 From the beginning, Frederick Ringer was an active participant in the political and social affairs of the Nagasaki foreign settlement.He was elected to the Municipal Council in 1874 and 5 years later served on the reception committee to welcome former US President Ulysses S. Grant to Nagasaki.From 1884, Ringer served as Consul for Belgium, and at various times was Acting Consul for Denmark, Sweden and Hawaii.