Corporal Bernard Joseph Benjamin 'Ben' Ringswald was a first generation German immigrant to America from Baden-Baden, Germany, and who served in the Spanish American War.

He was part of Company M of the First Regiment of Infantry, Kentucky State Guard - Louisville Legion with Captain Frederick Rudolph deFuniak Jr as commanding officer. He entered as a private and was elevated to corporal. The Commanding Officer of the Kentucky Infantry during the Spanish American War was Gen John Breckinridge Castleman.

He later served as head doorman of the Seelbach Hotel in Louisville where he worked for many years. He retired after 27 years of service as the head doorman of the Hotel Sinton in Cincinnati.

Ben was Catholic and fathered children with four different known women. Four daughters were born to his first wife: Mary Louisa Rolfes. Mary Louisa died at the age of 35. Bernard and Mary Louisa had: Mary Elizabeth Ringswald Willen, Mary Clara Ringswald Zweydoff, Louise Carrie Ringswald Willman, and Bernadine Ringswald Knight. Upon his wife's death, Bernard placed two daughters into Sisters of the Good Shepherd Orphanage in Louisville.

Ben then had a set of twins with Edith Ida Stengel Gerber. One of the twins, Bertha Catharina Ringswald, died when she was four months old. The other twin was Bennett Bernard Joseph Ringswald, who took his mother's surname (Gerber).

Later he married his second wife, a widow named Mary Rose Morris Horine in Louisville and had one child with her: Margaret May Ringswald Nurisio who lived most of her life in San Francisco. Mary Rose and Bernard divorced.

Ben moved to Covington, Kentucky and married his third wife, Stella Mae Rhoades and had one daughter: Anna Mae Ringswald Bowman.

Ben was gregarious. As a hobby he would make hula dolls and other hand-crafted items and Christmas ornaments and give them away as gifts. He also built doll houses.

Ben's home at 114 West 2nd Street in Covington was torn down to make way for the construction of the Brent Spence Bridge. The house sat near the current bridge approaches in Covington.

Ben passed away at the VA Hospital in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. His funeral mass was held at Saint Patrick Catholic Church with Rev Joseph W Mingoue, assistant pastor, as the officiant. He was buried 23 January 1954 at Saint Mary Cemetery in Fort Mitchell, Kenton County, Kentucky and rests next to his daughter Anna Mae Ringswald Bowman and a granddaughter, Anna Mae Bowman. His first wife, Mary Louise Rolfes, is buried at St. Michael's Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky. His second wife, Stella Mae Rhoades Ringswald, is buried in Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati. Four of Bernard's children: Mary Willen, Mary Clara Zweydoff, Bennett Gerber, and Bertha Catharina Ringswald, are buried in St. Michael Cemetery in Louisville's Germantown neighborhood. Louise Willman is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Louisville and Bernadine Knight is buried in Louisville Memorial Gardens in Louisville. Margaret May Ringswald Nurisio is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma, California, next to the San Francisco International Airport.

A digitized historical account of the First Regiment of Infantry of the Louisville Legion, written by Colonel Ernest MacPherson, Judge Advocate of the Kentucky State Guard, can be accessed and read through the hathitrust.org website by searching for the keyword: Ringswald.

Biography compiled by Christopher Glenn Padgett, great great grandson with assistance from Howard Richard Padgett, great grandson, and Mary Lee Zweydoff Padgett, granddaughter. Photographs posted came from Mary Lee Zweydoff Padgett, David Gerber, and Patty Willen.