Almost Murders is Entirely a Great Read

By ANGELA KELLOGG-HENRY              

Cleaver Managing Editor

In his new book Almost Murders 1872-1952 author and local historian Jon H. Ringelberg publishes the cases he discovered during the research for his book Clare County Murders 1871-2020 published in 2020.

Ringelberg describes these ‘almost murders’ as “within a general definition of a homicide – either suspected or actual—and all the incidents presented provide an interesting historical look into early Clare County violence.” His easy-to-read format allows those of us that haven’t been to law school to understand the details of each case. 

 He covers these ‘almost’ cases from 1872 to 1950 using court documents, newspaper clippings, and his expert interpretation of those primary records from his experience as a lawyer and judge. His factual reporting of each case is interesting, and he presents facts, theories, and conclusions.

Even if one is not particularly intrigued by the true crime genre Almost Murders mentions people and places in Clare County that are of historical interest. Many locations in the county are described and witnesses involved creating a vivid picture of Clare County history, albeit a darker one than we might be used to examining.

One story from 1890 details the accidental killing of a man mistaken for a bear in a berry swamp. He was shot through the heart when another berry picker mistook him for a bear. Other cases include assaults with knives, fists, and even the carelessness of a train engineer.

Ringelberg does not include “the crimes of assault with intent to commit rape, assault with intent to commit indecent liberties, assault with intent to ravish, ‘simple’ assault, and assault and battery.” He does include, “Felonious assaults, assaults with intent to commit murder, assaults with intent to maim and disfigure, assaults with intent to disable, assaults with intent to commit larceny (but not all of these), and assaults with intent to commit harm less than murder.”

Also, in the volume Ringelberg clarifies items from his book Clare County Murders 1871-2020 with additions and corrections. He also lists additional murders between 1871 and 2020 and briefly mentions murders that took place in Clare County in 2021.

In addition to his other publications, Ringelberg is a keeper of many notebooks over the years of compiled historical information about communities, people, and incidents in Clare County. He has been a Clare County Historical Society member for almost 40 years.

Ringelberg is also the author of Clare County at 150: History and Stories 1871-2021, Clare County Murders 1871-2020, Historical 'Travels' In Clare County: This & That, Golf & Skiing Clare County Michigan: 1922 to Present. Ringelberg has also synopsized thousands of historic Clare County legal cases.

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