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On June 10, 1871, while back in Moniteau County, Ratcliff, at twenty-nine, married his neighbor, Elizabeth McNair, who was some five years his senior.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.moniteau.net/marriages/groom/marriages-ra-ri.html|title=Ratcliff-McNair marriage|publisher=Moniteau.net|accessdate=October 22, 2020}}</ref> Later in the year, the Ratcliffs took the train to Denver, the stagecoach to [[Colorado Springs]], and then a wagon or horseback to the Tarryall Creek area of Park County. The Ratliffs established a successful homestead and ranch]that remained in their family from purchase in 1876 until his arrest in 1895. Ratcliff reported to the 1885 Colorado census that he owned four horses, twenty dairy cows, thirty beef cattle, some seventy calves, and had produced that year six hundred pounds of [[butter]].<ref name=vandusen/>

On June 10, 1871, while back in Moniteau County, Ratcliff, at twenty-nine, married his neighbor, Elizabeth McNair, who was some five years his senior.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.moniteau.net/marriages/groom/marriages-ra-ri.html|title=Ratcliff-McNair marriage|publisher=Moniteau.net|accessdate=October 22, 2020}}</ref> Later in the year, the Ratcliffs took the train to Denver, the stagecoach to [[Colorado Springs]], and then a wagon or horseback to the Tarryall Creek area of Park County. The Ratliffs established a successful homestead and ranch]that remained in their family from purchase in 1876 until his arrest in 1895. Ratcliff reported to the 1885 Colorado census that he owned four horses, twenty dairy cows, thirty beef cattle, some seventy calves, and had produced that year six hundred pounds of [[butter]].<ref name=vandusen/>

   

   

In October 1882, Elizabeth Ratcliff and her fourth child died in childbirth. At forty-one, Ratcliff was left a widower to rear his son, Howell, and two daughters, Lizzie and Lavina. In 1884, he sent the daughters back to Missouri to live with relatives. Ratcliff and his son Howell, still a boy of ten, ran the ranch together. By 1892 or 1894, the girls returned to Colorado. Lizzie had a severe limp that had become permanent because of the lack of medical attention following a fall. One of her legs was six inches shorter than the other.<ref name=vandusen/> After Ratcliff's arrest, conviction, and execution, his children inherited nothing under the [[Homestead Act]] of 1862 because all were still under the age of twenty-one. The Ratcliff children soon left Park County in April 1896.<ref>''The Flum,'' July 9, 1897.</ref>

In October 1882, Elizabeth Ratcliff and her fourth child died in childbirth. At forty-one, Ratcliff was left a widower to rear his son, Howell, and two daughters, Lizzie and Lavina. In 1884, he sent the daughters back to Missouri to live with relatives. Ratcliff and his son Howell, still a boy of ten, ran the ranch together. By 1892 or 1894, the girls returned to Colorado. Lizzie had a severe limp that had become permanent because of the lack of medical attention following a fall. One of her legs was six inches shorter than the other.<ref name=vandusen/> After Ratcliff's arrest, conviction, and execution, his children inherited nothing under the [[Homestead Act]] of 1862 because all were still under the age of twenty-one. The Ratcliff children soon left Park County in April 1896.<ref>''The Flume,'' July 9, 1897.</ref>

   

   

Ratcliff in 1895 wrote George Miller, the superintendent of the Michigan Creek School Board, to request one of the following: (1) that the school be moved closer to the Ratcliff homestead, (2) that a special homebound teacher be assigned to assist him in the education of his children, or (3) that he be allowed to use the school textbooks and materials for [[home schooling]]. At the time, public school was held in Park County only in the winter, as children were needed for farm and ranch chores during the remainder of the year.<ref name=vandusen/> Ratcliff asked for the assistance to accommodate Lizzie's handicap because the school was seven miles away.<ref name=transcript/> When the school board would not meet any of his requests, Ratcliff became frustrated, and events soon turned to disaster.<ref name=vandusen/>

Ratcliff in 1895 wrote George Miller, the superintendent of the Michigan Creek School Board, to request one of the following: (1) that the school be moved closer to the Ratcliff homestead, (2) that a special homebound teacher be assigned to assist him in the education of his children, or (3) that he be allowed to use the school textbooks and materials for [[home schooling]]. At the time, public school was held in Park County only in the winter, as children were needed for farm and ranch chores during the remainder of the year.<ref name=vandusen/> Ratcliff asked for the assistance to accommodate Lizzie's handicap because the school was seven miles away.<ref name=transcript/> When the school board would not meet any of his requests, Ratcliff became frustrated, and events soon turned to disaster.<ref name=vandusen/>