Father: William Pringle
Mother: Mary Keaton

Spouse-1: James L. Welch
  m: 25/Nov/1835 - McDonough Co., IL

Child: Francis (Frank) M.

Spouse-2: John Emons - b: 16/Jan/1814 - NY
  d: 12/Sep/1851 - bur: Old Macomb Cem., McDonough Co., IL
  m: 12/Aug/1847 - Hancock Co., IL

Child: Mary A. - b: 16/Apr/1849 - IL
                           d: 8/Oct/1850 - bur: Old Macomb Cem., McDonough Co., IL

Spouse-3: Enoch F. Welsh
  m: 26/Mar/1854 - McDonough Co., IL

Biographical Details:

Sarah Ann Pringle is believed to have been the oldest surviving child of William and Mary Keaton Pringle.  She was born in Kentucky, probably in Henry County about 1814 or 1815, but no definite date is known.  Accordingly, it may be presumed that she came with her parents to Illinois, in 1830 and, concomitantly, civil records confirm that she married James L. Welch in McDonough County on November 25, 1835.  Moreover, there is strong circumstantial evidence that they had one son, Francis, born the following year.  Sadly, Sarah's husband, James, died in 1839 and census records of 1840 suggest that she and her young son were then living in the household of her parents, but this is only probable, not certain.  Concomitantly, subsequent marriage records from neighboring Hancock County, Illinois, confirm that John Emons and Sarah Ann Welch married on August 12, 1847.  Although, it cannot be presumed with absolute confidence, it seems reasonably certain that the wife of John Emons was the widow of James Welch.  Furthermore, the household of John Emons appeared in the population schedule of the 1850 US Census for McDonough County and included four individuals, viz., John, thirty-four years of age; Sarah A., age thirty-five; and Mary A., a one year old infant, along with a fourteen year old adolescent, Frances Welsh.¹  Notwithstanding that the census taker erroneously identified the adolescent as a female as well as misspelling both given and surnames, it is very likely that this individual should actually be identified as Sarah's son from her first marriage, i.e., Francis M. Welch.

John Emons died in 1851, perhaps, of cholera, and Sarah married for a third time in March of 1854 in McDonough County to Enoch F. Welsh, after which there seems to be no further record of either of them.  Consequently, it may be reasonably presumed that Sarah died before 1860, but this awaits a definitive confirmation.  Within this context, one might suppose that instead of being identified with Francis M. Welch, the individual, Frances Welsh, enumerated in the 1850 census, might be rather better considered as in some way related to Enoch Welsh.  Indeed, the coincidence of surnames is obvious (as well as being a source of confusion); however, the apparent close association of Francis Welch in later life to various members of the Pringle family tends to support the previously asserted identification.  Alternatively, examination of the contemporary census records reveals that "Welch" and "Welsh" were often used indiscriminantly in population schedules and, moreover, according to these same records the great majority of individuals associated with either of these surnames then resident in McDonough County were, in fact, relatives.  Therefore, it would seem entirely possible that Enoch Welsh was a relative of Sarah's first husband, James Welch, but this remains merely speculation.

1.  Marge Harris (comp), "Old Cemetery" Macomb, Illinois, privately published, McDonough County Genealogical Society, P. O. B. 202, Macomb, IL, 1984: pg. 41.
     "EMONS ------, J & S A, d  8 October 1850  age 1y 5m 22d"  Undoubtedly, this was the small child mentioned in the 1850 census.
     "John, d  12 September 1851  age 37y 7m 27d   John Emons may have d of cholera.  The McDonough Independent reported three deaths in the village over the weekend; none were named.  In 1850 McDonough County census:  John, age 34, b New York, teamster; Sarah A., age 35, b Kentucky; Mary A., age 1, b Illinois, and Frances Welsh, age 14, b Illinois (female).  Mrs. Sarah Ann Emmons and Enoch F. Welsh were married 26 March 1854 in McDonough County.  Buried near the fence in south central area."
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Additional Citations:

2. 1850 US Census Population Schedule for McDonough County, Illinois, National Archives, Washington DC:  pg. 237A, (microfilm: roll M432_116; img. 318).

3. Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, Illinois State Archives & Illinois Genealogical Society, Springfield, IL, 2014.  ("Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900", www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/databases/marriage.html)

4. Old Macomb Cemetery, McDonough County, Illinois (www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=1465570&CScn=Old+Macomb&CScntry=4&CSst=16&CScnty=744&, continuously updated).

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