Ring Family Papers
Scope and Contents
The collection combines two accessions to Fogler Library of unknown provenance. It contains a small number of ledgers primarily from the grocery business of Edmund T. Ring and two scrapbooks of newspaper clippings detailing the career of Edgar E. Ring, especially his tenure, 1901-1911, as Maine's Land Agent and Forest Commissioner.
The ledgers are primarily daybooks, 1882-1889, listing groceries and dry goods purchased from E.T. Ring's grocery business. Another ledger, 1875-1888, lists cash and credit sales. The journal, 1855-1862, also contains a section listing accounts, 1879-1881, of E.T. and E.E. Ring.
The scrapbooks of newspaper clippings from an unknown compiler give a detailed look at the press coverage received by Edgar Ring during his tenure as Land Agent. They contain information about passage of a law establishing a fire warden service as well as about numerous forest fires in Maine. The clippings also document Ring's thoughts on the use of forestland for hunting and fishing and the need to protect the forests from various insects and other pests. Some information about the Ring family's various businesses, as well as obituaries of Edgar Ring and other family members, is also included.
Dates
- 1855-1971
- Majority of material found within 1879-1911
Creator
- Ring family (Family)
Restrictions on Access
Kept at Fogler Library's offsite storage facility. One week's notice required for retrieval.
Use Restrictions
Information on literary rights available in the Library.
Biographical Note
The collection contains business records of Edmund T. Ring and scrapbooks documenting the career of his son, Edgar E. Ring, both of Orono, Maine.
Edmund T. Ring was the son of George Ring of Orono. He appears to have operated a grocery store there and also operated a sawmill under the firm name E.T. Ring and Son.
Edgar E. Ring was born in Orono on May 15, 1849, and lived there for most of his life. He went to work in a sawmill after leaving school, became a school teacher for a while, spent a few years in the West, and then returned to work again in a sawmill. In his first business venture for himself, he bought a portable stave mill and went from place to place sawing staves. Edgar later acquired the whole interest in the mill owned by his father and ran it until about 1894. In 1895, with E. and J. Fred Webster he organized the company of Webster and Ring Manufacturing Company, which built and operated a pulp mill in Orono. He added lumbering to his operations, cutting large amounts of pulp and saw logs. He was also a member of the firm of White and Ring, grocers in Orono.
Governor John F. Hill appointed Ring to be State Land Agent and Forest Commissioner in 1901, a post he held for ten years. As Land Agent, he was especially active in promoting ways to protect the woods against fires. At his urging, a law was passed in 1903 which provided for a special forestry patrol to guard the woods and fight fires, the first such action in the country. Ring also used his position to promote Maine's forestlands and their various uses.
After his retirement from public office, he became interested in the timberlands business. He formed the E.E. Ring Land Company in Bangor to engage in general real estate and buying and selling of all kinds of timberlands. George H. Hamlin was president and Ring was treasurer and general manager of the company. He was also president of the Maine Forestry Association for several years, and was a director of the Penobscot Lumbering Association, the West Branch Log Driving Association, and the Mattawamkeag Log Driving Association.
Edgar Ring died on June 13, 1927.
Extent
1 box
7 ledgers
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Business records of Edmund T. Ring and scrapbooks documenting the career of his son, Edgar E. Ring, both of Orono, Maine. Edmund appears to have operated a grocery store there and also operated a sawmill under the firm name E.T. Ring and Son.
Conservation Note
The collection has been re-housed in acid-free folders and an acid-free box.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The ledgers came to the Special Collections Department as part of the C.J. Dunn Collection.
- Business records Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Clippings Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Daybooks Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- E. T. Ring Grocers and Confectionary
- General stores -- Maine Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Ledgers (Account books) Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Maine. Forest Commissioner
- Orono (Me.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Orono (Me.) -- Commerce Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Public lands -- Maine Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Ring, E. T.
- Ring, Edgar E.
- Title
- Guide to the Ring Family Papers
- Status
- Box And Folder List Available
- Date
- May 2004
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for uncoded script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Raymond H. Fogler Library Special Collections Repository
5729 Raymond H. Fogler Library
University of Maine
Orono ME 04469-5729 United States
207-581-1686
