John Henry Ringeling III

John Henry Ringeling III was born March 24, 1910 in Halethorpe Maryland.  His parents were Henry Frederick Ringeling and Hannah Elizabeth Wilson.  A girl, Henrietta, was born April 4, 1913. 

John Henry Ringeling III, called Red, graduated from a one room school in Arbutus, Maryland, that went as far as the eighth grade.  Reds father and his grandfather also attended the same school.  The one room school, with the original slate roof is still standing and is the library for a large grammar school.

Red worked for his father, who was an engineer and surveyor, and learned a trade that he would do the rest of his life.  In the early 1930's Red and his father went to Buffalo, Wyoming, to work for the Bureau of Public Roads.   Red met Anna Sheridan here.  Henry had a stroke and after a few months of recuperating, Red drove him back to Jacksonville, Florida where Henry's wife, Hannah and daughter, Henrietta were living.

In Florida, Red worked as a surveyor and helped to put his sister, Henrietta, through a nursing school.  All this time Anna and Red were corresponding.  Also Red was busy taking course and going to different schools to become a registered engineer and surveyor.

Red eventually moved to Georgia and worked for the State Highway Dept.  After Nearly eight years, Red proposed to Anna, she accepted and arrived by train in Savannah, Georgia.  They were married on November 20, 1938.  A son, John Henry IV, was born January 19, 1941.

Red enlisted in the US Navy during WW II in November 1943.  He was discharged December 1945.  His rank was Chief Carpenters Mate.

Red worked for Glynn County as a civil engineer.  His number was 751.  After a few years Red went into business for himself.  Over the years Red had surveyed and designed most of the approved subdivisions in Glynn County, the last being Hampton Point in the northern part of St. Simons Island.

Anna died of cancer in July 1972.

Red married Ruth Seaman who worked for the Engineering Dept. July 11, 1975.  The ceremony was held at Christ Church with Junos Martin officiating.  His wife, Dorothy, Ed and Joan Stelle were the only ones attending the ceremony.

After Ruth retired at age 65, Ruth and Red built a home on a high bluff on the Altamaha River near Baxley.  They did a lot of traveling and Red kept on working being the county engineer in St. Mary's and also working as a civil engineer for Waycross. 

On a Sunday afternoon in July 1986 there was a violent thunder and lightening storm.  Unknown to Ruth and Red, lightening had struck lines leading into the house.  After coming home from church that evening fire had just started.  The fire department was fifteen miles away and had to carry water to fires in the country.  The home was completely destroyed and burned down to the ground.  All of Red's antiques and those belonging to Ruth's family were gone.

Another home was built right in the same spot.  Ruth and Red continued to live here enjoying the country and people and our dogs.  Red worked until 1990 when he turned 80.  During this time in Baxley, Ruth and Red became interested in the history of this area becoming members of the Historical Society.  Ruth also became president.  Ruth and Red worked to acquire a deserted school building, in downtown Baxley, to have it restored to be used as a heritage center.  After grants and all the paper work was completed and after Ruth and Red moved back to St. Simons in 1995, the Heritage Center was opened to the public

Red's health started to decline due to congestive heart failure.  His doctor was in Brunswick, 80 miles away from Baxley. The traveling to and from and hospital stays in Brunswick and with three dogs, Ruth decided to move back to St. Simons Island.  The home in Baxley was sold and a mobile home was purchased and placed in the only M.H. Park on the island.

Red stopped driving a car when moving to St. Simons as he said there was too much traffic and he didn't feel safe.  Red spent a lot of time going to doctors and clinics. Eventually he went to Brian Center, a rest home on St. Simons.  He died March 1999 and would have been 89 two weeks later.

Red was interred at Christ Church next to Anna.