Illinois Family Group Sheet for the John William Pring Family

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Copyright © Frank Bouley. All rights reserved.
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Submitted by: Frank Bouley
Email address: [deceased]

Husband: John William PRING
Birthdate: 22 Jun 1845
Birthplace: Newton Popleford, Devonshire, England
Deathdate: 28 Nov 1922
Place of death: Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado
Burial: Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado, Evergreen Cem.
Father: Henry William Pring (1810-1858)
Mother: Mary Ann Patch Lacemaker (1809-1863)

Marriage date: 15 Jul 1866
Marriage place: St. John Evangeli, London, England

Wife: Mary Jane BEER
Birthdate: 29 May 1843
Birthplace: Iddesleigh, Devonshire, England
Deathdate: 6 Feb 1906
Place of death: Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado
Burial: Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado, Evergreen Cem.
Father: William Brook Beer Farmer (1815-1888)
Mother: Elizabeth Tucker Thorne Dressmaker (1817-1877)

CHILDREN

Child No. 1: Henry William Pring
Sex: M
Birthdate: 20 May 1867, London, England
Deathdate: 12 May 1926
Burial: 22 May 1926, Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado
Spouses' names: Minnie Walker
Marriage dates: 9 Sep 1896

Child No. 2: Henrietta Jane Pring
Sex: F
Birthdate: 27 Dec 1869, London, England, , Westborne Park
Deathdate: 11 May 1941
Burial: Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado
Spouses' names: William David Shemwell
Marriage dates: 1891

Child No. 3: William John Pring
Sex: M
Birthdate: 13 Jan 1871, London, , England, Westborne Park
Deathdate: 23 Oct 1950, Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado
Burial: 28 Oct 1950, Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado
Spouses' names: Nellie May Galley
Marriage dates: 10 Mar 1896, Castle Rock, , Colorado

Child No. 4: Elizabeth Lydia Pring
Sex: F
Birthdate: 28 Mar 1873, Sterling, Whiteside, Illinois
Deathdate: 6 Jun 1958
Burial: 10 Jun 1958, Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado
Spouses' names:
Marriage dates:

Child No. 5: Lucy Ann Pring
Sex: F
Birthdate: 20 Dec 1876, Rock Island Fall, Whiteside, Illinois
Deathdate: 1930
Burial: Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado
Spouses' names: William McConnell Doctor
Marriage dates: 22 Jun 1898

Child No. 6: Oliver Perry Pring
Sex: M
Birthdate: 17 Aug 1878, Husted, El Paso, Colorado
Deathdate: 24 Jul 1963, Lewiston, Nez Perce, Idaho
Burial: 26 Jul 1963, Normal Hill Cem., Lewiston, Idaho
Spouses' names: Mabel Gregory (1878-1961)
Marriage dates: 25 Jan 1900, Galveston, Galveston, Texas

Child No. 7: Edward Adelbert Pring
Sex: M
Birthdate: 13 Dec 1880, South Monument, El Paso, Colorado
Deathdate: 24 Nov 1944, Denver, , Colorado
Burial: 28 Nov 1944, Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado
Spouses' names: Margery Faye Willett (1886-1956)
Marriage dates: 1908

Child No. 8: Aubrey Jasper Pring
Sex: M
Birthdate: 27 Feb 1883, Husted, Colorado
Deathdate: 13 Jun 1899, Colorado Springs, , Colorado
Burial: Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado
Spouses' names:
Marriage dates:

Child No. 9: Arthur James Pring
Sex: M
Birthdate: Jun 1887, Husted, El Paso, Colorado
Deathdate:
Burial:
Spouses' names: Eva Smith
Marriage dates: 25 Oct 1912, Denver, , Colorado
 
 
Documentation:
* Baptismal Record June 18, 1843 Iddesleigh! , County of Decon, Eng. Mary Jane daughter of William and Elizabeth Beare of Iddesleigh.

* Death Cert. File #1313 Colorado Springs, El Paso Co., Co.
Mary E. Pring of Colorado Springs
Born May 29 1843 England
Died Feb 6, 1906
Cause of death: Pneumonia
Age: 62 yr. 8 mo. 7 days
Father: William Beer Born England
Mother: Elizabeth Tucker Born England
Date of burial: Feb 11, 1906
Informant: Mrs. William D. Shemwell

Notes:
John William
* Supposedly born at Newton Popleford is a suburb of Aylesbeare Apprenticed to the building trades at age 15.
* Went to London in 1866 (age 21) and engaged in building trade and built many stores, houses, and hotels there.
* Personal Cabinet Maker for Queen Victoria.
* Came to US in 1871 and opened a small furniture factory in Rock Falls Il.
* Prings of Awliscombe by Rev. B.F. De Costa NEHGR Jan 1887 Vol. 42 pp86-88
* Deed for village of Rock Falls Illinois Page124, #324 -20 Jan, 1876 From A.R. Merrill and wife HarriettM. and L. Hapgood and Anna W. his wife to John Pring for the sum of $350 in the Village of Rockfalls, county of Whiteside, Ill.
The same day John Pring and wife Mary Jane resold this property, (record # 9326) to Henry Peterson for the sum of $700.

Six other deeds for 28 May, 1875 (#1242), --7 Oct,1876,-- 21 Nov. 23, 1876, 3 Sep, 1877, 2 Sep, 1879 (this one is for $1 in which he received a quit claim for property in Colorado) and 15 March 1884. John Pring always bought and sold at profit.

* Bought land (240 Acres 15 Mi. N. of Co. Springs) in Colorado Springs and moved there about 1876 and began ranching. During the Cripple Creek Gold Excitement he was one of the first to go to the district and owned the Bonnie Nell and Raven Hill mines and several others.

* 1851 Census for Devonshire:

* 1880 Census Colorado Enum. Dist. 44 Sheet 34-line8-Vol.2 Reel T738#5
Pring, John age 36 Farmer Born England
Mary Jane age 37 housekeeper born England
Harry age 13born England
Ettieage 11"
William age 9 "
Elizabethage 7born Illinois
Lucyage 4 "
Oliver P. age 2born Colorado

* 1885 Local Census for Colorado.
Pring, John age 40 born Eng.
Mary age 42 Eng.
Henry W. age 18 Eng
Henrietta age 16 Eng
William J. age 14 Eng
Elizabeth age 12 Illinois
Lucy A. age 9 Illinois
Oliver P. age 6 Colorado
Edward A. age 4 Colorado

* 1900 Census for Colorado-P652 T1035 (Vol 9 Ed 31 Sheet 5 line 19)
Pring, John W. Age 55
Mary age 57
Lydia age 37
Edward age 30
James age 13

* 1910 Census for Colorado

* Deed-1876-Rock Falls, Whiteside Co. Ill.

* Marriage Cert. # B54532 General Registry Office of London Record # 186 15 Jul 1866
John William Pring -- Carpenter son of Henry Pring -- Farmer
Mary Jane Beer -- daughter of William Beer -- Farmer
Both residing at 6 Luton Terrace, London. Married in District Parish church, In the presence of Joseph Lewis and Almena Lewis, Married (after Banns) by H.H. Letchworth

* According to IGI, they were married 15 Jul 1866 at St. John the Evangelist, Notting Hill, London, Eng.

* John William Pring was born in Devonshire, Eng on June 22, 1545. His father was Henry Pring and his mother, Mary Ann Patch. He was one of nine children, (John being #6). Below is a transcript from Portraits and biographical records of Colorado, P511/12.

* PRINGS EVERGREEN CEMETERY IN COLORADO SPRINGS Cemetery Records thru 1972 FROM The original listing Compiled by Athlyn Luzier and published by the Pikes Peak Genealogical Society.
LAST FIRST BIRTH DEATH BURIAL LOT#
PRING AUBREY JOHN 27 FEB 1883 17 JUN 1899 T-K (Bur w/John William)
PRING BABY BOY 30 JUN 1947 K PRING EDWARD A. 13 DEC 1880 28 NOV 1944 T-K (Bur w/John William)
PRING ELIZABETH LYDIA 28 MAR 1873 10 JUN 1958 K (Bur w/John William)
PRING FRANK W. 1897-229 no death date; Bur w/Margaret May)
PRING HENRY WILLIAM 20 MAY 1867 22 MAY 1926 K (Bur w/John William)
PRING JOHN EDWARD 07 DEC 1912 19 SEP 1935 K (Bur w/John William)
PRING JOHN WILLIAM 22 JUN 1845 02 DEC 1922 T-K (husband of Mary Jane PRING)
PRING MARGARETE MAY 1896 30 JAN 1971 -229 (Bur w/Frank W.)
PRING MARY JANE 29 MAY 1843 11 FEB 1906 T-K (wife of John William PRING)
PRING NELLIE M. 1877 (no death date) -229 (Bur w/William John)
PRING WILLIAM JOHN 1871 28 OCT 1950 T-229 (Bur w/Nellie M.)

* John W. Pring who made his home in Colorado Springs since 1897, came to this state in 1876, for the purpose of investigating a tract of 240 acres he had previously purchased without ever having seen the property. He found the place a barren waste, without apparently, enough upon it to keep a rabbit alive. All though making up his mind that he had made a most unfortunate trade, he determined to settle here. He at once began to cultivate and settle the land, upon which he engaged in stock-raising and general farming. Since then he has brought the tract under irrigation, built fences around it, and erected substantial farm buildings, so that the place has been made one of the best farms in El Paso County. It is situated fifteen miles north of Colorado Springs, on both the Santa Fe and the Denver and Rio Grande Railroads, at Pring Station, which was named for him. His specialty has been the raising of graded shorthorns. Prior to his removal to Colorado Springs, he engaged in the Dairy business and for seven years furnished the milk for the Antlers Hotel, whose bill amounted to more than $18,000. Shipments of milk were made over the Rio Grande road. In addition to this place he owns farm at Gwillinville, five miles east of Monument, where his son superintends the cultivation of the four hundred and forty acres comprising the estate: and he is also the owner of three other farms in the same vicinity, all of which were improved by himself. The Pring family is from Devonshire, England. Our subject's grandfather, Henry Pring, owned a fine estate, "The Rosewood", where he spent his entire life. He was drowned one night while fording a stream.
  His son, Henry, who succeeded to the ownership of the estate, was killed, when forty seven years of age, by being thrown from a buggy by a runaway horse. Henry Pring Jr. married Mary Ann Patch, who died in Devon, her native shire. Of their nine children, six are now living all in Devonshire except John W., the sixth in order of birth. He was born June 22,1845, and attended the pay schools of Devon. His father died when he was a lad of 11. Four years later he was apprenticed to the Carpenters and builders trade in the vicinity of his home place, and there he continued until he was 21. Going to London in 1866, he engaged in contracting and building. With the money bequeathed him by his father he bought property and built eighteen residences at one time, afterwards erecting houses in different parts of the city. In addition to the residences buiIt for himself, he carried out contracts to build stores, hotels and houses for others.
  After having been in London for five years, in the fall of 1871 Mr. Pring came to America and bought the Utility Works in Rock Falls, Ill. where he engaqed in the manufacture of all kinds of articles in wood. After two years, however, he sold out. Since coming to Colorado he has given his attention principally to raising draft horses, graded stock, and to the dairy business, in which he has been successful. His home is now at 318 West Kiowa Street, Colorado Springs. When the Cripple Creek excitement began, he was among the first in that district, and is still interested in mines there. In political views he is a Republican. He takes an interest in public affairs but has always refused to accept public office. In London, England, Mr. Pring married Miss Mary Jane Beer, daughter of William Beer and a native of Exeter. They are the parents of nine children, namely: Harry who lives in Montana, William, who occupies one of his fathers ranches; Mrs. Ettie Shemwell, whose husband manages the home ranch; Lucy, wife of Dr. McConnell of Monument, Lydia, Oliver, Edward, Aubrey, and Arthur, who are at home.

MARY JANE BEER (THORN)
* Mary Jane Beer was born on 5/29/lS43 in Idlegh, Exeter England. She met and married John William Pring in London around 1866. The couple had nine children and emigrated to the U.S. in l871. She died 6 Feb 1906 at her ranch her ranch in Colorado. The compiler has a picture of her taken in 1901.
  Most of the information that the compiler has comes from his Mother, aunts, uncles and cousins in the family. (Much of it is erroneous)

Attended Blue Cape (There was a Blue Maids School on Mary Arches Street) School for girls in Exeter, Eng. This school was only a few blocks from where she lived.--Here is a letter from a researcher:
Subject: Blue Maids' Hospital
Date: Sun, 3 Dec 2000 10:13:47 -0500
From: Ian Stoyle Thorverton@compuserve.com
  Provided she lived early enough, it sounds as if your GGM was a scholar at the Hele's or Blue Maids' Hospital in St Mary Arches, Exeter. This was a charity set up in the 1600s for the free board, clothing and education of a small number of girls, who were dressed in blue. There was a similar but better endowed organization for boys, the St John's Hospital or Blue Boys school.
  By 1851, according to White's Directory, there were only 4 Blue Girls proper, who were "admitted at the ages of 7 to 10 years, and discharged at 14 years of age, when they are bound apprentices .. or placed as servants in respectable families". However, the Mistress was also permitted to take in other scholars, who paid a small fee, as boarders or day pupils, so there were many more girls at the school than those paid for by the charity. Whether the fee payers wore the same uniform. I'm not sure. There are no surviving lists of pupils for the Blue Maids Hospital in local archives, but I imagine they were the sisters of the boys at the Blue Boys School, who were the sons of artisans in regular employment and small tradesmen, certainly not middle class but equally certainly not rough working class. The Blue Boys school prospered until the 1920s, but I can't find any reference to the Blue Maids after the 1870s.
  St Mary Arches suffered a lot of bomb damage in the war and was then destroyed by the Exeter City Council in the 1960s, so the school buildings will no longer be there. I don't recall ever having seen a photo of them either, though descriptions of them make them sound quite extensive. I hope that helps.
Ian Stoyle, Researcher, Exeter

* Maynards School for Girls also known as Exeter High School for Girls, also known as Blue Maid school for girls.

* She had one illigitimate child named "George Pool"

* She followed husband John over in 1872

* Item: Mary Jane was enrolled at birth in the Blue Cape College for girls, by her father. It had blue chip credentials and is still in existance now.
* Item: Another account says it was the Blue Bonnet school for Young Ladies.
* Item: She was a maid in waiting to Queen Victoria, her mother Elizabeth havinq been a second cousin to the Queen.
* Item: The Queen asked Mary Jane to part her hair in the middle, a style she continued for the rest of her life.
* Item: As a maid in waiting, she was taught English, Penmanship, Music and Needlework.
* Item: She had an uncle. David Williams who was a retired quartermaster of the British Army and an uncle, Thomas Thorne, who was Captain of the Queens yacht (she often sailed with him).
* Item:There has even been confusion as to who her father really was. Some accounts make the father Lord Earl R. Thorn. One account says that Lord Thorne was father and Beer the stepfather and that Beer was the Caretaker of Windsor Castle and that Mary Jane was born and raised in Windsor Castle. Some accounts make it William Beer who married Elizabeth Thorne.
* Item: One account says that her mothers maiden name was Elizabeth West who was widowed and married William Beer.
Some of the confusion has been cleared up by recent correspondence with a from Idaho, Ann Miller. According to Anns records William Brook Beer married Elizabeth Thorne about l852 (nine years after Mary Janes birth). They had a daughter, Eliza Ellen, who would have been Mary Janes half sister.
  A letter from this compilers mother, Elizabeth Hanson (nee Pring) says "My fathers mother was Mary Jane Beer and she was Queen Victorias cousin on the Windsor side. It seems that when she was very young, her father died and her mother married again. Her step father was a commoner who adopted her, and therein lies the difficulty in tracing. Many years ago I read letters from Victoria to grandmother and saw an old tin type of them, posed together and signed by Victoria." (This, I believe was mothers fantasy.)