Ringier's father was a reformed pastor who supervised the parish Sumiswald at the time of his birth.

He opened his law firm in Zofingue, and was elected to the cantonal parliament in 1862, serving from 1862 to 1864, and again from 1875 to 1880.

Later he suffered lung injuries during work as a firefighter that required four years of treatment in Ajaccio, Rigi, and Davos.

In 1881, he was elected on the fourth ballot as Chancellor of the Confederation, replacing Johann Ulrich Schiess.

This was the first time since the creation of the Federal Chancellery that several voting rounds were required for the election of the chancellor.