city and
county, and had taken active interest in all measures for the
promotion of the social and educational advancement of the community.
- He is also practically interested in agriculture, owning
and carrying on an extensive stock farm just outside the city
limits, where he has been successful in raising some fine stock
and where he finds the most satisfactory recreation from the
arduous labors of professional life.
- He has always been a uncompromising Republican, and besides
practicing law he has taken an
- active part in politics. He was elected to the state senate
in 1885, and to the assembly in 1889. He served on important
committees - was a member of the judiciary committee, and chairman
of the committee on corporations, and in the assembly he also
took an active influential part in the discussions on the floor.
He has repeatedly represented Clark county in Republican state
conventions, and has been one of the influential members in those
bodies. In 1892, he was appointed special statistical agent for
the United States Department of Agriculture for Europe, with
headquarters at London, England. He also received the honorary
appointment of deputy consul-general at London, serving until
after the appointment of Mr. Morton as secretary of agriculture,
and returning home in 1893. He was elected delegate from the
Ninth congressional district to the national Republican convention
at St. Louis in 1896. He was appointed Wisconsin attorney for
the Chicago & Northwestern Railway company at Madison in
1895.
- He is a member of the following Masonic lodges: Neillsville
Lodge, No. 163; Chippewa
- Commandery, Eau Claire; Wisconsin Consistory, Thirty-second
degree, Milwaukee. He is a Unitarian - a member of the People's
church, Neillsville.
- Mr. RING was married September 13th, 1877, at Neillsville,
to Ida M. AUSTIN, and their
- children are Blanche, Ethel and Alice.
- L. B. RING of The Neillsville Times is the only brother
of M. C. RING, and Gertrude RING
- PRESCOTT, wife of G. L. PRESCOTT of London, England, is his
only sister. His parents are still living.
-
- [Taken from "Men of Progress: Wisconsin" (c)1897
The Evening Wisconsin Company, Milwaulee, pp. 569-570]
Courtesy of Lori
|