Galeyville, Arizona Territory was named after John H. Galey, originally a Pennsylvania oil man and then the president of the Texas Consolidated Mining and Smelting Co. The post office was established on January 6, 1881, with a population of about 400. The mining boom was short and when it died, Galeyville became a reputed haven for outlaws such as John Ringo, who moved there after law and order was established in Tombstone.
Johnny Ringo (1850-1882) was born John Peters Ringo; he was occasionally erroneously referred to as "Ringgold" by newspapers. He was a cousin of the Younger brothers (of the James-Younger Gang) through his aunt's marriage to a Younger uncle. He had a reputation for having a bad temper, and took part in several murders.
Ringo first appeared in Cochise County, Arizona Territory in 1879, location of Galeyville and Tombstone. After the gunfight at the OK Corral on 26 Oct 1881, Ringo was a leader of the anti-Earp forces. The Earps suspected that Ringo had taken part in the 28 Dec 1881 ambush of Virgil Earp that crippled him for life, and the 18 Mar 1882 murder of Morgan Earp.
He died on 13 Jul 1882, from a bullet to his right temple. The coroner's report stated the cause of death was suicide, but the general feeling is that he was murdered.
Ringo first appeared in Cochise County, Arizona Territory in 1879, location of Galeyville and Tombstone. After the gunfight at the OK Corral on 26 Oct 1881, Ringo was a leader of the anti-Earp forces. The Earps suspected that Ringo had taken part in the 28 Dec 1881 ambush of Virgil Earp that crippled him for life, and the 18 Mar 1882 murder of Morgan Earp.
He died on 13 Jul 1882, from a bullet to his right temple. The coroner's report stated the cause of death was suicide, but the general feeling is that he was murdered.
In 1964, Lorne Greene had a #1 hit with the spoken-word song, "Ringo." Although the song is about Johnny Ringo, the events narrated are fictional.