I had a friend many years ago who always described any slow process as “maple syrup running up-hill in January.” Finding Pryors sometimes feels just that slow. I’m happy to say we’ve got clarity on another Pryor for the family tree!
Alfred Pryor (b. 1835) is the son of Alfred Pryor and Serena Dill, counted in his father’s household in District 1 of Jackson Co., TN in 1850. This younger Alfred Pryor was living in District 11 with Matilda who we can only speculate was his wife, since the 1860 census didn’t record relationships. In 1870 neither Alfred nor Matilda were in Jackson County and I haven’t found them elsewhere. (See Jackson County census extractions)
There is a Matilda Pryor on the 1870 Census in Union County, KY. She’s the right age and the only other member of her household was a 5 year old boy named James W. Pryor.
Matilda is identified on a Sons of the American Revolution Membership Application as Matilda Dill Pryor. Sure enough, there’s a Matilda Dill on the 1850 Census in Jackson Co., TN. I wonder if Matilda’s father, Archibald Dill was a brother of Serena Dill Pryor.
1850 Census Jackson Co., TN
Archibald Dill 50 farmer TN, Rachel 40, Archibald Dill 21, Lewis H. 16, Nancy A. 13, Elizabeth H. 10, Matilda 9, Melvina 7, James K. 5, Henry C. 2, Polly S. 1
The same application states Matilda remarried in 1874. I haven’t been able to find Matilda Dill Pryor nor her second husband Levi Dempsey on the 1880 Census.
So, it looks like Alfred Pryor ( 1835) in TN was on the 1850 and 1860 Census in Jackson County, TN. He married Matilda Dill, who was possibly a cousin, and they were the parents of Serena Pryor (1858) and James W. Pryor (1865). Alfred died sometime before 1870 when Matilda was in Union Co., KY. Matilda remarried in 1874.
